Presingoll Farm
We are very lucky to be based on our fifth-generation family-run, 200-acre farm located on the outskirts of St Agnes, Cornwall. The farm practises regenerative farming and includes Pedigree Tamworth Pigs, low input grassland, and a beautiful sunflower field.
Farming Practices
We've moved to a minimum/no-till approach, using cover crops like phacelia to provide 100% winter ground cover, preventing erosion and supporting pollinators.
Existing Habitats
By reducing hedgerow cutting to a 3-year cycle, we transform boundaries to allow for natural growth, diversification, and thriving environments for nesting birds.
New Habitats
We are pledging to plant field corners, join small coppices with wider natural corridors, and establish an experimental 6-acre agroforestry scheme.
Our Background
Presingoll Farm had been a mixed lowland farm for hundreds of years, operating a low input, livestock-based system. However, over the last 20 years the family has worked hard to create a more modern, regenerative approach.
The farm had been Soil Association approved organic for a number of years, but couldn’t see a long term future with a cattle-focused system. In 2018 we made the very difficult decision to sell most of the pedigree herd of South Devon cattle, and move towards a plant-based regime.
Transforming the Soil
The farm's soils are based on Cornish Killas rock, creating a well-drained brown earth. Without positive soil management, the inherent organic matter content would be relatively low.
Average UK soil organic matter (SOM) varies between 1-7%. At Presingoll Farm, through regenerative management, the SOM has increased to such an extent that our lowest field is now 3.7% and the highest is over 13%.
As part of these diversifications, we are now growing over 1 million trees for bare-root production for the forestry and landscape markets.
Working With Nature
Although the farm is no longer officially organic, we maintain most of the principles. We have a zero-insecticide policy and minimise herbicide usage by moving to a targeted, camera-controlled mechanical weeding strategy.
With improved soil quality, and by encouraging beneficial insects, we are able to avoid spraying insecticides against aphids on our Beech crop-our army of ladybirds devour the aphids naturally!
We are increasing public access to the farm, working with the Saints Way Trail, promoting farm open days, and opening our ‘Paws at Presingoll Farm’ dog exercise field.
