Sam Eccles – Stockfree Farming

Veganic Consumer Survey Report

This survey had two primary aims. The first was to help a veganic farmer in transition better understand the local and wider UK market demand for several veganic food products which he was considering producing. In doing so, this would help him decide which crops to grow and what processing equipment to purchase. The second aim was to get a sense of the demand for veganic food products from UK consumers which would be useful to existing and prospective veganic or stockfree organic (SO) farmers who could use the data in the same way as the above farmer.

Thorncroft

Visiting the Orkney archipelago for the first time, it is striking how the landscape is almost completely dominated by livestock with some patches of cereal crops here and there. Yet, tucked in amongst all of this, on the island of Westray lies Thorncroft which immediately stands apart from (and to a certain extent, towers above) its surroundings on first sight.

Newsletter Vol.1 No. 4

Scottish Agriculture Bill:

Call to action for our readers in Scotland
The subsidy system for Scottish agriculture has been in a state of limbo for the past few years and many farmers and crofters are anxious to see what direction it will go in, so that they can commit to making changes on their land that will align with the new agricultural policies. The Scottish Government will soon be deciding on a new Agriculture Bill that will shape the future of farming and crofting in Scotland,

Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 3 Post

BEYOND THE POSSIBLE:
Expanding the Boundaries of Farming and Crofting
Stockfree Farming is hosting a free series of webinars by farmers for farmers on
radical, stockfree land management beginning NOVEMBER 1ST.

Our webinar series introduces farmers, crofters, foresters, and pioneers from Orkney to Oxfordshire who have broken through the obstacles of terrain, climate, poor soil, and short growing season to produce great food in harmony with the natural world.

Tolhurst Organic

The importance of Tolhurst Organic in the world of stockfree farming is immense – a living example of a thriving farm business set in just under 20 acres in Oxfordshire, using absolutely no animal inputs and producing a vast array of vegetables and fruits for a local customer base.

Leafu: what this novel food could mean for Scottish agriculture

One of the key issues with transitioning to stock-free agriculture in Scotland is that approximately 86% of the total land area is classified as Less Favoured Area (LFA), which means that growing human-edible crops is often severely disadvantaged if not completely impracticable (Scottish Government, 2019). While there are other alternatives like ecosystem restoration and farm enterprise diversification, it is quite understandable that many farmers and crofters are reluctant to give up food production entirely.