Arable Opportunities at Ketches Farm Estates
It is with the close cooperation of industry professionals in the fields of agronomy and agricultural contracting that Ketches has been able to produce year on year, higher yields than the local average on the estate in all categories of cereal crops and our facilities and operations far exceed those required to grant Red Tractor Farm Assurance.
We're Serious about Cereal
The Sussex Weald provides a distinct combination of soil types not suitable for all types of growing. Commonly made up of Clay and Sandstone the ground is either very free draining, becoming prone to drought stress, or water logging. Getting the right crop in the right place at the right time can be the difference between success and failure.
The cereals produced on Ketches are Red Tractor Farm Assured and go to make bread, biscuits and breakfast cereals if they meet the rigorous standards set by the industry. If they fall short of those standards they are still in demand for use in animal feeds.
Ketches aims for the highest standards in cereals with Wheat going to millers for Bread, Oats going to Quaker for breakfast cereals and energy bars and Barley going to local brewers for malting.
The Straw is sold locally to beef and sheep farmers to see them through the winter months and used in environmental projects on the estate.
Crop Rotation
Ketches has an obligation to rotate crop types to maintain the sustainability of the environment and manage the soil. Different years will see any combination of Oilseed Rape, Winter Wheat, Winter Oats, Barley or Beans, all of which have their pros and cons
Winter Wheat
The mainstay of the arable enterprise it yields typically 3 tonnes to the acre and if it meets the milling grade can turn a reasonable profit. Varieties vary from group 1 or 2 for milling down to feed varieties, but they all need the same care and attention to deliver a marketable product. Even the byproducts, Straw, provides vital bedding and feed for animals during the winter months. Nothing is wasted.
Winter Oats
When they reach the industry specification the Oats head off to Quaker for breakfast cereal and energy bar production but they do make a good addition to the sheep feed in the winter months, so nothing is wasted.
Winter Oilseed Rape
Those bright yellow flowers you see in the fields are a crop that restores the ground and provides seeds rich in oil. The oil is used for cooking, power stations, bio-fuels and many other uses, but they are tiny. The plant itself is leguminous, meaning it extracts atmospheric nitrogen and fixes it in the soil for the next crop to take advantage of.
