Food production case study: ROCKELLS FARM, ESSEX Large scale commercial farming (inputs, processes and outputs) • Rockells Farm, Elmdon, Essex, UK • Commercial Mixed – 20,000 free range hens, producing 20,000 eggs each day plus grow canary seed • Turnover is £800,000 per year Inputs: • 500 acres of land, gentle relief, • Chalk/ clay mix (geology), well drained. • Mild, wet climate. Ave summer temp 17 degrees; 3.5 degrees in Winter. Ave annual rain 650mm. • Prevailing wind = South westerly. Brings rain • Use of fertilizers & pesticides. Add nitrates to soil. • Heavily mechanised e.g. have their own combine harvester, seed drill, tractors. Diesel costs £8000 pa. • labour: 2 full time, 1-part time employee. • Diversified their business– holiday cottages, carp fishing lake • Have 5 solar panels for renewable energy • Close to M11 and A505 to transport eggs and canary seed • Machines: 3 tractors, 3 seed drill trailer/ attachments, 3 plough trailers/ attachments, 1 combine harvester/ sprayer • 6 barns • 3 grain storage units • 2 chicken sheds • chicken wire and fencing • egg sorting machine • 20, 000 hens Processes ● ploughing, seed drilling (use tractor with attached drill or ploughs ● watering, spraying (fertilizer and pesticides), harvesting (combine harvester) ● storage ● transporting canary seed ● feeding hens ● collecting and sorting eggs ● slaughter hens after 1 year ● cleaning out chicken sheds ● adding nitrates to soil Outputs • £800,000 turnover • 20,000 eggs • 5 tons of canary seed • waste - chicken excrement