Farming News – February 2021

The phone call came out of the blue. Was I interested in renting out some land for a solar farm? This was pushing at an open door with me because I have heated our house for the last 30 years with logs gathered from our own woodland and have always tried to find the most environmental route to follow.

Land has for centuries been used to provide energy in the form of firewood for heating. Historically, one third of arable farmland grew oats, which were used as fuel for the heavy horses who powered the machinery. As oil became plentiful and cheap, the horses were replaced by cars and tractors but by the 1970’s the environment was starting to suffer.

As electric vehicles become more numerous, they will need power which has to come from either nuclear or renewable energy. If we are to counter the effects of global warming, homes may someday also need to be carbon neutral. If the Scruton Solar Farm is developed this would mean changes on my farm. Sheep would still be able to graze the land beneath the solar panels, but my cows would have to stay out of those fields.

As for farming news, the sheep have started lambing, but I am keeping them all indoors until the weather improves.