brynseiri
Member
- Location
- Conwy, North Wales
Did you get the haulm roller fixed? Or just chance the focker?
Selectamatic's Farming Thread.
- Thread starter Selectamatic
- Start date
R tea
Member
- Location
- Never far from Home
Well, today was the day, potato harvesting
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Thanks to Mrs S and Bala for their assistance today, and to Mr S senior for driving the box tractor!
The legend that is Bala.
A certain Mr Eland would be right proud.
In the pouring rain, I did a bit of hedge cutting...
This is my father's 1410, its been with us since 1980, with 14000+ hours by now it still goes like a train, albeit a few leaks by now, the rust has set in too, and it's on my to do list to give the old bus a bit of a makeover. One of our front line tractor for many years, it spends it's life on the hedge cutter these days.
The hedge cutter is a Bomford B467, a tiddly thing today, but good enough for what we want. It replaced a Fisher Humphries which was a disaster. Previous to that we had a Bomford Bushwhacker, the first flail machine in the parish, what a monster of a thing that was!
It's a tedious, boring job, but it tidies the place up when your finished.
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Cattle have grazed the fields down well, they will be on their way from there soon. barsteward moles are still there though.
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Swedes are growing, should be a nice bit of food for some lambs there. In the middle of the swedes I have something rather unexpected, but very nice all the same.
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Potatoes are ready for bringing up, tomorrow, hopefully...
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Your 1410 has a Kendal registration,have you seen the 1412 in classic tractor this month,something to work towards.
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
Chanced it, it did ok, but would like to get it done by next year, along with some other bits of repair and maintanance...
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
The legend that is Bala.
A certain Mr Eland would be right proud.
The boy that was named Bala because he lived somewhere between Corwen and Bala, it was you that christened him while we were sat around the table in the canteen on one of our first day there, 16 ish years ago by now now!
We were talking about Pete Eland while lifting taters yesterday, "Right then lads..."
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
Your 1410 has a Kendal registration,have you seen the 1412 in classic tractor this month,something to work towards.
It has, it started off being sold by Robert Taylor and Sons, Bentham, it was the first tractor they sold for over £10,000. It went to Mr Huddleston of No Fret Farm, Near Garstang. Spent it's days there on the slurry tanker and direct drilling liquid nitrogen (whatever that is!)
DB produced a newspaper back in the day, similar to other manufactures, called Tractor News. Our 1410 is pictured in one, with Mr Hudleston and Ian Taylor stood near it.
Dad saw it advertised in the Farmers Weekly, did the deal and went up to collect it, he remembers that when it was paid for and loaded on to the lorry, a lady poked her head out of the house door and said "Oh, its going! That's the worst tractor that's ever been on the place!" It's done well for us over the years though.
+1. Spray off the haulm, or go through with a topper just before harvest to shred it all
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
Hello everyone,
Nothing much has being going on recently, with nothing of any real interest to put on here.
I've been lucky to sell the hay and most of the potatoes, the fields have been empty, but earlier this week I had some guests arrive for Bed and Breakfast, they will be joined by more soon I guess.
Swedes have come on well, there will be plenty of food for them here!
The rogue Sunflower that was growing in the middle of the swedes has died off, I assume this is what they look like when they are ready to harvest?
Nothing much has being going on recently, with nothing of any real interest to put on here.
I've been lucky to sell the hay and most of the potatoes, the fields have been empty, but earlier this week I had some guests arrive for Bed and Breakfast, they will be joined by more soon I guess.
Swedes have come on well, there will be plenty of food for them here!
The rogue Sunflower that was growing in the middle of the swedes has died off, I assume this is what they look like when they are ready to harvest?
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
So, sat here digesting my Christmas Dinner, and I thought I'd have a look through this thread, wondering what to do next year...
Boringly, I'm thinking of doing the same again, but moving stuff around a bit, crop rotation and all that...
Good and Bad from this year on my very small enterprise are...
Good
Finally, I've done it, I'm a farmer!
Hay made, and has sold well, so much so I have customers booked for some next year.
Bad
Rolling damp ground is not the answer after sowing barley seed. Next year I wont be doing this, keeping off the land as much as possible when the seed is in the ground.
Rabbits and Moles need better control next year, I think that I have sorted now, with some keen volunteers to control them.
It does not pay! I've made more than I have spent, but if you tot up the hours of work and effort, the returns are poor, but, I'm enjoying it, so that's ok I suppose?
