There has been almost no ploughing on most of Kintaline for at least 40 years. .. and likely little in the previous 20 years before that.
Cecil Campbell, the previous farmer who lived here, died in 1968 and the land was let out for grazing before I came here.
The first year here there was a small ploughing of the park area for potatoes (through old gorse which spread that effectively !! LOL ) and to set up field vegetables and fruit in 1991 on a couple of acres .. but nothing at all since.
Regenerative Agriculture is now understanding the damage that ploughing does to the soil .. it is degenerative to the biosphere and destroys so much that we need to protect. Every time we turn the soil over, we disturb the whole biosphere that makes up our precious soil habitat. It is like someone coming into our village with a whirlwind, causing havoc and damage.
It is hard now to watch the carbon loss behind every plough as the dirt flies up, the erosion as so much runs off when it rains, so much ending up into water courses. There is no way any of the essential microscopic life can maintain their hold and build their benefits.
Pigs are very useful to work on small areas at a time – there have been a number of summer weaners grown here, making the very best bacon, sausages, meat.
When I can find others who want to live and work here alongside me, they can return.
Otherwise, in the smaller areas I can manage, then it is no dig methods to create planting areas : cardboard and compost, as well as lasagne beds
