At The Veg Lady we farm using stock-free practices and are certified as Organic with the Soil Association.

Stock-free means that we are not using any animal inputs (aka manure) and instead we are fertilising the soil with rich multispecies composted woodchip and an array of green manures.

Green manures are plants which are grown to feed and cover the soil. Their roots sink deep and pull up nutrients while supporting the soil structure and protecting from water and wind erosion. Healthy, thick and luscious leaves cover the soil and protect it from being baked by the sun whilst providing shade to the worms, insects and good bacteria. When the green manures are turned in, the leaves and stems rot and break down which feeds the worms, fungi and organisms in the soil microbiome.

Green manures also provide a habitat for much life over the winter and look incredibly beautiful. Children from the village love to see the different leaves and flowers and the vibrant greens bring me a lot of joy through the winter months. Farming with nature feels natural and optimistic in an ever-changing world as I am reminded to always notice the little things. 

We choose to grow stock-free because it makes our farm more resilient for the future. as we remove dependency on the presence of a local animal farm for adding fertility. We also have no way to know what is in the poo that comes from a local animal farm, or how those animals have lived and eaten throughout their lives. Woodchip is readily available in our area and is usually mixed species. We compost it in winrows for two years until its dark and crumbly. It saves us money to use woodchip and it smells a lot better - if there is an alternative to growing our food in old poo then we are keen to take it! 

We plant and tend by the biodynamic calendar, harnessing moon power to give the veg as good a chance as they deserve to weather the grey days.