From Compost to Clean Energy: How We Nurture Blooms Sustainably on the Farm
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, from the soil we nurture to the water we conserve. Here’s a glimpse into how we keep our farm thriving while working with nature, not against it.
Compost & Soil: The Heart of the Farm
One of the very first things we built on the farm was our set of four compost bays, and they’ve become some of the hardest-working areas here. Compost is essential to growing abundant, beautiful blooms year after year, and it also helps us close the loop on our green and brown waste.
Our compost gets turned two or three times a year before it’s put through a rotary sieve, giving us the perfect mulch for our beds. The farm’s chickens and ducks also pitch in—well, their bedding does! The combination of nitrogen-rich manure and carbon-heavy bedding speeds up the composting process, resulting in a rich, dark mulch that feeds our raised beds in autumn.
Since we follow a no-dig approach, mulching is essential, and we produce as much compost as we can. But no matter how hard we try, we never quite make enough! To top up, we buy peat-free compost from a local supplier, which arrives in bulk bags. For seed starting, we stick to finer peat-free compost to give those little seedlings the best start.
We’re also excited to explore worm bins and Korean Natural Farming techniques. There’s fascinating research showing how worm castings can boost soil health and improve seed germination, and we’re eager to dive into it!
Homemade Comfrey & Nettle Feeds
Instead of buying liquid tomato feed, we make our own nutrient-rich comfrey and nettle feeds. We grow Bocking 14 comfrey, harvesting it a few times a year. After shredding it with shears, we let it steep in water for two weeks. The result? A potent (and very smelly!) liquid fertilizer that’s best handled with gloves. The strained leaves go straight into the compost, speeding up the process.
We alternate comfrey feed with nettle feed, made using the same method. The nettles come from our wild areas, which we harvest in the spring. Both feeds are diluted and used in watering cans or our irrigation system every few weeks. As a bonus, the bees adore the comfrey when it blooms, so we always let it flower between harvests.
Conserving Water on the Farm
Water is precious, even in Wales. We’ve experienced droughts in recent years, so we’re mindful of our water use. We’re not connected to mains water; instead, we rely on a borehole for both houses on the farm.
Thankfully, the farm already had water infrastructure, including a massive 22,000-litre tank at the highest point of our land. It gravity-feeds water to our polytunnel and greenhouses, with a pump that fills the tank from one of our three ponds. We only pump water when we’ve had plenty of rain to ensure the ponds remain a safe haven for wildlife.
In addition, we’ve set up six IBC tanks (1,000 litres each) around the farm to collect rainwater. We mostly use watering cans but are saving up for a solar pump to save time and effort.
Harnessing Solar Power
We’ve also taken steps to reduce our electricity usage with solar panels. While we may not generate huge amounts in Wales, every bit helps! We’re planning to expand our solar setup and hope to invest in small wind turbines in the future.
Cultivating Sustainability
Every element of our farm is designed with sustainability in mind. From homemade compost to solar power, we’re constantly finding ways to nurture the land while growing beautiful blooms. Whether it’s flowers, soil, or water, we aim to give back as much as we take—and then some.
If you’d like to chat more or found this post helpful, feel free to drop me a message at rhiannon@bluehillflora.com.
Thanks for reading!
Rhiannon