Arable

The average field size is 17 acres. The fields are divided by hedgerows and copses and there are 6m margins around the fields which are not cultivated and amount to over 62km of undisturbed wildlife areas in which flora and fauna can be encouraged.



The soil type is predominantly sand, with chalk and clay fields adjacent to the North Downs. Pesticides are applied when necessary to protect the crops from pests and diseases and fertilizer is applied to feed
the plants.

The crops that are grown varies from year to year according to the soil type, crop rotations, demand for certain foods and price. There are numerous varieties of one crop and these have different characteristics and uses and may be sown in winter or spring. Crops grown in the past include barley, beans, peas. linseed, triticale and rye.


Crops currently grown include wheat, oilseed rape, oats and maize. These are all sold to grain merchants for a number of uses; the oat seed we produce is sold on by the grain merchant to other farmers, who grow oats in the subsequent year for milling; oilseed rape is crushed to produce vegetable oil for cooking with a bi-product of rape meal which is used for animal feed; this year we are growing two varieties of wheat, Alchemy which provides animal feed and Dover which may go for milling or as a feed wheat. In November we combine the maize which is sold off farm to grain merchants for animal feeds.

Wheat and oilseed rape are also grown as non food crops, the wheat
for ethanol production and the rape for biodiesel. By 2010 it will be mandatory to have 5% ethanol in petrol and 5% biodiesel mixed
with diesel.

The whole farm is in a Nitrogen Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) which means there is a restriction on the amount of organic and manufactured nitrogen which can be applied to the soil. The restrictions are put in place to reduce the amount of nitrogen passing through to ground
water reserves.


When the combine harvester is moved between fields, the 7.5 m header or cutting bar is removed and placed on a trailer which is pulled behind the combine to the next field.

The grain is emptied into a trailer by the loading arm of the combine harvester. When the trailer is full it is taken to the grain store for drying if necessary during wet summers, for cleaning and storeage. 

Manor Farm is one of 600 farms in the UK where red wheat is being grown in 2010 for Rank Hovis as they introduce their new policy of using only British wheat in their branded products.

Red wheat used to be imported from Canada but trials have shown that the AC Barrie variety used is well suited to British conditions; however the yield will be 50% less than other varieties grown here.

The Matthews family are proud to grow wheat that will will be used in the Hovis 100% British loaf.