Our approach at Ragmans

Our approach is focused on increased system health by improving soil and plant fertility.  We encourage life and diversity from the micro-level (microbes and minerals) up to macro-level (people!) creating more sustainable farming practices. Much of our thinking at Ragmans has been developed by Juanfran Lopez (left) who has studied and taught in Europe and South America. These techniques were originally introduced by Jairo Restrepo (right), who continues his relationship with Ragmans, teaching here every summer. Our video - Harvesting the Sun introduces Jairo and his thinking. This article also explains our approach in more detail. 

Our goal is to measure the effectiveness of these biological techniques on system biology and mineral balance on plant and soil health.

In addition to this we are developing a high quality range of preparations and techniques such as biofertilisers, bokashi, aerobic teas, mineral chelations, mychorriza, chromatography, lactic acid bacteria, and native microbe reproduction among others methods…. We wish to offer a service tweaking these techniques into specific land situations with local farmers.

This section of our website is a bit complex. We have put some of the tools that we use in the section below. We have also gone into detail with our fertilisation plan for the orchards as it shows how we actually apply these tools. We would welcome comments!

  • Cider Making in One Day

    with Matt Dunwell

    2nd October 2020

    Matt has been making Apple juice and Cider for over fifteen years.

    We have planted cider and perry trees over the last 20 years at Ragmans and they are now coming into production - Tom Putt, Brandy Pears, Thorne, Yarlington Mill and Kingston Black - the king of the cider apples.

    In the morning there will be a short introduction to cider making, and we will then set out to pick fruit for an hour or so.

    After a tea break we return to the pressing room and wash the fruit prior to pressing. If we have time we will macerate the fruit before lunch, or if there is demand we can look around our orchard of 1000 apple and pear trees.

    After lunch we will split into two groups and run both the traditional cider press and the modern apple juice press in tandem. This will give everybody a chance to get a hands on experience. We will be using two mills, two different presses, pumps and bottle fillers and pasteurisers.

    At the end of the afternoon there is a chance to try some cider.

    Refreshments provided, please bring a packed lunch.

    Price £90  (including 25 litres of apple juice to turn into cider)

    Booking essential

    To download a booking form click here

    Cheques should be made payable to Ragmans Lane Farm and sent to Ragmans Lane Farm, Lower Lydbrook, Glos, GL17 9PA. For further information, please ring us on 01594 860244

     


    £90.00


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