Plant-based alternatives to fossil derived fuels are expected to play an important role in the transition to a bio-based economy. Increasing the production and mobilisation of biomass crops is understood as playing a vital role in tackling climate change and crops such as Miscanthus, a grass plant which grows on marginal or unused land, are […]

Alex Robinson updates on increases to contract pricing and a new format for harvest declarations… Contract Pricing and Operational Update With the arrival of 2020, we are happy to announce your contract price has increased by 2.6% in line with the RPIX for Jan-Dec 2019. Our growers will all receive a letter very soon, which […]

The business case for Miscanthus continues to strengthen due to its positive environmental impact and the attractive long-term contracts available to grow and sell it. In January, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) issued a ‘net zero’ land use report which included a recommendation to plant 23,000 hectares of energy crops such as Miscanthus in […]

As 2019 hurtles towards an end – having, as with every year, flown by too quickly to deliver my long list of aspirations – it has, amid political turmoil at home, delivered, internationally, probably the largest public mood swing towards our planet, our future, and the threat of climate change. The “Crankdom” of climate change […]

Farmers are invited to attend a farm walk showcasing a Miscanthus crop growing on flooded Yorkshire farmland on Wednesday 29th January 2020. New research has shown that Miscanthus not only thrives on waterlogged land, it helps to stabilise flooded soils and this event offers farmers the chance to see for themselves how the crop has […]

Winter is upon us and by now your new Terravesta AthenaTM crops will have had their first frosts. The first frosts will trigger the plants to dieback (senesce). A week to 10 days after the first frosts the Athena will start to turn a purple colour and as senescence progresses the leaves and stems will […]

Winter is upon us and by now your Miscanthus crops will be dying back quite quickly. This is a very important phase in the development of the crop as nutrients in the leaves and stems are being pulled back into the rhizome to be stored ready for next springs growth. In the next few months, […]

The low input carbon negative crop Miscanthus is hailed a robust diversification option for an arable or mixed enterprise. New research shows that it not only thrives on waterlogged land, it helps to stabilise flooded soils. Results of a new study from the Institute of Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University conclude […]

Heavy rain fall has spread through the UK already this autumn. In October, the entire UK averaged a whopping 13 days of rain, totalling 92 millimetres (3.6 inches). Wet weather means muddy fields, wet yards and drenched turnout rugs. Not only is Miscanthus horse bedding three times more absorbent than wood shavings, it’s ultra-hygienic. Read […]

The potential for Miscanthus to thrive on difficult farm land is being showcased at a Beeswax Dyson Farming and Terravesta co-hosted Miscanthus farm walk on Thursday 24th October in Compton, Berkshire. Farm manager, Ed Hall, explains that the land is unsuitable for food production and is susceptible to waterlogging due to an underground river running […]

Miscanthus is a hardy perennial and is harvested annually after the second year of establishment, for 20 years or more. There’s one chance to plant it, so it’s important to get it right. “Forward planning is key to securing a high yielding crop and if it’s a new cropping enterprise, it’s advisable to talk to […]