Category: F

Food Chain: A series of organisms that pass energy and minerals from one to another as each provides food for the next. Understanding food chains helps farmers manage ecosystems and support biodiversity on their farms.

Forget-Me-Not: A widespread weed (Myosotis arvensis) found in all soils, especially near woodland. Properly managing forget-me-nots helps maintain crop health and biodiversity.

Farm-Saved Seed: Seed kept from the previous year’s harvest and replanted on the same farm. Also called home-saved seed. Using farm-saved seed can reduce costs and maintain local crop varieties.

Fresh: Not tinned or frozen. Properly managing fresh food production ensures high-quality products and consumer satisfaction.

Fowl Sick: Referring to land that has become infested with parasites due to being used for free-range hens for too long a period of time. Properly managing and rotating free-range areas help prevent fowl sick and maintain soil and poultry health.

Feeder: 1. Something which supplies or adds to something else of the same type. 2. A container from which livestock are fed. Proper use of feeders ensures efficient feeding and reduces waste.

FUW: Abbreviation for Farmers’ Union of Wales. This union provides valuable resources and advocacy for farmers, supporting their interests and promoting sustainable farming practices.

Fishery: The commercial activity of catching fish. Fish farms provide sustainable sources of fish for food and support local economies.

Farm Consolidation: The process of joining small plots of land together to form larger farms or bringing scattered units together to form large fields. Farm consolidation can improve efficiency and productivity by enabling better use of machinery and resources.

Full-Time Worker: A farmworker engaged full-time in work on a farm. Properly managing full-time workers supports efficient farm operations and productivity.

Flour: A soft fine powder made from ground cereal grains, used for making bread. Properly managing flour production ensures high-quality food products and marketability.

Field Beans: Used for stock feeding or for producing broad beans, which are the immature seeds used for human consumption. Growing field beans provides nutritious feed for livestock and can be a valuable crop rotation option.

Friable: Referring to something such as soil that is light and crumbles easily into fragments. Managing friable soils supports efficient planting and crop growth.

Fixation: The act of fixing something. Nitrogen fixation. Understanding nitrogen fixation helps farmers manage soil fertility and improve crop growth.

Faults: The proportion of rotten or diseased items in a quantity of produce sold. Reducing faults through proper handling and storage improves product quality and marketability.

Float: Same as Dutch harrow. Proper use of a float helps prepare seedbeds and improve soil conditions for planting.

Feeke’s Large Scale: A method of determining the growth stage of a crop by comparing plant size and leaf arrangement when the plant is young. This method helps farmers monitor crop development and plan management practices.

fertilizer: A chemical or natural substance added to soil to increase its fertility. Using fertilizers correctly is crucial for enhancing soil health and crop yields.

Fumitory: A common weed (Fumaria officinalis) affecting cereal and clover crops. Properly managing fumitory helps protect crop health and yields.

Farm Watch Scheme: A scheme organizing networks of farmers to be in touch with one another and the local police to report suspicious activity. This enhances farm security and community cooperation.

Fruiting Season: The time of year when a particular tree has fruit. Properly managing fruiting seasons supports efficient harvests and crop productivity.

Fur: A coat of hair covering an animal. Properly managing fur supports animal health and performance.

Farm Assurance: A scheme applying specific criteria to guarantee quality control for farm produce. Farm assurance programs help farmers maintain high standards and improve consumer confidence in their products.

Fetus: Another spelling of foetus. Understanding fetal development is important for managing livestock pregnancies and ensuring healthy births.

FAO: Abbreviation for Food and Agriculture Organization. This organization provides resources and guidance to farmers worldwide, promoting sustainable agriculture and food security.

Farmhand: A person who works on a farm. Farmhands are crucial for the daily operations and labor-intensive tasks on a farm.

Flood Plain: A wide flat part of the bottom of a valley usually covered with water when the river floods. Managing flood plains supports agricultural productivity and environmental health.

Finger and Toe: Same as club root. Managing this disease helps protect crop health and yields.

Flint: A hard stone of nearly pure silica, found in lumps in chalk soils. Properly managing flint in soils helps prevent damage to farm machinery and improve soil workability.

Faverolle: A breed of poultry for table consumption. Raising Faverolle chickens provides farmers with high-quality meat and diverse poultry products.

Field Drainage: Building drains in or under fields to remove surplus water. Proper field drainage prevents waterlogging, improves soil health, and enhances crop growth.

Freehold: The absolute right to hold land or property for an unlimited time without paying rent. Properly managing freehold property supports long-term farm stability and investment.

Fenbendazole: A medicinal substance used to worm cattle. Proper use of fenbendazole ensures effective parasite control and livestock health.

Fine Wool: Wool of very good quality. Producing fine wool meets market demand and ensures high-quality textile products.

Flaked Maize: A type of animal feedingstuff made from maize that has been treated with steam, rolled, and dried. It is highly digestible, rich in starch, and often given to pigs. Providing flaked maize ensures high-quality nutrition for livestock.

Fagus: The Latin name for beech, a type of tree. Beech trees can be part of agroforestry systems, providing shade, windbreaks, and contributing to biodiversity on farms.

Field Observation: An examination made in the open air, looking at organisms in their natural habitat as opposed to in a laboratory. Field observations provide valuable insights into ecological interactions and help inform sustainable farming practices.

Field Pansy: A widespread flower (Viola arvensis) increasingly found in winter crops, especially cereals. Also called corn pansy, love-in-idleness, cats’ faces. Managing field pansies helps maintain crop health and biodiversity.

Felling Licence: Permission from the Forestry Commission to fell trees. Managing tree felling with proper licences ensures sustainable forestry practices and environmental protection.

Fluoride: A chemical compound of fluorine, usually with sodium, potassium, or tin. Properly managing fluoride levels in water and soil supports plant and animal health.

FCR: Abbreviation for feed conversion rate. Monitoring FCR helps farmers enhance feed efficiency and animal growth, leading to better productivity and profitability.

Foodborne Diseases: Diseases transmitted from feedstuff. Properly managing foodborne diseases ensures livestock health and food safety.

Field Bindweed: A deep-rooted perennial weed (Convolvulus arvensis) causing significant problems due to its mass of clinging growths. Effective weed management practices are necessary to control field bindweed and protect crop yields.

Filbert: The Kentish cob, a commercially grown hazel-like nut (Corylus maxima). Growing filberts provides farmers with high-value nut crops and diversifies farm income.

Foal: A young horse of either sex in its first year. Properly managing foals ensures their health and prepares them for productive roles on the farm.

Fixation: The act of fixing something. Nitrogen fixation. Understanding nitrogen fixation helps farmers manage soil fertility and improve crop growth.

Famine: A period of severe food shortage. Knowledge of famine conditions helps farmers plan for food security and manage resources effectively.

Flourish: To live or grow well and increase in numbers. The colony of rabbits flourished in the absence of any predators. Proper management practices ensure that crops and livestock flourish on the farm.

Farm Fresh Eggs: Class A eggs described as “farm fresh” in the EU. These eggs meet high standards of quality and freshness, appealing to consumers.

Flush: A rapid growth of grass. Managing flushes of grass growth supports efficient grazing and forage management.