UWB Crest

Centre for Alternative Land Use

CALU Projects

Under previous funding CALU ran a range of projects at locations across Wales.

Many of the projects had open days where there were opportunities to talk to the experts running
the projects. Other projects generated factsheets which are still freely available for download by following
the links below.

For further information on each project, please click on the project name below.

2007 Projects

  • Farm Energy Auditing Manual
  • Increasing the Product Range of Welsh Grown Vegetables to Welsh based Mulitiple Retailers
    This project reviewed the factors affecting vegetable production in Wales. The report contains farm budgets to demonstrate the potential beneficial impact that incorporation of vegetable crops into a mixed farming system can have
  • Download the final report (pdf 699KB)

Projects completed in 2006

Projects completed in 2005

  

Project name:    Energy grass demonstration plots
Project manager: Catherine Heywood, ADAS Wales Ltd
>Project location:  Coleg Glynllifon, nr Caernarfon & Coleg Gelli Aur, Carmarthenshire

 

Three species of energy grass (Miscanthus, Reed Canary Grass and Switchgrass) have been planted at each location to demonstrate the production process for these grasses.

Open Days:
Gelli Aur - Wednesday 11th October 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Glynllifon - Wednesday 18th October 1.00pm - 3.00pm

Download the information sheet "Miscanthus - does it pay?" (pdf 97kb)

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Project name: Organic herb production
Project managers: Dr Mark Simkin and Amy Dutton
Project location: Welsh College of Horticulture, Northop

The project aims to determine:

1. The feasibility of herb production in polythene tunnel type structures including costing and production rates.
2. The development of organic systems of production for this commodity.
3. The acceptability to the catering trade of production quality and timing.

Open Day: Wednesday 5th July
Open Day: Tuesday 5th September


Downloads:
Field herbs info sheet (Format: pdf; Size: 69KB)
Pot herbs introductory info sheet (Format: pdf; Size: 104KB)

Contact Amy Dutton for further information on this project: 01352 841000

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Project name: Farm Woodland Training Days
Project manager: David Jenkins
Project location: Across Wales

Throughout 2006, Coed Cymru, on behalf of CALU will be hosted a series of training days. Subjects covered were:

1. Game Management (in conjunction with the Game Conservancy Trust). Focusing on habitat management and the choice and management of game crops and small scale rearing and release. The day will focus on upland stock farms and will include a presentation on the legal requirements of predator control and likley costs and incomes.
Training Day - Friday 8th September

2. Timber Products. This training day will be held at Wentwood timber store (Monmouthshire) and will demonstrate the conversion and seasoning of small diameter timbers, including products and treatments for adding value. Local timber markets in the south east of Wales will be covered.
Training Day - Tuesday 10th October

3. Farm Woodlands and Timber. A training day to be held at Aberbechan Farm, nr Newtown, demonstrating the integration of woodlands into the farm, including on-site milling, processing and conversion of the timber into products on the farm.
Training Day - Thursday 26th October

4. Woodland Establishment Day. A training day covering the basic skills necessary when planting trees for woodland creation, hedges and shelterbelts. The event will cover:
- selection of species for the site
- planting layouts
- choice of nursery stock
- how and when to plant
- protection and guarding
- maintenance and weeding.
Training Day - Tuesday 18th July

Related Downloads
On-farm tree production (Format: pdf; Size 74KB)
Sawing timber on the farm (Format: pdf; Size 99KB)
Cleft timber products (Format: pdf; Size 77KB)
Basic tree planting (Format: pdf; Size 351KB)
Drying firewood (Format: pdf; Size 67KB)


For further information, please contact Coed Cymru - 01686 650777

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Project name:    Blight Resistant Potato Trials - 2006
Project manager: David Frost, ADAS Wales Ltd
Project location:  Llanrhystud

 

This project follows on from the successful blight trial demonstration project of 2005. The project will see plots of various potato cultivars established on-farm. New and existing Sarpo varieties will be assessed for their resistance to foliar blight, their tuber yield, and tuber blight post-harvest.
The project will also look at the effects of sequential harvesting on yield, tuber size and pest damage.
A new element of the project will be a demonstration and evaluation of the effectiveness of Caliente mustard in the control of soil pests and diseases of potatoes.

FINAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE

The final report from last year's project is available for download (pdf 236KB) - click here to open.


