Nick Padwick

Farm Manger, Regen Farmer & Soil Food Web Laboratory Analyst & consultant. Formerly @farmer_nick

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Just over a month ago we utilized our brome which was cut and collected from several arable fields. The process of composting is now complete. Looking forward to sampling in a weeks time to see the levels of microbes.
#wildkenhill #Wildsoils

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

The brome and black grass we’ve cleared off our cereal fields with the Zurn. I’ve been put to good use. two more rows of compost. #wildkenhill #wildsoils

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@farmerhudson @hanslope @WildKenHill Gosh, what a question? You need a good range of materials with sort and wide carbon. Happy to help build a recipe.

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@cutlerstom Where do you farm?

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Time to hitch on the Zurn and reduce the brome levels in some organic spring barley, another load to make into compost. #wildsoils #wildkenhill

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@apohlm14 Approx 5ton/ha and several applications of extract. This all depends upon the level of microbes in the compost.

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Supporting information on our composting project. I carried out a baseline analysis of soil from one of our fields then applied over a year a combination of compost and compost extracts. We’re now in the correct succession stage to grow row crops. Looking forward to yield results

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Following one application of bio complete compost and several extracts we’re starting to see great results. All indications show we’re making a difference. #wildsoils #wildkenhill #soilhealth #regenfarming

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

An example of over worked light land, the poor old peas are having a nice peddledashing, if sprayed with a pre em that's now in the hedge or on a neighbours farm 😩

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Pushing on this morning after the success of yesterday. Both bubbles are now in action. #wildkenhill #wildsoils

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@cutlerstom No thermo compost from windrows, compost made from herbal plants and woodchip. I love the CSS and SFI options, if you farm in the uk 🇬🇧

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Great news, we’ve finally reached the point we can apply bio complete extract with our seed drill.

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@JuliaSoilsister We’re on it 👍

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@anthonybecvar We don’t which is the game changer

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

So the affect on the soil from applying 3 litres of bio complete extract is:
Increased fungal hyphae
Reduction in bacteria
Increased Protozoa numbers
This is a sign microbes are recycling, such a positive outcome

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

@anthonybecvar I sent an earlier post showing final yields. The treated yielded 5kg more than the untreated.

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

So the most surprising part of this project, was the sap test results. Far more nutritional value in the lettuce treated with the bio complete extract. Now we need to role this out to large scale cereal production.
#wildkenhill
#wildsoils
#SoilForClimateAction

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

The results are in. After 3 applications of bio complete compost extract a month apart we cut and weighed each lettuce on the treated & unthreaded. 5kgs more lettuce come from the treated plots.
#wildkenhill
#wildsoils
#SoilForClimateAction

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

Lettuce seeds grown in non-peat compost in a cold frame, hardened outside before planting. 15 lettuce plants per plot, one application of 1L compost extract applied to 3 plots the other 3 plots just had water. Further applications were made a month apart until harvest.

[Nick Padwick @PadwickNick]

To complete the soil food web consultancy module i had to grow a crop utilising the principles and practices from the past modules, my project was to grow 90 day lettuce using bio complete compost extract.
#wildkenhill
#wildsoils
#SoilForClimateAction
#soilhealth