Nigel Gillis

Nigel Gillis operates a stockless conventional tillage farm in Grangecon, Co Wicklow. Previously following a prescriptive approach, he has transitioned his 73 hectares (180 ac) to using principles of conservation agriculture in the last 8 years.

After noticing more and more pests and diseases and their chemical cures eating away at his margin, he became disillusioned and wanted to try something else. After running into a member of BASE Ireland, he became thirsty for knowledge. After learning that ‘every target species killed with insecticide kills 1700 non-target and potentially beneficial others, as well as building insecticide resistance’, he immediately ceased its use. He has followed that by not using rodenticide in the last three years, herbicide use is down by 20% and has reduced nitrogen use by 60% and consequently getting away without using fungicide some years.

He produces resilient crops of barley, wheat, beans and oats by using biological dressings on home saved seed, specific soil sampling to monitor micronutrients and biological stimulants. This approach has meant he is ‘a hell of a lot happier with what he’s doing, and the birds are back!’ Apex predators such as buzzards and kestrels, have returned to the farm along with the Barn owl. Nigel leaves 20% of his farm as space for nature and doesn’t manage the internal hedgerows, some of which are the old style ‘double ditch’. Testament to this respect for habitat, Birdwatch Ireland have recorded 32 species in one hour on the land.

There is a breeding wader area on the farm where the land has been left fallow to facilitate it. An ACRES farmer, Nigel also leaves wide margins alongside the tributaries of the River Greese that run through his land, as well as sizable margins in all the fields. Pleased with lower costs, the higher margins and renewed pride in his system, he aims to continue to lower synthetic inputs even further, building resilience for the future.

NOMINATOR: Kim McCall, Farming for Nature Ambassador
NOMINATION:
Nigel farms 75ha, mainly arable with some forestry in Grangecon Co. Wicklow. He is an active member of Base Ireland and of the DANU farming group. He firmly believes that every farmer can make small changes on their own farms which have really positive benefits for the environment, biodiversity, wildlife and water quality (most of them don't cost a lot -quite the opposite).

He constantly tries to protect and improve his soils. His arable crops are direct drilled. He practices strong rotations including combi and protein crops and multi species cover crops. He does his best to have living roots in the ground at all times and uses as little synthetic inputs as possible. He melts (diluting in water)urea N fertilizer and applies it at very low rates with trace elements and carbon source, this dramatically increases the NUE, seriously reducing the amount of synthetic N used. Where possible he imports slurry to replace chemical fertilizer.

As much as possible all seed is home saved using no chemical dressings instead applying a biological dressing of Vermi liquid (homemade), seaweed, humic and seed wash(homemade). Voluntary margins are left around all crops and wide margins along all water courses. In addition to these he allows 20% space for nature on the farm and has 13 ha of forestry.

The farm is in Acres and has 6.5 Ha in environmental fallow. There are a lot of mature hedgerows on the farm. Only road hedges are cut yearly, the rest only if necessary. The bird life has increased greatly and he has apex predators, buzzards, sparrowhawk, kestrel. Barn owls have also returned. No rodenticide is used. 33 species of birds have been recorded in a couple of hours on the farm.

Progress over the last 6 years : insecticides down 100%, fungicides down by approx. 80%, PGR's down by approx. 90%. Trying to reduce herbicides using rotations, cover crops and increased seeding rates. Nitrogen down by 60% using melted urea and nutrition. He is still working on the best methods to use and hopes to reduce it even further. Nigel has attended numerous courses mainly through NOTS, including Korean Natural Farming, Johnson Sue Bioreactor, Biodynamics. He is very knowledgeable and keen and able to share his knowledge. He has hosted several farm walks and one of the DANU open days on his farm over the last 2 years. He has also presented at the Biofarm conference. In my opinion, Nigel would make an excellent Farming For Nature Ambassador.