Steve Castle
Case Studies on Weed Management
Steve Castle
Berkshire
Farm characteristics
Farm size: 69 hectares (170 acres)
Farm type: mixed (cereal)
Altitude: 40 m (131
Rainfall: 740 mm (29
Soil type/aspect: soil heavy black clay, some banded clay/loamy/sandy over chalk, some good sandy/loamy combination
Basic rotation: typically has been cereals, beans, cereal or root, 2 years clover ley. Is looking to change this to split three ways into a 3, 5 and 7-year rotation depending on capability of land
Enterprises: 16 ha (40 acres) woodland and gardens open to the public. 1 ha (3 ac) kitchen garden. Permanent grazing (16 ha, 40 ac), hay pastures (10 ha, 25 ac), arable land (14 ha, 35 ac). Small Jersey herd 28 milk and meat, sheep (Castle Moorit and Jacob) 85 sheep including lambs. Tamworth pigs, boar and 3 sows plus young. 6 Bagot goats. Chicken and guinea fowl. 6 apiaries
Prior land use: managed as conventional grassland
Weeding equipment: 8 ft tine harrow. 10 ft and a 6 ft rear mounted rotary toppers. Ploughs, discs, rotovators, etc.. Hand held gas and paraffin burners and lazy dog tools
Business: 2 full time staff one 50% of time on farm and some casual labour and part time.
Marketing: main markets are farmers markets and the shop on site. All arable crops go for feed
Marketing: main markets are farmers markets and the shop on site. All arable crops go for feed
Weed problems
Attitude to weeds
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