STOCKFREE ORGANIC SERVICES

9 Tolhurst Organic 1

5 KIndling trust 1

How to become Stockfree Organic Certified

To apply for the Stockfree Organic certification you need to have a registered holding, where owned or rented, with a valid lease agreement.

For a registered holding to attain the Stockfree Organic licence it is necessary to comply with the Stockfree Organic Standards and to have a valid contract and be inspected by an approved certification body, to verify that the requisite standards have been attained.

At the moment, Soil Association Certification is the approved certification body that is applying the Stockfree Organic Standard.

Depending on the status of your registered holding, you may need to:

Contact Soil Association to apply for Organic and Stockfree Organic certification (for conventional, non-certified holdings)
Contact Soil Association to apply for Organic and Stockfree Organic certification (for organic holdings, certified with other approved certification bodies in the UK)
Email your certification officer at Soil Association to apply for Stockfree Organic certification (for current Soil Association organic licensees)

You will be sent an application form, which will also entitle you to VON membership upon completion, unless you are already a member of VON.

How long to wait

Transition to Stockfree Organic status depends on your holding’s initial status.

In the case of a registered holding converting from a certified organic production system to a Certified Stockfree Organic production system, the holding can be referred to as Stockfree Organic when:

The organic licensee removes all animal inputs from the production system;
The holding ceases to supply any fodder to livestock reared for consumption (this excludes fodder to animals in sanctuaries, care farms and in domestic care);
The holding is not allowing sports and shootings within its perimeter;
The licensee demonstrates a caring attitude towards all animals on the farm;
The holding has applied for Stockfree Organic standard certification to an approved certification body;
The certification body has issued the Stockfree Organic compliance report as a result of inspection;

The stockfree organic conversion process is completed, when all the above criteria have been met.

In the case of a registered holding converting from conventional farming or any other system not certified “Organic” to a Stockfree Organic production system

(a) a conversion period of at least two years before sowing for annual crops and three years before the first harvest of a perennial crop must have elapsed before the produce can attain the Stockfree Organic standard.

The Stockfree Organic Standard

The purpose of the Stockfree Organic Standards

The Stockfree Organic Standards regulate commercial Stockfree Organic growers on registered holdings and act as a guideline to other growers. These Standards attempt to be inclusive, to involve many farmers and growers and transform systems of food production.

For a registered holding to attain the Stockfree Organic licence it is necessary to comply with the Stockfree Organic Standards and to have a valid contract and be inspected by an approved certification body, to verify that the requisite standards have been attained.

The Stockfree Organic symbol (logo) on food products provides consumers with an additional to organic quality assurance, as to the stockfree status of the farm of origin, and seeks to prevent the exploitation of animals in food production.

The Stockfree Organic Standard must be applied in conjunction with the current Soil Association Organic Standard for Great Britain – Food and Farming

The Stockfree Organic Standard does not have an independent standing, unless applied in conjunction with the current Soil Association Organic Standard for Great Britain – Food and Farming

Definitions within Stockfree Organic standards

Certified Organic

Produce attaining the Stockfree Organic Standard is certified organic.

The term “organic” refers to a method of producing food by promoting soil fertility and soil life through the addition of biological (non-synthetic) substances to the soil to replenish any organic matter lost through cropping. Organic growers minimise their reliance on imported inputs and utilise all the resources on the registered holding.

No inputs, as the sole source of fertility, are allowed into an organic system that may adversely affect the soil ecosystem. Soluble fertilisers are not permitted, as they by-pass the soil and feed the crops directly. Synthetic fertilisers, synthetic pesticides and weed killers are not permitted in an organic agricultural or horticultural system. The registered grower is not permitted to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or any products derived from such GMOS.

The organic production system makes a positive ecological impact on the registered holding by conserving wildlife habitats as well as attempting to prevent harmful impacts on the wider environment. Reliance on non-renewable resources like fossil fuels is discouraged.

Certified Stockfree Organic

Produce attaining the Stockfree Organic standard is additionally certified as Stockfree Organic. The term “stockfree organic” refers to a method of producing plant-based foods, to organic standards.

Certified Stockfree Organic growers must not keep animals for food production or commercial gain on the registered holding and must not use animal manures or slaughterhouse by-products of animal or fish origin.

Standard Requirement – an obligation that must be observed on the registered holding.

Standard Principle – a standard that all growers should aspire to achieve.

Recommended activity – an activity carried out on the registered holding that is preferred under these Standards. The lists of recommended practices are not intended to be exclusive, providing that any other method used by a grower falls within the remit of the Stockfree Organic standards.

Permitted activity – an activity carried out on the registered holding that is permitted by the Standards but may be seen in some way to go against the ideal e.g. working outside the closed system.