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Project name:    Demonstration plots for novel crops and potatoes 2006
Project manager: UWB
Project location:  Gwynedd, Flintshire, Pembrokeshire, Monmouthshire

 

This project followeds on from the demonstrations in 2005. CALU, in conjunction with the School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales Bangor and the Sarvari Research Trust, established demonstration plots of a range of less common crops at four locations across Wales.  The plots were used to demonstrate how to grow and manage a variety of alternative crops including:

  • sweetcorn
  • lupins
  • dwarf French beans
  • naked oats
  • hemp
  • blight resistant Sarpo potatoes
  • parsnips
  • carrots

A series of crop information sheets have been produced providing basic information on the agronomy and uses of all of the crops. For further information on the project, please contact CALU.

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Project name: Alternative Tree and Shrub Species in Shelterbelts
Project manager: David Jenkins, Coed Cymru
Project location: Across Wales

This project saw the establishment or modification of shelterbelts at four sites across Wales. During 2006 the sites were used to demonstrate that planting alternative species of trees and shrubs in shelterbelts has the potential to provide important areas of biodiversity habitat in the farm holding, to provide habitat linking and to act as a buffer to run-off neaer streamsides. Shelterbelts also provide the potential to produce low input fruit, seed and forestry products.

For further information, please contact Coed Cymru - 01686 650777

Downloads:
CALU Shelterbelt information sheet (Format: pdf; Size 84KB)

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Project name:    Energy crops in Wales: A guide for industry and agriculture
Project manager: Catherine Heywood, ADAS Wales Ltd
Project location:  n/a

As a result of this CALU project, a new website has been developed and launched which provides a wealth of information on various bioenergy sources.
The website is aimed at both growers and potential users of bio-energy.
Features of the website include an interactive calculator which enables growers to generate indicative predictions of potential margins for their sites.


CALU Energy Crops Website
(Launches in a new window)

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Project name:    Exotic Mushroom Farming in Wales
Project manager: David Frost, ADAS Wales Ltd
Project location:  ADAS Pwllpeiran and farm trials

 

This project is looking at the feasibility of producing a range of mushroom varieties, using different growing media and a variety of growing systems.

Composting woodchip for mushroom growing
Local wodchip is used for livestock bedding. The spent bedding is then composted. This project is looking into whether using the compost as a growing medium for mushrooms will improve financial returns.


The growing systems are:

  • indoor woodchip beds
  • outdoor woodchip beds
  • drilled logs indoors
  • drilled logs outdoors
  • raised beds (made from larch logs)
  • alternative substrates, e.g. Miscanthus and bark peelings

The species under trial are:

  • Cinnamon Cap
  • Cauliflower Mushroom
  • King Stropharia
  • Parasol
  • Morel
  • Oyster

Downloads:
Mushroom project - information sheet (pdf 102kb)
Mushroom project -Final Report (pdf 324kb)

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Project name:    Blight Resistant Potato Trials - 2005
Project manager: David Frost, ADAS Wales Ltd
Project location:  Llanrhystud

 

A continuation of potato blight trials started in 2005. Evaluation of Sarpo varieties for vigour, ability to suppress weed competition and blight resistance. Evaluation of eating qualities. Evaluation of compost tea treatment as a prophylactic against potato blight.

OPEN DAYS: WEDNESDAY 13th JULY 2005 and FRIDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 2005
For details - tel: 01974 282229

 

Download the final report from this project (903KB, pdf)

The factsheet from the 2004 trials is available on the Organic Centre Wales website - click here to open.

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Project name:    Demonstration plots for novel crops and potatoes 2005
Project manager: UWB
Project location:  Five sites across Wales

 

During 2005, CALU, in conjunction with the School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales Bangor and the Sarvari Research Trust, established demonstration plots at five locations across Wales.  These plots were used to demonstrate how to grow and manage:

  • crambe
  • calendula
  • dwarf French beans
  • naked oats
  • flax
  • blight resistant Sarpo potatoes

Further information.

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Project name:    Farm woodland & timber training days - 2005
Project manager: Andy Stewart, Coed Cymru
Project location:  Coed Cymru, Tregynon

 

Throughout 2005 Coed Cymru, on behalf of CALU, ran a series of very popular training days. Topics covered included:

Wood fuel pelleting equipment (10th February 2005)
Heat treatment of timber (21st June 2005)
Shelter belts (27th July 2005)
Shredding wood and producing wood pellets (24th August 2005)
Woodchips for animal bedding and composting (9th September 2005)

CALU will be running a new series of training days in 2006 - details will be published on this website as soon as they are finalised.

These events are open to any interested party. For further information please contact:
Coed Cymru - 01686 650777, or
CALU - 01248 680450

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For further information on any of CALU's activities, please contact us.