| On Topic
Compost tea
New
Scottish Strategic Potato
Farm announced
Bruce Farms, the multi-facetted Perthshire based agricultural business, has been
announced as the host for a new project which aims to be of benefit to all of Scotland’s
potato growers.
ruce Farms, based at Meigle in
Perthshire will facilitate the new AHDB
Strategic Potato Farm project. The
SPot Farm, as it will be known, is a
practical, farmer-driven project which
aims to give growers the opportunity
to examine and discuss new techniques and
research.
Claire Hodge, Edinburgh based Knowledge
Transfer Manager at AHDB Potatoes explained more
about this new initiative:
“Back in February we were delighted to be able to
announce, alongside the Scottish Government, joint
funding to bring our SPot Farm initiative to Scotland.”
“The search was then on to find a suitable farm. We
can now announce that Bruce Farms has agreed to
host the project located, where we believe, should be
accessible and relevant to all Scottish potato
growers.”
B
Claire Hodge, Edinburgh
based Knowledge Transfer
Manager at AHDB Potatoes
10 | Farming Monthly | May 2016
“The SPot Farm project in Scotland will run for 3
growing seasons (2017, 18 and19), with a series of
open-days, farm-walks and tailored group visits in
each. Scottish growers will have the opportunity to
engage with the project and help shape the
development ideas and techniques over these 3
seasons.”
“Being ahead of schedule, there will be a ‘soft
launch’ in the 2016 season where the SPot Farm will
host a 24Ha (60acre) field of Maris Piper. Our initial
focus will be a simple comparison of different primary
and secondary cultivation techniques (bed tilling and
stone separating) across the field with the help of
precision farming data. Further subjects for
examination will naturally arise for the forthcoming 3
seasons proper, as the project progresses and we
hear the input of growers.”
“Like the highly successful monitor farm project,
the real value lies in stimulating discussion. Bruce
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