Restricted activity – an activity carried out on the registered holding that may be applied only under certain specific circumstances Growers will need to keep records and justify their use of the restricted activities during inspections.

Prohibited activity – an activity that may not be carried out on the registered holding under any circumstances, to comply with the Standard.

Derogation – written permission by the contracted certification body for a partial or temporary withdrawal of one of the standard requirements, when compliance with the standard would prevent the grower from functioning at all.

Derogations currently applying are in accordance to EU Council Regulation

Parallel cropping – If you grow the same crops on your non-organic land or on your non-stockfree organic land, as on your in-conversion or stockfree organic land this is called parallel production. In these cases your certification body must be able to easily identify different varieties on each area.

Becoming Stockfree Organic Certified

Conversion period

In the case of a registered holding converting from a certified organic production system to a certified Stockfree Organic production system, the holding can be referred to as Stockfree Organic when:

The organic licensee removes all animal inputs from the production system;

The holding ceases to purposely supply any fodder to livestock reared for consumption

The holding is not allowing sports and shootings within its perimeter;

The licensee demonstrates a caring attitude towards all animals on the farm;

The holding has applied for Stockfree Organic standard certification to an approved certification body;

The certification body has issued the Stockfree Organic compliance report as a result of inspection;

The stockfree organic conversion process is completed, when all the above criteria have been met.

In the case of a registered holding converting from conventional farming or any other system not certified “Organic” to a Stockfree Organic production system, follow Soil Associaiton standard SA GB 2.1 Converting land and crops to organic production

A conversion period of at least two years before sowing for annual crops and three years before the first harvest of a perennial crop must have elapsed before the produce can attain the Stockfree Organic standard.

Labelling produce in conversion

Produce may bear indications referring to the “conversion to the Stockfree Organic production method” once a) it has been grown on land that has gone through at least a 12 month conversion period before the crop was harvested, and b) it contains only one agricultural ingredient, which must be of plant origin, either processed or unprocessed.

Such indications must take the form of the words “Stockfree Organic and [Certification Body] approved organic conversion”, and must appear in a colour, size and style of lettering which is not more prominent than the sales description of the product.

The label must include the certifier code and must not mislead the purchaser.

The Stockfree Organic Standards

1. Keeping of animals on the registered holding

1.1 Standard Requirement

You must not keep animals for food production or commercial gain on the registered holding.

1.2 Standard Requirement

You must not use animal manures or products of animal or fish origin on the registered holding.

1.3 Standard Requirement

You must not purposely grow animal fodder or bedding litter on the registered holding.

1.4 Permitted activity

Licensees are able to sell ”not fit for human consumption” cereals as animal feed, if there is no other alternative.

1.5 Standard Requirement

The Stockfree Organic Standards do not regulate the keeping or neutering of companion animals, rescue animals, animals that assist blind or deaf people and guard animals on the registered holding, but require that their manures are not deliberately used as a fertility input into the growing system (see 3.5(a)+(b)).

2. Protecting your soil

Refer to SA standard SA GB 2.4 Managing your soil, page 74-75 and follow additional requirements and guidance below

2.1. Standard Requirement

The soil must be managed with the aim of developing and sustaining an optimum soil structure, biological activity and fertility.

Soil can suffer when exposed to

_drought conditions;
_heavy rain leading to erosion;
_strong wind leading to erosion;
_heavy machinery leading to compaction;
_inappropriate cultivation leading to structural damage and organic matter losses;
_frost shattering action on unprotected bare soils;
_deforestation.

2.2 Recommended Soil Protection Methods

(a) regularly replenishing organic matter;

(b) green manure leys;

(c) overwintering green manures;

(d) undersowing green manures under existing crops (also known as living mulches);

(e) timing cultivation in order to avoid tillage in wet or dry weather;

(f) varying the depth of cultivation to prevent panning;

(g) keeping the soil permanently covered with decaying plant material in the form of a mulch;

(h) minimising tillage

(j) keeping roots in soil.

3. Primary sources of soil fertility

3.1 Standard Requirement

The grower must regularly replenish the organic matter in the soil. When growing annual crops nitrogen fixing green manures and plant-based composts have proved the most effective way of maintaining the fertility of the Stockfree Organic farming system.