Of all the things that don't pay, potatoes are the worst, and a very hit and miss affair, I'm giving them one more go in 2017 and unless they make something of it this year, I'm going to call it a bad job.
Thank you to all who have contributed to my ramblings on this thread, suggesting ideas and giving guidance as needed, it is much appreciated. Any further suggestions, ideas, contributions, criticisms, questions etc etc very welcome.
Merry Christmas Everyone, I hope 2017 is a lucky one for you all.
Boringly, I'm thinking of doing the same again, but moving stuff around a bit, crop rotation and all that...
Good and Bad from this year on my very small enterprise are...
Good
Finally, I've done it, I'm a farmer!
Hay made, and has sold well, so much so I have customers booked for some next year.
Bad
Rolling damp ground is not the answer after sowing barley seed. Next year I wont be doing this, keeping off the land as much as possible when the seed is in the ground.
Rabbits and Moles need better control next year, I think that I have sorted now, with some keen volunteers to control them.
It does not pay! I've made more than I have spent, but if you tot up the hours of work and effort, the returns are poor, but, I'm enjoying it, so that's ok I suppose?
Of all the things that don't pay, potatoes are the worst, and a very hit and miss affair, I'm giving them one more go in 2017 and unless they make something of it this year, I'm going to call it a bad job.
Thank you to all who have contributed to my ramblings on this thread, suggesting ideas and giving guidance as needed, it is much appreciated. Any further suggestions, ideas, contributions, criticisms, questions etc etc very welcome.
Merry Christmas Everyone, I hope 2017 is a lucky one for you all.
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
Why don't the spuds pay? Yield, or selling price?So, sat here digesting my Christmas Dinner, and I thought I'd have a look through this thread, wondering what to do next year...
Boringly, I'm thinking of doing the same again, but moving stuff around a bit, crop rotation and all that...
Good and Bad from this year on my very small enterprise are...
Good
Finally, I've done it, I'm a farmer!
Hay made, and has sold well, so much so I have customers booked for some next year.
Bad
Rolling damp ground is not the answer after sowing barley seed. Next year I wont be doing this, keeping off the land as much as possible when the seed is in the ground.
Rabbits and Moles need better control next year, I think that I have sorted now, with some keen volunteers to control them.
It does not pay! I've made more than I have spent, but if you tot up the hours of work and effort, the returns are poor, but, I'm enjoying it, so that's ok I suppose?
Of all the things that don't pay, potatoes are the worst, and a very hit and miss affair, I'm giving them one more go in 2017 and unless they make something of it this year, I'm going to call it a bad job.
Thank you to all who have contributed to my ramblings on this thread, suggesting ideas and giving guidance as needed, it is much appreciated. Any further suggestions, ideas, contributions, criticisms, questions etc etc very welcome.
Merry Christmas Everyone, I hope 2017 is a lucky one for you all.
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
Both, I expect it's because I don't put the proper effort into it, and don't have the experience of growing them commercially.
The King Edwards did best, nice spuds, plenty of them, mostly a good size. The Pentland Crowns are a dissapointment, they are a good size but have hollow heart, which makes them difficult to sell, also, they don't taste of much when cooked.
By the time you have purchased the seed, sprayed them every week for months, harvested them, bagged them, etc etc etc, £/hours worked is pretty poor.
I enjoy buggering about growing spuds, but other things pay better for less effort and cost.
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
Price you nor I can't alterBoth, I expect it's because I don't put the proper effort into it, and don't have the experience of growing them commercially.
The King Edwards did best, nice spuds, plenty of them, mostly a good size. The Pentland Crowns are a dissapointment, they are a good size but have hollow heart, which makes them difficult to sell, also, they don't taste of much when cooked.
By the time you have purchased the seed, sprayed them every week for months, harvested them, bagged them, etc etc etc, £/hours worked is pretty poor.
I enjoy buggering about growing spuds, but other things pay better for less effort and cost.
Variety you can, yield you can improve with experience
holywell farmer
Member
- Location
- holywell, north wales
EnjoyWell Ladies and Gentlemen, after many years of wanting to be one, I am now a Farmer, a small one that only rents a small patch of ground, but nevertheless I consider myself to be a Farmer.
If anyone has any interest, I will take some photos of stuff that I do, grow, keep, etc etc.
Warning, for those who David Brown Tractors, or older kit in general causes migraines, look away now, Dad is a contractor who still keep himself busy with his machinery, so, hopefully, most of the work will be done by my father and I, but with older kit.
