Nesbitt Farms - a natural business

Our crops & grasses

Our approach to cropping is based on a periodic rotation. As we do not use chemical inputs, it is important for us to maintain soil fertility through rotation of different crop species. The crops we tend to focus on for rotational purposes are – grains (wheat, barley and oats) for one or two years followed by beans or a grass fertility-building ley.

At harvest our crops are sold for organic food production. However we keep back a portion of our grains and bean crops for use as winter feed for our livestock.

Our approach to grass is to supplement our permanent pasture, which is our principal grazing land, with temporary grass leys. These may be grazed but are more typically cut for silage fodder as winter feed for the livestock.

This year we have planted –

40 acres of Firth spring oats
Most of our oats will end up on the breakfast table as organic porridge.

230 acres of Quench spring barley
Most of our barley is sold for organic beer production.

150 acres of Fuego spring beans
Most of our beans become the protein requirement in organic animal feed.

We have 75 acres of permanent pasture and 280 acres of temporary grass leys.