Customer Opinions

    Our varied soil types in the Scottish Borders are well suited to Soil Brightness Images and Precision Farming.

Over the last few years IPF technology has significantly improved the efficiency of nutrient applications over all our farms. The introduction of this latest technology is undoubtedly a step closer to achieving our goal of 100% accuracy in soil nutrient management.

Richard Byass
Co-op Farms
2500 Acres - Scottish Borders

    The process of verifying the soil brightness and zoning and relating that to our existing working knowledge of soil type was detailed, logical and refreshingly swift.

The speed at which the information was turned round to give us accurate zoning and from there to producing the work plans meant we were able to get VRT systems for all winter crop establishment up and running in a matter of days

Nick Shorter
Velcourt Farms
2000 ha's - Hampshire

    The IPF system has reached all our expectations and the back up from The Courtyard Partnership has been exceptional

The system is simple and easy to use, it saves us money, provides sound cross compliance and good farming practice references, the technology works in an agricultural environment. The need for P, K & Mg fertiliser alone has dropped from a high of £21.93ha in 2003 to a current level of £14.30/ha a saving of £7.63/ha. At today's prices this equates to a £21.00 per ha saving."

Mr Duncan Lee – Ramsbury Estates Ltd
5800 Acres
Hungerford

    I thought it would take perhaps six to ten years to get where we wanted to be, says Richard. But IPF have just done the first batch of our soil re-testing and I'm surprised at the evenness of the samples.

Mr Richard Oram - Oram & Sons
2200 Acres
Allington

    The Courtyard Partnerships scientific based practical approach attracted me to use IPF. It really does work, thanks to their very supportive
approach!

Their service has been second to none. By managing inputs we have reduced fertilizer costs dramatically, improved crop production and help reduce our carbon footprint. Using the IPF tool box we have been able to mechanise more accurately the use of Nitrogen based on crop requirement and maintain or increase yields.

Robert Lawton - R.N. & M. Lawton
3500 Acres
Aldbourne

    The soil analysis of the individual zones has given us a clear picture of the nutrient variation within our fields and presents a useful record to refer to when comparing yield data shown by the yield mapping system on the combine.

Mr C Nash - C.W.
Nash Farms Ltd
3400 Acres - Oxfordshire

    It's all been a bit like getting a new car to drive. At first it can be a bit confusing, but once you get used to it you don't want to go back to the old one. I certainly wouldn't want to go back to working without GPS.

Ivor Rabbits – Farm Foreman
2500 Acres
Wiltshire

    I was attracted to the IPF system as it was nothing like as expensive as others I'd looked at; Zone-guided treatments make environmental and economic sense.

Jeremy Margesson
2500 Acres
Wiltshire

    I would recommend the approach The Courtyard Partnership take to anyone who is enthusiastic about a pragmatic targeted approach to soil nutrition with a firm focus on enhancing profitability.

Mr D P Hardy - Managing Director AMS
3500 Acres
Glos

    I have used Courtyard's IPF system for 2 years now. We have IPF zoned the farm because there is significant variation in our limestone soils.

In year one we moved away from a blanket fertiliser treatment of 0.26.26, to the IPF variable system. This saved the farm £18,300 on fertiliser inputs, mainly because certain areas of the fields didn't need any fertiliser at all.

Mr Pete Cannon - Winterwell Farm
1100 Acres
Northleach

    IPF combines practical soil science with appropriate use of technology to give farmers and agronomists a "common language and simple tools" to discuss, plan and implement practical Variable Rate Agronomy.

Henry Overman
Independent Agronomist
Kent

    The IPF system of involving farmers, agronomists and soil scientists alike integrates well with my inclusive approach to crop management.

30 years ago, as a young trainee in ADAS, I was taught that soil samples should be wholly representative of the field and not cover more than 4 ha.

Today nothing has changed except that we have a really efficient way to target areas of variation. Modern technology allows me to vary inputs such as seed. P. K, and N and the IPF toolbox is a great way of driving that technology. The IPF system of involving farmers, agronomists and soil scientists alike integrates well with my inclusive approach to crop management.

I have found great value in working alongside truly skilled soil scientists.

Stephen Harrison
Independent Agronomist