Crop rotation at New Hall Mill

Our wheat cage at New Hall Mill is divided into two sections. One side is used for wheat and other cereals, and the other side is used for different plants. Why?

Our volunteers rotate a variety of other plants to keep the soil healthy and productive.

Before the mid-19th century, without artificial fertilisers, farmers relied on manure from animals to improve the soil. In medieval times, they used a three-field system: one field grew wheat or rye, another had barley or oats, and the third was left fallow to recover. This meant only two-thirds of the land could be used each year. In the 1700s, Charles "Turnip" Townshend introduced a better system called the Norfolk four-course rotation. It used clover, wheat, turnips, and barley, removing the need for a fallow field and providing winter feed for livestock.

In 2025 we are growing broad beans, red onions, shallots, and two rows of beetroot (from back to front).