Lessons learned from the first season of growing legumes and heritage varieties of wheat on a Carmarthenshire farm will help inform decision making on how farmers and growers can produce more food for local supply.

Through its Our Farms network, Farming Connect has funded a field-scale legume production trial at Bremenda Isaf Farm, a 40-hectare county council-owned holding at Llanarthne. There, the Bwyd Sir Gâr Food partnership is growing food with public sector procurement in mind.

During a recent Farming Connect open day at the farm, hosted by the partnership’s co-ordinator, Augusta Lewis, and head grower, Piers Lunt, other food producers learned what had gone well – and not so well – during the first season.

Menu redesign by Carmarthenshire County Council is examining food sourcing and sustainability, and replacing items that can be produced more locally and sustainably, including plant protein, where possible. The Farming Connect trial was instigated to explore how protein could be grown locally for public sector supply, such as in schools and care homes. It explored which legumes perform well in the West Wales climate.

“We want to demonstrate that we can produce the ‘eat well’ plate in Carmarthenshire, that we can produce high quality protein and good cereals adapted to our climate and to process them, and grow fruit and veg. If we can do all of that on one farm, other farmers can do it as well,’’ said Augusta.

A Nutrient Management Plan was carried out with support from Farming Connect’s Advisory Service, and mentoring via Farming Connect from the Apricot Centre in Devon and from organic grower, Iain Tolhurst, who has advised on field scale production and rotation.

Bremenda Isaf grows to organic principles and is currently converting to certification.

Carlin and Daytona peas were grown and some were intercropped with the heritage wheat varieties, April Bearded and Malika, to establish benefits for soil health.

“We have learned a tremendous amount about the growing habits of these varieties and we are confident that even over one growing season we will begin to see how intercropping can make a difference to soil health,’ said Augusta’