Join us along with members of the network past and present for an inspiring and practical day to celebrate innovation by farmers.
When: Tue, 19 July, 10:00 – 14:00
Where: Trefranck Farm, Saint Clether, Launceston, PL15 8QN
Register your ticket here
View the full programme
In the last decade, Innovative Farmers has launched over 120 field labs and awarded over £450,000 in grants to groups of farmers supporting them to research the issues that matter to them. Hear from some of the farmers involved who have teamed-up to co-design research and are pioneering farming and farmer-led approaches.
You’ll also have the opportunity to get involved with various demonstrations or join a discussion on a range of topics from herbal leys and herd health to intercropping and silvopasture.
Agenda - see below for more information
09.30 Arrival with refreshments
10.00 Welcome and Introduction
10.30 Demonstrations, talks and discussions
13.00 Complimentary lunch and refreshments
14.00 Depart
Innovative Farmers Demo Area
10.00 -11.00 Establishing and managing herbal leys
11.00 -11.30 PASTORAL insights workshop
11.45 -12.30 Introductory workshops – extended pasture resting field lab
Innovative Farmers Ideas Incubator tent
Come and meet the team from Innovative Farmers to find out about upcoming field lab ideas or talk to us about research you would like to do on your farm
11.30 -12.15 Reflections of 10 years of on farm trials
Join us to hear about co-designing and running on-farm trials with inputs and insights from our network of farmers, researchers and co-ordinators
Innovation Barn
10.00 -10.30 The Wonders of Woodchip – Q&A session with Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association
10.30 -11.00 Farm Net Zero compost field lab workshop with Hannah Jones (Farm Carbon Toolkit) and Jerry Alford
11.00 -11.45 Designing and establishing silvopasture systems with input from the Devon Silvopasture trial plus FWAG SW, ORC, Woodland Trust and Rothamsted Research
11.15-12.15 Farm Net Zero field lab vote – help decide the next topics for this project to explore by taking part in a discussion
Duchy Future Farming Programme Theatre
10.00 Welcome and Introduction
Becky Swinn, Innovative Farmers Programme Manager
10.15 Reducing antibiotic use on dairy farms
Peter Plate, Lecturer, Royal Veterinary College
10.35 How trees can improve livestock’s welfare and productivity
Lindsay Whistance (Senior Livestock Researcher, Organic Research Centre)
10.55 Farmer-led Research at Riverford Organic
Ed Scott, (Assistant Harvest Manager, Riverford Organic Farmers) Riverford Organic
11.15 Holistic worm management
11.35 Farm Net Zero at Ennis Barton Farm
Andrew Brewer, Ennis Barton Farm
13.00 Complimentary lunch and refreshments
14.00 Depart
About Trefranck Farm
Thank you to Matt and Pip Smith for hosting this event.
The farm has been in Pip’s family since 1703 and the couple took over the running of it together from her parents in 2014 with a flock of roughly 1,100 sheep. The Smiths were awarded Sheep Farmer of the Year in 2017 by the Farmers Weekly Awards and Matt, originally from New Zealand, currently holds the Nine Hour Full Wool Ewe World Shearing Record—the first such record held in the Northern Hemisphere. The Smiths launched their brand, West Country Premium Venison, in December 2019 from their successful family farm near Launceston.