Barfoots of Botley

Farmer: Keston Williams

Location: West Sussex

Website: https://www.barfoots.com/

Member since 1996 and LEAF Demonstration Farm since 1998

The Farm

Sefter Farm is the main UK Barfoots of Botley Ltd site and one of five farms operating in Hampshire and West Sussex, cultivating over 30 crops with a focus on specialist produce for the UK market. They only farm crops that are suited to the local soil and weather conditions and are the majority producer of sweetcorn within the UK. Barfoots of Botley also grow courgettes, legumes, asparagus, squash and pumpkins, tenderstem broccoli, chillies and rhubarb at their farms in the UK. Sefter Farm is additionally the dedicated packaging site for the preparation of premium produce.

Activities

Barfoots utilises drones, new vision camera and aerial mapping technology as well as laser weeding and bio spectroscopy crop and pesticide distribution analysis.

Minimum tillage and cover crops are utilised at all Barfoots farms, and all the water used for irrigation is captured in reservoirs. The business is entirely energy self-sufficient and carbon neutral since 2010. All farming operations are fuelled by green energy generated by the anaerobic digester which also provides organic fertiliser. The business is continually exploring ways to reduce its carbon footprint, investing in technology such as photovoltaic cells, LED lighting, and artificial fertiliser replacement.

Barfoots of Botley has a long established record of hosting visits for local schools, other farmers and wider community groups. Barfoots additionally works with FareShare Sussex and UKHarvest to collect surplus good-quality food, including 'wonky veg', and distribute it to those in need.

Particular interests/farming issues:

• Further use of technology in farming
• Reducing carbon footprint