How our organic suppliers work with nature
Beetle banks
Farmers establish these ridges to divide larger fields and sow them with plants including cocksfoot, timothy and red fescue, to create a haven for "friendly" insects which prey on insect pests. The banks, which are between two and four metres wide, also provide a nesting habitat for birds, and hibernating and nesting for small mammals, beetles and bumblebees. Shropshire's, one of our main suppliers of fresh salads and vegetables use beetle banks on most of their organic salad fields.
Crop rotation
Changing what is grown in each field and sometimes "resting" it is vital for soil fertility and pest and disease control, making this a key part of successful organic farming. Crop rotations are individually tailored to each field to take account of variations in soil types, and the land is rested for one year out of every five. However salad crops like lettuce, which are more intensively cultivated, are not grown for more than two years out of every five. Cover cropping with plants like mustard and red clover, which helps control weeds by suffocating them and is then ploughed back into the soil to help build soil fertility, is also part of the process.
Grass margins
These are wide strips created on the boundaries of fields and watercourses which act as buffer zones and wildlife habitats, and provide ideal nesting for endangered species like grey partridge. Again, these are mostly used with salad crops by Shropshire's.
Flowering plant mixes
Sown on field margins and field corners, the flowers supply pollen and nectar for bumblebees, as well as attracting hoverflies and other friendly insects that feed on aphids.
Cover crops
These are sown when the fields would otherwise be empty to help prevent wind erosion and improve soil quality by stopping nutrients leaching away. Crops include mustard, sweet clover, vetch, red and white clover.