3.2 Recommended as main sources of fertility

(a) Plant-based composts made from materials from the registered holding

(b) Cut and mulched green manure strips, areas or leys

(c) Compost or hay made from green manures grown on the registered holding

(d) Ramial chipped wood, produced on or close to the holding

(e) Mixed fresh chipped tree waste from local sources

3.3 Restricted as main sources of fertility

(3.3.a) Plant-based composts made from green waste segregated by local authorities (restricted because they cannot be assured to be free from toxic or genetic engineering contaminants, or animal residues)

(3.3.b) Leaf mould collected by local authorities (restricted because it cannot be assured to be free from the toxic residues of road traffic or from dog faeces)

(3.3.c) Plant-based composts made from materials outside the registered holding

3.4. Fertilisers, soil conditioners and supplementary nutrients

3.4.1. SA GB Standard 2.5.2 list of permitted fertilisers, soil conditioners and supplementary nutrients

Product	Conditions of use	Additional conditions
Mushroom compost	This must be initially made from products permitted in this table.
Composted or fermented mixture of vegetable matter	Composts obtained from mixtures of vegetable matter which has been submitted to composting or to anaerobic fermentation for biogas production.
Products and by-products of plant origin	For example oilseed cake meal, cocoa husks, malt culms.
Hydrolysed proteins of plant origin
Sawdust and wood chips, composted bark and wood ash	The wood must not have been chemically treated after felling.
Leonardite	Raw organic sediment rich in humic acids. • Only if it is obtained as a by-product of mining activities.
Soft ground rock phosphate	Product as specified in point 7 of Annex 1 A.2 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. • The cadmium content must be less than or equal to 90 mg/kg of P205
Aluminium-calcium phosphate	Product as specified in point 6 of Annex I A.2. of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. • The cadmium content must be less than or equal to 90 mg/kg of P205. • Use only allowed where the soil pH is greater than 7.5.
Basic slag	Products as specified in point 1 of Annex I A.2 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003
Crude potassium salt or kainit	Products as specified in point 1 of Annex I A.3 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003
Potassium sulphate, possibly containing magnesium salt	Product obtained from crude potassium salt by a physical extraction process, possibly containing magnesium salts.	only where exchangeable K levels are below index 2 (100mg/litre) and clay content is less than 20%, following soil analysis
Calcium carbonate	Only of natural origin, for example chalk, marl, ground limestone, Breton ameliorant, phosphate chalk.
Magnesium and calcium carbonate	Only of natural origin, for example magnesium chalk, ground magnesium limestone.
Magnesium sulphate	Only of natural origin, for example kieserite.
Calcium chloride solution	Foliar treatment of apple trees, after identification of a calcium deficiency
Calcium sulphate (gypsum)	Only of natural origin. • Products as specified in point 1 of Annex I D of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003
Industrial lime	Only as a by-product of sugar production from sugar beet or sugar cane, or vacuum salt production from brine found in mountains
Elemental sulphur	Products as specified in Annex I D.3 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003
Trace elements	Only the inorganic micronutrients listed in Annex I, part E of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003
Sodium chloride
Stone meal and clays	For example ground basalt, bentonite, perlite and vermiculite
Xylite	Only if obtained as a by-product of mining activities (e.g. by-product of brown coal mining)
Biochar	A pyrolysis product made from a wide variety of organic materials of plant origin and applied as a soil conditioner. • Only from plant materials, untreated or treated with products listed in standard 2.6.3. • Maximum value of 4 mg polycyclic aromatic hydro-carbons (PAHs) per kg dry matter (DM).

3.4.2. Other permitted fertilisers and alginates for supplementary purposes only

(a) Supplementary tonics created on the holding e.g. Comfrey tonics, nettle tonics and herb tonics e.g. camomile and tansy;

(b) Compost teas created on the holding;

3.4.3 Use of micro-organisms

To improve soil condition or nutrient availability you may use appropriate preparations of micro-organisms. You must check that the product is authorised for use in your country for the intended purpose and it is not a GMO or derived from GMOs.

3.4.4 Compost activators

For compost activation you may use compost activators made from microbial and plant extracts. Check that the product is authorised for use in your country for the intended purpose and it is not a GMO or derived from GMOs.

3.4.5. Guidance (from SA GB Standard 2.5)

You must plan your production system to minimise the need for brought-in nutrients. You must keep documentary evidence of the need to use each product. For each supplementary nutrient you wish to use demonstrate:

how you identify a need for supplementary nutrients, such as soil or tissue analysis and,
that the nutrient and the application method and timing is appropriate to your soil type and crop needs

You can record the details of how you are meeting the requirements of this Crop Management Plan template on Soil Association website. These will be reviewed by the Certification Team to check that standard requirements are met. Any changes to your plan should be submitted to the Certification Team for review. Fertiliser and soil conditioner input records. Lists of certified fertiliser products are available on Soil Association website.

