Written by cpm
Download PDF There’s no certain return from cover, companion and trap crops, nor from dedicating areas for beneficial insects to thrive. CPM gathers the experiences of two growers who believe they’re making progress. We realised something had to change. By Tom Allen-Stevens and Rob Jones As with many aspects of farming, there’s not one solution that successfully addresses cabbage stem flea beetle, but a number of small changes that build into a bigger picture. That’s certainly the case when it comes to harnessing the help of Nature’s own defences. Two farms at opposite ends of England have developed their own individual approaches that appear to be paying dividends. Whole farm approach Introducing cover and companion crops have been pivotal aspects in overcoming cabbage stem flea beetle for David Hankey, farming in the shadow of the Angel of the North, near Newcastle. But these are just part of many changes to the whole farming system at Dunkirk Farm that have brought multiple benefits across the 160ha he farms. The soil is a sandy loam on sloping ground that’s prone to erosion and slumping. “We noticed the land hadn’t been farming as well as it did before we sold the cattle in…
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