Our Farm
In Dumfries & GallowayArbigland Farms
Every year we produce 3 million litres of extra creamy milk for cheese, 1000 tons of potatoes, 500 tons of barley and 85 tons of beef. We aim to do this in a regenerative way that preserves and enhances life in the soil and maintains high levels of wildlife.
We have a mixed farming operation and the whole estate is farmed in hand. Our arable rotation currently consists of spring barley followed by potatoes and green manure (chicory + mustard + vetch + phacelia + red clover) or grass as a break crop.
Our dairy operation is on permanent pasture that comprises species rich leys.
Our grassland acts as a store of carbon so that there is less in the atmosphere and less climate change. Contrary to poular belief this far outweighs any direct emissions from our cattle!
We have about 100 acres of woodland and the timber feeds our biomass boiler thus ensuring a very low carbon footprint.
We bring in sheep in the spring to help prepare the ground for cropping.
Although we are not formally organic we use organic principles. We use clovers and farmyard manure to build fertility – so that we don’t need to buy in as much artificial fertiliser – and use satellite linked precision soil testing and application of lime, phosphate and potash to keep the soils at optimum levels. Our rotation helps to keep chemical sprays to a minimum.
Our holiday accommodation is situated well away from farm buildings so that noise, smells and child safety issues are carefully managed. However our guests get the full farm stay experience of seeing cattle sheep and crops ripening in the fields.
Our Dairy Herd
We have a milk-from-grass dairy operation using Jersey x cows.
Conservation Farming
We farm with conservation very much in mind and we have been in the Rural Priorities Environmental Scheme and its precursor the Rural Stewardship Scheme since 2003.