3.5 Prohibited as main sources of fertility

3.5.1. List of prohibited fertilisers under Stockfree Organic standards, extracted from The SA Standard SA GB 2.5.2 Permitted fertilisers, soil conditioners and nutrients

Name of product	Conditions of use	Additional conditions
Farmyard manure FYM	Prohibited
Composted of fermented mixture of household waste	Only vegetable waste
Peat	Only permitted as propagation media	Will be phased out by 2025
Vermicompost and insects	Prohibited
Biogas digestate containing animal by-products	Prohibited
Products or by-products of animal origin	Prohibited
Calcified seaweed, lithothamine or maeril if extracted from the sea	Prohibited
Organic rich sediment from fresh water bodies formed under exclusion of oxygen (e.g. sapropel)	Prohibited	It will contain animal residues
Chitin	Prohibited
Mollusc waster	Prohibited
Egg shells	Prohibited
Guano	Prohibited
Biodynamic preparations	Prohibited

4. Composting procedures

4.1 Standard Principle

During composting, which is a process of aerobic fermentation, a minimum maintained temperature of 60°C is strongly advised to kill weed seeds and pathogens, for a period of 48 hours.

4.2 Recommended

(a) Composting plant-based materials and leaf mould separately

(b) Mixing plant-based ingredients such as nitrogen “greens” e.g. grass and vegetable wastes and carbon ” browns” e.g. straw

(c) Building a heap of sufficient volume – at least one cubic metre

(d) Turning the heap to assist with aeration

(e) Monitoring temperature rises

(f) Covering the heap or windrow to prevent it from becoming waterlogged

(g) Application rates up to 50 cubic metres)per hectare / 20 cubic metres per acre per annum (equivalent of 5 litres per square meter)

4.3 Prohibited

(a) Placing composting heaps or windrows on a slope, where leachate is a potential risk.

(b) Placing heaps or windrows adjacent to water bodies e.g. ponds and streams.

5. Propagation

5.1 Standard Principle

Use SA GB 2.7 Seeds, plant propagation and potted plants, with guidance and recommendations as below in 6.2 – 6.6

5.2. Recommended

(5.2.a) Stockfree Organic seed and plant-propagating material from the registered holding

(5.2.b) Stockfree Organic in-conversion seed and plant-propagating material from the registered holding

(5.3.c) Stockfree Organic propagating composts made on the registered holding

(5.4.d) Bare root transplants raised on the registered holding

5.3 Permitted

(5.3.a) Commercially available composts that are free from animal inputs

5.4 Restricted

(5.4.a) Commercially available organic propagating composts containing animal inputs (subject to derogation)

6. Crop rotations

6.1 Standard Requirement

Central to Stockfree Organic systems is a well-designed crop rotation. It is advised that a grower achieves a balance between exploitative cropping (vegetables, pulses or cereals) and nitrogen-fixing green manures.

6.2 Recommended

(6.2.a) Nitrogen-fixing green manure leys e.g. clovers and lucerne;

(6.2.b) Using crops and green manures with different rooting systems;

(6.2.c) Avoiding plant families with similar pest and disease susceptibility on the same plot in the same course of the rotation;

(6.2.d) Separating crop families by a four-year interval (from harvesting to planting);

(6.2.e) Carrying out a soil analysis every rotation to monitor nutrient levels.

6.3 Standard Principle

(6.3.a) Alliums, brassicas and potatoes not returning to the same land before a period of 48 months has elapsed from planting date to planting date;

7. Weed control

7.1. Standard Principle

(7.1.a) Stale seedbed techniques, allowing a weed strike, through light cultivation techniques is the best recommended practice for initial weed control

(7.1.b) Pre-emergence and post-emergence operations e.g. hoeing, ploughing, inter-row weeding, harrowing, topping and hand-weeding

(7.1.c) Pre-germination, propagation and transplanting

(7.1.d) Green manure leys maintained for several years in rotation and repeatedly mowed

(7.1.e) Undersowing crops with green manures

(7.1.f) Mulches of straw and hay

(7.1.g) Alternating weed suppressing with weed susceptible crops

(7.1.h) Ensuring composting reaches at least 60°C so that plant-based composts do not contain weed seeds

(7.1.j) The value of appropriate weed cover at certain points in the crop rotation should be considered by the licensee.

7.2 Permitted

(7.2.a) Biodegradable plastic mulches (free from any GMO materials), where they raise soil temperature for season extension of harvesting e.g. during early spring

(7.2.b) Biodegradable plastic mulches (free from any GMO materials) for perennial crops e.g. strawberries

7.3. Standard Principle

Plastic mulches should not be used routinely.

7.4. Standard Principle

Flame weeding should not be used, unless other measures of initial weed control have been applied, without success. Derogation form must be used.

