Winter is supposed to be a quieter part of the year for farmers, but we have started this year at quite a clip. We have spent a lot of time thinking about the coming season and how we can do things better.
In the context of a small mixed farm, it is about the efficiency of process and how well we record and manage data. That may seem a long way from hands-in-the-earth, agroecological growing but it is essential to make sure that we can be viable. The produce flow we have created is by no means simple: for a business turning over c. £300k last year, there is a disproportionate level of complexity. We sell at 6 markets a week, we run a box scheme that includes not only our own vegetables but also our own eggs and chicken and beef and we also buy in other products and top up our own supply during the lean season. We also sell to cafes, pubs and caterers.
A data flow that matches the real flow of produce is critical to allow us to understand where wastage is occurring, which markets and products are doing well and what opportunities we are perhaps missing. We work with Xero for accounts, Zettle for markets, Ooooby for boxes and Heirloom for crop planning. And myriad Google Sheets in between. Saving time and increasing accuracy in this data ecosystem may not be sexy but it will certainly help with the headaches! Tom joined us as farm manager 3 weeks ago and, as I hand operations over to him, I want to ensure that I am handing over something workable and able to deal with the increased activity we anticipate this year.
Team changes: In addition to Tom joining as farm manager, Bella, queen of the markets, is leaving us, and she will be greatly missed. We are all a bit jealous that she is going to be spending the next few months travelling around Patagonia. Oh, to be young and fancy free! Fortunately, Lucy got in touch and started last week. She has been shadowing Bella to learn her van packing skills and the market set up. With a background at Giffords Circus, it feels like Good Small Farms is going to be a breeze for her! Anne-Carney, who has been helping out behind the scenes on book keeping, has been on maternity leave since September but sadly decided to head back home to be nearer parental support. Thanks for all your hard work and keeping your cool under a wall of reconciliations!
Biodiversity enhancements: Hugh has helped to dig a pond in the market garden that Max is going to be excitedly planting up. Despite the very soggy ground at present, there is only one pond on the farm (that we put in a few years ago) and so a lack of standing water habitat. The market garden’s pond will address that, and in the area that needs that biodiversity to help encourage as wide a range of insects as possible. The liner has gone in and the current downpours will be helping to fill it pretty quickly.
Chickens: we have bought our chickens into a barn to ride out the avian influenza “flock-down”. This was quite the challenge for Matt, Nat, Tom and ‘dribbly Dave’, Sam’s tractor. While we took great care to ensure the gates from field to barn were wide enough to accommodate the chicken houses, we didn’t measure their height. One didn’t make it into the barn (by only 15cm – yes, we did think of letting down the tyres but it wouldn’t have been enough). After a bit of a scramble, Matt and team had built more roosting bars and put an order in for more nest boxes. The chickens, meanwhile, seem unfazed by all the fuss and are perhaps just quite glad to be out of the rain.
February and beyond: next week I will be hosting farmers and landowners interested in the idea of trees on farms, in conjunction with Stroud Valleys Project. Matt and Tom will hopefully be going to see a chicken process facility as part of their research into establishing our own. Matt will also be continuing to build the third (and final?) chicken house. Meanwhile, Athene and Max are starting to sow seeds and gear up towards the frenetic planting season. Jessie and Clara’s soft fruit bushes are almost sold out (see below) and Stuart is going to be placing our first Oranges For Justice order for our box customers.
In April, I will join Alex from The Long Table for the first in a series of Farm Table Talks. We will be discussing good food and the challenges of making it accessible to all. Please buy your ticket here.
We look forward to sharing our journey this year with you all!
Eric
