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FACTS
| The Royal Show is organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of England
Royal Agricultural Society of England,
Stoneleigh Park,
Warwickshire,
CV8 2LZ.
T: 02476 696969
F: 02476 696900
Registered Charity No: 209961
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 |  | There will be useful information, events and products for all those that enjoy the great outdoor life, including Britain's farmers and gardeners.
Britain's farmers could find out how to turn
a waste product into a profitable business if they visit the composting area at the show.
Additionally, Britain's gardeners could soon be reaping a double benefit from renewed interest in composting of green waste, as visitors to the Composting Area at this year's show will find out.
Compost goes commercial
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Composting is attracting great interest among British farmers - and among local councils, who see it as a potential method of disposing of thousands of tonnes of green and garden waste which otherwise has to be disposed of (at increasing expense) in landfill sites.
For farmers, composting has several benefits, offering the opportunity to create a diversified source of income and to make a fertilizer that could benefit their own crops and reduce the amount of recycleable waste sent to landfill sites.
Simon Jones, of the On Farm Composting Network, is championing the idea, as well as coordinating field research which highlights the potential nutritive value of processes green manures, which the Network's own search has shown can increase crop yields while reducing nitrogen applications.
| Ìý |  | A competitor with his cow at the Royal Show
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This sort of agronomic research is just one strand of the Network's
operations - it also provides advice on the business and legislative aspects of composting, and its presence will be central to the Royal Show exhibit:
"We will be discussing both the practicalities and economics of the issue, as well as providing practical guidance to farmers so they can assess whether they can get involved in it".
ÌýGardeners reap double benefit
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As well as giving gardeners an environmentally sound way of disposing of prunings and other green waste - which all too often ends up in landfill sites at the moment - they could also receive the processed waste back in the form of a variety of plant feeds and mulches.
The green waste that they throw away can be processed into a mulch and then laid in beds and fed to worms, which convert it into cast, a nutritive-rich product which can be dried and sold as a plant feed, or incorporated in composts to make up grow bags.
| Ìý |  | Crowds sit and enjoy the various events
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The industry could also be a great benefit to Britain's farmers, presenting them with the opportunity to earn fresh income and provide extra employment from a business which can be run in redundant farm buildings and on
comparatively few acres of land.
The potential value of compost as a mulch has already been investigated by the On Farm Composting Network via a series of field trials, which have shown that they can increase crop yields while reducing nitrogen applications.
Simon Jones, from the Network, explained: "Obviously the benefits to the crop needs to be measured against the costs of processing the material, but the range of other saleable products which can be produced should be included in the equation.
"We will be discussing both the practicalities and economics of the business, as well as providing practical guidance to farmers so they can assess whether they can get involved in it, and providing information to customers on what is available".
ÌýDetails for the Royal Show 2003
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Buy Royal Show tickets in advance and save money: Advance: Adults £10, senior
citizens £6.50, children £6.50 (9-15), under 9s free.
New for this year:
The Royal Show family ticket - 2 adults plus 2 children - £31.00.
On the gate:
Adults £14, senior citizens £9, children £9 (9-15), under 9s free. Family ticket - £44.00.
Buy on-line until June 24 at: www.royalshow.org.uk (the link is on the left hand side of this page) or call 0870 3666 544.
Discount for famers:
Farmers can save up to 40% off tickets for the Royal Show when buying in advance.
Buy on-line at: www.royalshow.org.uk/farmers or call 0870 3666 543.
Lines are open Monday - Friday 9am-8pm, and Saturday - Sunday 10am-5pm.
Closing date for advance purchases: 23 June 2003.
Dogs are not permitted except for registered assistance dogs.
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