8. Disease and pest control

8.1 Standard Principle

Disease and insect pest control is largely a matter of prevention rather than cure

8.2 Recommended

(8.2.a) Balanced rotational cropping to break pest and disease cycles (see art. 7 Crop Rotations)

(8.2.b) Dividing up large fields with hedgerows

(8.2.c) Dividing up large fields with trees

(8.2.d) Providing permanent predator belts, including incorporating undisturbed perennial plants, shrubs and trees.

(8.2.e) Providing annual predator belts by leaving uncultivated field margins and strips between beds

(8.2.f) Planting attractant species of flowers in strips

(8.2.g) Mixed cropping

(8.2.h) Undersowing crops with clover

(8.2.i) Installing features of stagnant water to attract beneficial insects and creatures

(8.2.j) Plant-based compost containing a mixture of materials how

(8.2.k) Appropriate choice of crop varieties resistant to pest and disease

(8.2.l) The use of strategic planting dates

(8.2.m) Good husbandry and hygienic practices

(8.2.n) Physical barriers e.g. crop covers

8.3 Restricted

(8.3.a) Use of introduced biological control agents, such as predators

(8.3.b) Slug and snail killers

(8.3.c) Natural pesticides, insecticides

(8.3.d) Ducks should not be kept to eat slugs and snails

8.4 Prohibited

(8.4.a) All synthetic biocides

(8.4.b) All biocides based on animal derivatives

(8.4.c) Steam sterilisation of soils

(8.4.e) Copper sulphate, copper oxychloride, copper ammonia carbonate

(8.4.f) Nicotine

(8.4.g) Formaldehyde and phenols for soil sterilisation

(8.4.h) Methyl bromide and other chemical soil sterilisers

(8.4.j) Beeswax pruning agent

(8.4.k) Hydrolysed proteins of animal origin

8.5. Standard Principle

8.5.1. Permitted materials

Apply SA Standard 2.6 Controlling pests and disease, with the exclusion of the following products which are prohibited under this Standard

(8.5.1.a) Beeswax

(8.5.1.b) Hydrolysed proteins excluding gelatine

(8.5.1.c) Repellents by smell of animal or plant origin/sheep fat

(8.5.1.d) Fatty acids

(8.5.1.e) Whey

(8.5.1.f) Chitosan hydrochloride (Obtained from sustainable fisheries or organic aquaculture)

Contact the Certification Team for more information.

9. Competing birds and mammals

9.1 Standard Principle

Stockfree Organic growers should not deliberately kill or maim any animal. Where crops may be destroyed and/or consumer health is at risk, then competing animals should be prevented from causing damage.

9.2.Recommended

(9.2.a) Attracting natural predators

(9.2.b) Fencing

(9.2.c) Electric fencing

(9.2.d) Netting and wire mesh

(9.2.e) Sonic repellents

(9.2.f) Raptor models and balloons

(9.2.g) Scarecrows

(9.2.h) Sealed containers for the produce

9.3 Prohibited

(9.3.a) Killing of animals in the name of sport on the registered holding

(9.3.b) Poisoning animals

(9.3.c) Shooting animals

9.4 Standard Principle

The trapping of competing animals should only occur as a last resort if a crop may be destroyed, or human health is at risk (e.g. when the Environmental Health Authority may question practices)

Rodent glue boards must not be used under this Standard.

9.5 Standard Principle

Dogs or cats should not be deliberately encouraged to control competing birds and mammals.

10. Harvesting and storage

Refer to SA GB 1.15 Storage of products

10.1 Standard Requirement

Stockfree Organic produce should be clearly labelled from harvesting through to dispatch, so that it cannot be confused with other crops on holdings where both Stockfree Organic and non-Stockfree Organic crops are grown (“parallel cropping”).

10.2 Standard Requirement

Before use, all equipment, vessels and surfaces that may come into contact with the produce must be clean and free from animal by-products

11. Labelling

11.1 Standard Requirement

Where growers, complying with the Stockfree Organic production standards or companies, buying-in produce attaining the Stockfree Organic symbol are further packing and distributing the produce under their own company name or mark, such as box schemes to third parties, the following must be observed:

As far as practically possible all produce within the container or box shall conform to the Stockfree Organic production standards.

11.2 Standard Requirement

Where 11.1 cannot be observed, the contents that do not conform to Stockfree Organic production standards must conform to another Organic Standard or clearly state the non-organic status of the other products.

11.3 Recommended

Where 11.1 cannot be observed the packaging can be individually labelled, stating which products in the container conform to the Stockfree Organic production standards and which conform to the other organic standard(s).

