Exploring Alternative Crops and Soil Inputs for Resilient Farming
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Exploring Alternative Crops and Soil Inputs for Resilient Farming

Join us at this technical event focused on the potential of fibre crops, alternative protein crops, and bio-stimulants.

By Soil Association

Date and time

Fri, 2 May 2025 10:30 - 15:30 GMT+1

Location

Fradswell Village Hall

Fradswell Lane Fradswell ST18 0EY United Kingdom

About this event

  • Event lasts 5 hours

Join us for an event focused on the potential of fibre crops, alternative protein crops, and bio-stimulants. Whether you're a farmer looking to diversify, or simply curious about the latest research and on-farm experience of these approaches, this event will offer practical insights, infield demonstrations, and networking opportunities.

We will explore:

  • What the benefits of growing fibre and protein crops for growers and supply chain.
  • How bio-stimulants naturally enhance soil health and crop resilience.
  • Which practical growing techniques are being used successfully at Field Hall Farm, a demonstration farm for Soil Association's Agroecology at Scale Project.
  • Which market opportunities and processing options are available through these alternative crops.

We encourage you to come along to this free event to hear from experiences of trialling fibre crops, protein crops and bio-stimulants; and explore the opportunities alongside other farmers. Lunch and refreshments will be included on the day.

Agenda
10:30 AM – Arrival & welcome refreshments

11:00 AM – Introduction to the day, and introduction to the science and effectiveness of bio-stimulants.
Speaker: Tim Cannon, Agronomist, Maxstim

12:00 PM – Exploring fibre crops: flax, hemp & beyond
Speaker: Heather Oldfield, Cereals & Pulses Product Manager, Limagrain

12:45 PM – Farmer experience: Growing crops for fibre & bio-stimulants in practice

Speaker: Robert Atkins, Field Hall Farm

1:15 PM – Lunch and networking opportunity

2:15 PM – Field walk: seeing alternative crops in action
Guided walk to see fiber crops (flax, hemp) and alternative protein crops.

3:30 PM – Event close

Thank you to Robert Atkins and family for hosting the farm walk.

This event is registered for BASIS and NRoSo CPD points. To claim your points, please complete the form what registering at the event. It will be helpful if you have your membership numbers to hand (but not essential).

Directions
What 3 Words: ///stitching.slave.towers

Accessibility
Please wear appropriate clothing for the farm walk as well as appropriate footwear, as we'd expect to cover some uneven ground. Please let us know about any accessibility requirements via the booking form.

Dietary requirements
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements when you book your place.

Filming and photography

Please be advised that filming and/or photography by Soil Association may take place at this event. To decline consent, you can get in touch or complete an opt-out form on the day.

The Agroecology at Scale demonstration farms are part of a wider partnership between Ocado and Soil Association which has been established to help transform the way we eat, farm and care for our natural world.

Data protection

Soil Association takes data protection very seriously and will only collect essential data from participants necessary to use for the running of this event.

The Soil Association's full privacy policy is available here: https://www.soilassociation.org/privacy-policy/

By registering for this event you agree to the terms and conditions stated in our privacy policy. If you have any queries please contact: info.farmingandlanduse@soilassociation.org

Organised by

The Soil Association is a UK-wide sustainable food and farming charity which aims to protect nature by transforming how people eat and farm.