The Cornish farmer using the moon's cycles to save money on rising energy costs

• Julian on how lunar farming works for his farm

A Cornish farmer says he is using the cycles of the moon to reduce the crippling effect of energy costs on his business.

Julian Ellis' family have owned their dairy, beef and arable farm near St Buryan for 70 years.

Recent hikes in the cost of red diesel mean it now costs Julian an extra £2,000 a month to run his farm machinery - on top of an extra £3,000 for electricity.

But Julian believes these costs would be even higher if he was not farming in sync with the moon's lunar cycles.

"There's nothing wacky about it," he told ITV News West Country.

"Generations would have taken into account the position of the moon. My gran would very often talk about where the moon is in reference to the weather and jobs that should be done on the farm."

Julian says his interest in the technique began after listening to a talk about gardening by the moon.

The talk fuelled a scholarship application which enabled Julian to study the subject all over the world and produce a paper on lunar farming.

He says what was once an experiment may now help him tackle the rising energy, fuel and production costs facing the farming industry.

He said: "We still use some artificial inputs but we're reducing those inputs because the cost of them is forcing us to, but also we don't want to be reliant on these artificial inputs so we feel it is helping us to achieve that."

What is Lunar Farming?

Lunar farming uses the same principles of how the moon controls the tides, it too affects the moisture in the soil and therefore certain phases of the moon are seen as better for things like planting.

The waxing phases are considered more fertile, so Julian recommends they are the ideal times to sow plants which bear crops above ground.

The family have been farming on Boscarne Farm for three generations and Julian has pioneered traditional lunar farming practices to sell milk under the brand 'Moon milk' where people can fill their own bottles in the centre of the village.