11.5 Restricted

Where 11.1 cannot be observed the contents conforming to the Stockfree Organic production standards can be referred to with a blanket explanation either:

(11.5.a) Using a notice at a point of collection or sale stating which products conform to the Stockfree Organic production standards and stating that all other products conform to another Organic Standards or are not organically certified.

12. Transportation of Stockfree Organic produce

12.1 Standard Requirement

12.1.1.If you send a stockfree organic product to another company, including retailers, wholesalers and other licensees for further processing, packing or re-labelling then you

must:

(12.1.1.a) ensure it is transported in a way that would prevent substitution.

(12.1.1.b) label it clearly, either on the product or on accompanying documentation undeniably linked to it so that the recipient can easily identify:

(12.1.1.b.i) the product and its organic status

(12.1.1.b.ii) the name and address of the operator, and, if different, the seller or owner of the product

(12.1.1.c) include your certification code, traceability code. If this information is provided on the accompanying documentation, it must also include information on the supplier and/or transporter.

12.1.2. You do not need to use closed packaging, containers or vehicles if:

(12.1.2.a) transportation is between two stockfree organically certified operators

(12.1.2.b) between a producer and consumer of the produce

(12.1.2.c) products are accompanied by a document containing the information required in point 12.1.2.b) above

(12.1.2.d) both the sending and receiving operators keep records of the transportation.

12.2 Standard Requirement

If crate or bulk containers are used, they should be of food grade quality, in a state of good repair and clean and free from visible residues or any materials that may contaminate or impair the Stockfree Organic food.

13. Record keeping

Refer to SA GB 1.7 Record keeping

13.1 Standard Requirement

Before starting your stockfree organic enterprise, you must complete the Application form If you make any changes to your activity you must update your certification body accordingly.

The UK Organic Standards

To label your product as organic, you must be registered with one of the UK organic control bodies in order to be certified. You can decide which control body to register with based on your location and business needs.

For Stockfree Organic certification you need to be registered with the Soil Association and abide by their Organic Standards.

Farm advice

On-farm advice and consultancy services from Iain Tolhurst and visits to his stockfree organic farm are available against a certain fee. Unless your question is already answered in the FAQ section, you can request assistance from Iain Tolhurst, by emailing info@stockfreeorganic.net

VISIT THE FARM

Individual consultations are welcome at Tolhurst Organic farm, or, for a more cost effective visit, you may want to bring other colleagues with you. For many people this is an excellent introduction to how a stockfree organic system operates. We have been growing organically on this site since 1987 and are able to demonstrate:

Stockfree organic field vegetables on 17 acres, an intensive rotation with widespread use of long and short-term green manures.
Intensive garden crops in a 2 acre Victorian walled garden, again utilising intensive green manures and own produced composts.
Out-of-season production in 17,000 sq feet of tunnels and glasshouse utilising our own vegetable compost.
Plant propagation facilities in a dedicated greenhouse producing over 75,000 plants per year.
Agroforestry systems within a horticulture unit
Direct marketing through box scheme, local shops and on-farm stall.
Vegetable & woodchip composting.

Prices vary, depending on number of people visiting. Please enquire

ADVICE ON YOUR FARM

Iain Tolhurst will visit you on your farm to deliver advice tailored to your personal situation.

Farm inspection to assess the feasibility of the practical and financial implications of stockfree organic conversion.
Discuss with you the various options for business development.
Conversion planning – designing your conversion, rotations, weed control, pest/disease management, fertility building, and soil management and cropping plans.

Prices vary, depending on services needed. Please enquire

OFFICE-BASED ADVICE

Once Iain has visited your farm and discussed your various ideas and options, he will be able to complete much of the work from his office:

Report on the feasibility of converting your farm to a stockfree organic system.
Draw up a conversion plan, to include rotations, weed control, pest/disease management, fertility building, soil management and cropping plans.
Financial study, to assess the financial implications.
Machinery/equipment list, particularly useful to those farmers who may be embarking on a new diversification.
Detailed cropping plans tailored to your proposed markets.
Telephone service for clients. (This is something that people find invaluable.)

Prices vary, depending on services needed. Please enquire

FARM WALKS & SEMINARS

Iain has extensive experience in designing and delivering seminars on the practice of organic production.

Unless already listed on our Events page, the training can be organised to your specific needs and request, at your site or at Tolhurst Organic farm. These seminars will often take the form of a workshop, using participative training techniques. Where appropriate the seminar can be linked with outdoor activities such as a farm walk or demonstration.

Farm walks can be organised for groups of farmers, consultants, students, amateur gardeners or members of the public.

Compensation

Organic farmers and growers can benefit from a £175.00 refund from Vegan Organic Network, to compensate for the additional fee paid to certify as Stockfree Organic.

