Learning and skills

A practical day looking at the importance of silage analysis: understanding dry matter, intake, nutritional needs and building a diet. How to make best use of home-grown forage and save on inputs. Speakers include Robert Gilchrist, Farm Profit Programme Advisor and livestock consultant, as well as a speaker from a local farm for each event.

Soil Association Scotland is teaming up with the James Hutton Institute on a field lab, part of a Europe-wide project, to trial crop mixtures or ‘plant teams’. We want to test the potential that inter-cropping peas and beans, for example, has to improve Scottish soils, yield stability and resilience as well as to suppress pests and diseases. 

Come hear from experts Ali Karley (The James Hutton Institute) and Robin Walker (SRUC) to find out which crops might work best together on your farm.

A practical walk and talk afternoon exploring the benefits of woodland creation and management, as well as funding opportunities.

Includes discussion on what to plant, where and why; managing existing woodland and accessing available support. 

Come along to hear and discuss what trees can do for you. 

Speakers from Forestry Commission Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland and the Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers, with Dee Ward of Rottal Estate.

Come and join the Soil Associations third meeting at Mouldyhills, where they’ll be looking at how the five trial plots (which were seeded last summer) have fared this year in challenging conditions. The field lab will be joined again by grass and soil expert James Bretherton from AgScope.

​Autumn events to help farmers and crofters optimise winter nutrition and grazing availability​

In response to concerns that this year’s weather conditions will result in Scottish farmers and crofters facing feed and fodder shortages this winter, Scottish Government has opened this autumn’s Beef Efficiency Scheme events for all farmers and crofters to attend.

These events will provide advice and guidance on how to provide plentiful food over winter, maintain the wellbeing of livestock and optimise beef enterprise performance.