Northney Farm, Hayling Island

Crops

Northney Farm grows a range of crops that are rotated over a five year cycle. Wheat, potatoes, peas and maize are the main crops, but a modest quantity of Strawberries and Pumpkins are also grown.

Harvesting Wheat

Wheat, (mainly winter wheat), is the primary crop. Yields of 4.5 tons per acre are usual. Much of the wheat is used for bread making or animal feed. But a softer variety is also grown for export to Spain and Italy , where it is used to make pasta.

Potatoes are grown and sold in the farm shop, as well as being distributed direct to retail outlets, hotels and restaurants. The main varieties grown are: Marfona, Wilja, Desire and Maris Piper, the latter specifically grown for fish & chip shops. Depending on the variety, crop yields can be anything between 20 to 30 tons per acre.

Peas are grown for animal feed and provide a valuable source of non-animal protein. They also help 'fix' nitrogen in the soil, an essential nutrient for the next crop in the rotational cycle. The peas are allowed to dry out before harvesting and to the untrained eye, in this state, look brown, dead and wilted. In fact, they are in perfect condition to go through the combine harvester without coming out as 'Mushy Peas'.

Drilling

Unfortunately, some people out walking assume these fields are full of nothing in particular and strike out across the crop. Damage to crops from ignorance is disheartening, especially when one is reminded of the hard work that goes into cultivating them. Please be aware. Northney Farm often wins prizes for the quality of their peas and won first place in a area competition in 2006!

Maize is grown as a forage crop for cattle. It grows tall, straight and in tight rows like a location from The X Files! At harvest time, the whole plant, cob and all, gets combined in one go. The machine chops them into rough chippings that will be stored and fed to cows in winter.

Harvesting Maize

Crop rotation is an important part of farming and works like this: In year one a main crop of wheat is sown. In year two a 2nd crop of wheat is grown, although the yield will be less second time round. In year three a break crop of Peas, Potatoes or Maize is grown. In year four wheat makes a comeback and in year five the field is either left as set aside or another break crop is grown. The soil in the north of Hayling is extremely favourable for crops. It is a deep brick earth and regarded as 'early' a term which means that crops can be planted in the soil sooner than in areas where the soil is cold and wet.

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