To apply for your fee refund, please email us the SOS certification report from your certification body and your VON membership number.

Grants for converting to organic

You can get financial help for converting to organic farming through any one of the following:

Stockfree Organic HEROES – their story

Centre of excellence in Stockfree Organic farming

Tolhurst Organic is one of the longest running organic farms in the country, they have been looking after food and land for 45 years now. Since 2007 Tolhurst Organic have held the Stockfree Organic symbol, producing vegetables without the use of by-products from animal farms and they were the first farm in the world to be awarded the Stockfree Organic certificate.

Tolhurst Organic sell their vegetables through a local Box Scheme in West Berkshire and Oxfordshire and they run an honesty box farm shop – Lin’s VegShed.

Apart from vegetables, Tolhurst Organic offer consultancy, run workshops and seminars at the farm and have open days for the public. See their calendar of events on their website, below.

Tolhurst Organic www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk

FB https://www.facebook.com/TolhurstOrganic

IG @tolhurstorganic

Growing a veganic (vegan/stockfree organic) agroecological, no-dig, forest farm.

Tree of Life Veganics in East Kent is a well-established enterprise with strong ethical principles, run by Jo Kidd and her partner Terry. Their objective is to create an off-grid vegan organic, biodiverse, climate resilient, no-till forest farm. They aim ‘to create a wildlife haven demonstrating how we can live and grow in harmony with the earth, whilst simultaneously farming to produce food, fibre, shelter and medicinal plants.’

The have established strong links with the local community, including other local growers and landowners, parish councils, schools and social enterprises. Regular volunteers help with seasonal tasks, part-time helpers stay on the farm on a WWOOFing basis, they run courses and workshops, and trade and collaborate with other local ethical businesses. Read more here

IG @treeoflifeveganics

Tree of Life Veganics CERTIFICATE OF CONFIRMATION

About Close Farm Organic Vegetables

Our veg won’t taste like your run of the mill, pre-packed stuff. This is real, ethically grown food.

Having passed the Stockfree Organic inspection in February 2023, Fred jokes that maybe a lot of vegan people in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, where he farms 25 acres on Close Farm, will buy his produce.
But what is his real motivation for going for the stockfree organic farming certificate? “I did it for the greater good and as an example for other farmers in similar situations.”

Read a full article about Fred in our spring 2023 Growing Green International magazine.

IG @farmerfred_close_farm_tetbury

Not for profit company with 5 acres of certified land and 100 acres in conversion.

Meadowfields Farm is a community farm using cruelty free methods to grow fruit and vegetables. The aim is to create a peaceful and relaxing place for everyone to come and learn about cruelty free growing, and taste the results of their efforts, in a nice relaxing and productive environment, whilst making new friends and learning new things. Meadowfields Farm have received the Stockfree Organic Certificate with Vegan Organic Network in December 2023.

FB https://www.facebook.com/TolhurstOrganic

Kindling Trust - Woodbank Market Garden

We are part of the global movement for Food Sovereignty, a call to action that began with small farmers in the Global South, rejecting corporate dominance of farming and asserting the rights of all people to define and control their own ecological food systems. We know a better, fairer food system is possible…and we can prove it!

Over the past 13 years we’ve established and nurtured a wide range of interrelated projects and enterprises that

Practice and promote sustainable land use
Make local organic food production a viable livelihood
Acknowledge the true value of food and those producing it
Increase availability of sustainable food, ensuring its access becomes a right and not just a privilege
Seek to change policy both through advocacy and practical examples
Help build a stronger, more unified voice for the sustainable food movement
Incubate and support innovative and co-operative models of enterprise

About The Veg Lady

Alice Rixon aka The Veg Lady is a beginner, and has recently applied for Stockfree Organic certification with the Soil Association.

All going well, her certificate will come through by 2026.

Says Alice “I am growing on 7 acres in Chettle, North Dorset which is in the Cranbourne AONB. Chettle is a village of around 100 people who live and work as a community around shared spaces and celebrations. My vegetables supply the village shop which is well stocked with plenty of local, independent brands, refill dry goods and organic produce and is popular with visitors from all over the area. I love farming because it is peaceful, thoughtful and yet this is a diverse industry with lots of scope for fast-paced problem solving, teamwork and innovation.

I choose to grow Stockfree Organic because it makes my farm more resilient for the future as I am not dependent on the commercial success of a local organic cattle/horse farm for adding fertility. It saves a lot of money to use woodchip and it smells a lot better – if there is an alternative to growing my vegetables in old poo then I am keen to take it!

Green manures are beautiful and provide such a diverse habitat within a less intensively farmed system. 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.”

