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The Brodie family
The Brodie family has deep roots in the Brockham area, situated in the heart of the Surrey Hills, dating back to before 1845. Tim Brodie, who grew up just two miles away in Betchworth, and his wife Julia purchased Feltons Farm in 1978. Since 1979, Andy Jackman has managed the family farms, playing a crucial role in their success and development.
In 2000, Tim’s son Alex took over farm operations, and he has since been joined by his own son, Tom. Over the past twenty-five years, the farm business has diversified into processing biomass materials into wood chips and related products. The expansion into biochar production is a natural extension of our existing activities: utilizing locally sourced materials to create valuable products such as biochar and biochar composts. These products not only enhance the quality and yield of our crops and improve our land but also meet the growing demand from both the farming and gardening communities.
From wood to biochar, and on to biochar compost
Processing the wood
We aim to source a good percentage of our wood by managing and coppicing our own woodland, but the great majority of the wood will come from local tree surgeons. We do not source agroforestry wood or any contaminated wood; we take great care to ensure all wood is responsibly sourced and is clean of contaminants.
Once on site, we process the biomass by:
- screening out the fines – leaves and twigs (which is where the nutrients are concentrated) and the fines are sent to composting.
- chip any logs and branches,
- the chip is dried to reduce the moisture content.
We end up with two dried chip materials.
- Wood chip suitable for turning into biochar and,
- Oversize chip (between 30mm and 50mm) which is sold.
Brodie Biomass Process Flow
The bulk of the processed wood chip is sent to be pyrolised, and from which we produce our exceptionally high-quality biochar. Our most recent biochar test showed a carbon content of over 70% and PAH’s (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon which is a measure of contaminants) of less than 5mg/kg. To qualify for an EBC certificate, the required standard must show over 60% carbon and a PAH measure of less than 12. The biochar can then be mixed with our manure and fines in a variety of blends to form the compost materials.
Our composting process
The fines (twigs and leaves) are removed from arboreal cuttings to direct nutrients to composting, leaving the carbon-rich trunks and woody matter for pyrolysis.
The fines are mixed with various manures from our farm along with the biochar to create different compost blends.
Each compost batch is monitored and recorded, focusing on moisture, oxygen content and temperature, crucial for the activity of beneficial microbes, nematodes, and fungi. We turn the compost as needed, guided by compost monitors and the earthy smell of good compost. If necessary, we spray the compost with our homemade compost tea to evenly distribute beneficial microbes.
After six to twelve weeks, depending on conditions, we produce high-quality compost. With thorough knowledge of our feedstock, microbes, and process, we ensure our top-quality compost is among the best in the UK.
The key elements of our process are:
Quality – achieved by knowing the source of all materials.
Consistency – blending these wonderful materials to an exacting and traceable standard in every batch.
Quantity – in 2024, we will make between 2,000 to 5,000 tons of biochar compost. In 2025 we intend to double production.
Our composts vary based on the proportions of woody and green materials, added manure, and biochar. We believe that composts with higher levels of green materials (like leaves and grass) support a greater abundance of bacterial microbes, making them more suitable for annuals such as lettuce or daffodils. In contrast, woodier composts tend to encourage fungi, which are better suited for shrubs and trees. While we acknowledge that this topic is open to debate and discussion, research consistently shows that using biochar composts enhances soil health, benefits plants, and positively impacts the environment.