IG https://www.instagram.com/horticulture_al/

Community cooperative farm supplying organic produce to local people and businesses

Growing with Grace provides local communities with fresh, locally grown organic foods. We have been growing and supplying organic vegetables for over 20 years. We provide weekly Organic Vegetable Boxes and Grocery Deliveries to Lancaster and surrounding areas, South Cumbria, Skipton, the Yorkshire Dales, Ilkley and Otley. We also sell directly from the farm shop at the nursery.

To enjoy fresh, healthy, organic fruit and vegetables on a regular basis there’s no better way than to join our local organic vegetable box scheme.

FB https://www.facebook.com/TolhurstOrganic

IG https://www.instagram.com/horticulture_al/

Tolhurst Organic

Tolhurst Organic is one of the longest running organic farms in the country, they have been looking after food and land for 45 years now. Since 2007 Tolhurst Organic have held the Stockfree Organic symbol, producing vegetables without the use of by-products from animal farms and they were the first farm in the world to be awarded the Stockfree Organic certificate.

Tolhurst Organic sell their vegetables through a local Box Scheme in West Berkshire and Oxfordshire and they run an honesty box farm shop – Lin’s VegShed.

Apart from vegetables, Tolhurst Organic offer consultancy, run workshops and seminars at the farm and have open days for the public. See their calendar of events on their website, below.

Tolhurst Organic www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk

FB https://www.facebook.com/TolhurstOrganic

IG @tolhurstorganic

Coed Organic

Coed Organic – is a co-operatively run, 6.5 acre organic market garden certified organically. Coed Organic have applied for Stockfree Organic certification in 2022 and are awaiting their report to be approved as part of the stockfree organic community. www.coedorganic.co.uk IG https://www.instagram.com/coedorganic/

Close Farm

Our veg won’t taste like your run of the mill, pre-packed stuff. This is real, ethically grown food.

Having passed the Stockfree Organic inspection in February 2023, Fred jokes that maybe a lot of vegan people in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, where he farms 25 acres on Close Farm, will buy his produce.
But what is his real motivation for going for the stockfree organic farming certificate? “I did it for the greater good and as an example for other farmers in similar situations.”

Read a full article about Fred in our spring 2023 Growing Green International magazine.

IG @farmerfred_close_farm_tetbury

Meadowfields

Meadowfields is a Stockfree Organic Farm in development. The farm is a not for profit company with 5 acres of certified Land by the soil association and the Vegan Organic Network, and 100 acres of land in conversion. We are a nature farm, looking after the wildlife, the soil, planting more and more trees every year, and increasing the biodiversity, and soil condition by using green manures, creating wild life ponds, woodlands, and we will be using a veg box scheme, and direct sales. We are not yet fully producing, as we are working on making the soil better by natural methods. We hope to be trading by late spring 2024, if not before. The company is totally Vegan the director has been Vegan for 38 years.

The Kindling Trust

We are part of the global movement for Food Sovereignty, a call to action that began with small farmers in the Global South, rejecting corporate dominance of farming and asserting the rights of all people to define and control their own ecological food systems. We know a better, fairer food system is possible…and we can prove it!

Over the past 13 years we’ve established and nurtured a wide range of interrelated projects and enterprises that

Practice and promote sustainable land use
Make local organic food production a viable livelihood
Acknowledge the true value of food and those producing it
Increase availability of sustainable food, ensuring its access becomes a right and not just a privilege
Seek to change policy both through advocacy and practical examples
Help build a stronger, more unified voice for the sustainable food movement
Incubate and support innovative and co-operative models of enterprise

Rix Organics

Alice Rixon is a beginnerd and has recently applied for Stockfree Organic certificaiton with the Soil Association.

All going well, her certificate will come through by 2026.

Says Alice “I am growing on 7 acres in Chettle, North Dorset which is in the Cranbourne AONB. Chettle is a village of around 100 people who live and work as a community around shared spaces and celebrations. My vegetables supply the village shop which is well stocked with plenty of local, independent brands, refill dry goods and organic produce and is popular with visitors from all over the area. I love farming because it is peaceful, thoughtful and yet this is a diverse industry with lots of scope for fast-paced problem solving, teamwork and innovation.

I choose to grow Stockfree Organic because it makes my farm more resilient for the future as I am not dependent on the commercial success of a local organic cattle/horse farm for adding fertility. It saves a lot of money to use woodchip and it smells a lot better – if there is an alternative to growing my vegetables in old poo then I am keen to take it!

Green manures are beautiful and provide such a diverse habitat within a less intensively farmed system. 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.”

IG https://www.instagram.com/horticulture_al/

Make an enquiry

Please allow 3 working days for a reply as Stockfree Organic services is a part-time service. For urgent matters please email