TFF is a great resource, so if I can give someone some interest and entertainment (!) by putting some pictures up here as a token thank you I'm more than happy to do so. Any comments, questions, encouragement, criticisms, warnings, suggestions etc etc gratefully welcomed!
Pictures to kick off, the Landlord asked if I could tidy a piece of hedge for him, overgrown and unkept, it was the final piece of hedge there that was not being looked after. My father knows a bit about hedge laying, and with me as his apprentice, we laid this piece, not to win any awards, but to tidy the job up a bit.
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brynseiri
Member
- Location
- Conwy, North Wales
As far as your spuds go, you need volume, and to counter your losses or not selling them, you need cattle to feed the spare / unsold to. That's how my mate, who ain't a million miles from you does it. We did nearly 17 acres of them in 2011, not a lot, but plenty for a bloke who sells them off the back of the landrover, and they tasted sh!t. You couldn't give them away. Lucky he finished the cattle on every scrap, at 20t / acre they were worth doing. He's upped the game, tried different varieties. You can try a tonne of this or a tonne of that alongside your main variety to see how they go. if they taste sh!t, or go with water. there's 150 big buggers who'll eat them and not complain. He's also gone from growing 40-50 acres to sell to merchants to selling 8-10 acres direct, and worked hard to establish his main outlet. To do it to any end you need a fair bit of kit, and then you need staff, sorting and bagging is a tedious and monotonous job, everyone hates it. On top of that, most potato sellers locally to you don't grow them, they buy them in and sell them on.
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
Not much has been going on recently, other than these fleecy things moving in to keep the grass down and eat the swedes, they have done very well, surprising how much of a feed there is in a single swede.
They are with me until early March, where the plan is then to spray off the stubble, plough and put in another crop of Spring Barley, have another go at the Spuds and Swedes too, moving them to the other end of the field this time.
The grass, above, will be harrowed, fertilised and rolled, I have found a local chap to catch the moles, having caught five in a few weeks the molehill construction company have certainly, thankfully, taken a bit of a hit. Hopefully should there be any there, they will be caught as they start digging afresh after harrowing.
Here is a question for the knowledgeable amongst us, those of you which have followed my ramblings on this thread from the beginning know I ploughed, rolled, then power harrowed the ground pre sowing, I was giulty of sowing when the ground was too wet, worse, I rolled it when it was damp, it capped and I suffered from a crap crop of Barley last year. In amongst this, I remember some of you criticising me for using a Power Harrow on such light land, arguing that this had led to many of my problems...
So, keen not to repeat the mistake, but with a Power Harrow sat in the shed waiting to go, and not keen on buying a spring tine harrow for such a small job, I'm thinking that the plan of action should be this year...
Spray off
Plough
Allow to dry
Power Harrow
Sow, if it is dry enough.
No rolling, leave it as it is.
Roll later if there is a need.
Am I being a fool, repeating the same mistakes of last year, I don't think I am, dry seedbed being key in my mind, but I would appreciate any advice from the grown ups that read this...
They are with me until early March, where the plan is then to spray off the stubble, plough and put in another crop of Spring Barley, have another go at the Spuds and Swedes too, moving them to the other end of the field this time.
The grass, above, will be harrowed, fertilised and rolled, I have found a local chap to catch the moles, having caught five in a few weeks the molehill construction company have certainly, thankfully, taken a bit of a hit. Hopefully should there be any there, they will be caught as they start digging afresh after harrowing.
Here is a question for the knowledgeable amongst us, those of you which have followed my ramblings on this thread from the beginning know I ploughed, rolled, then power harrowed the ground pre sowing, I was giulty of sowing when the ground was too wet, worse, I rolled it when it was damp, it capped and I suffered from a crap crop of Barley last year. In amongst this, I remember some of you criticising me for using a Power Harrow on such light land, arguing that this had led to many of my problems...
So, keen not to repeat the mistake, but with a Power Harrow sat in the shed waiting to go, and not keen on buying a spring tine harrow for such a small job, I'm thinking that the plan of action should be this year...
Spray off
Plough
Allow to dry
Power Harrow
Sow, if it is dry enough.
No rolling, leave it as it is.
Roll later if there is a need.
Am I being a fool, repeating the same mistakes of last year, I don't think I am, dry seedbed being key in my mind, but I would appreciate any advice from the grown ups that read this...
Last edited:
IH 684
Member
- Location
- durham dales/cumbria border
We used to follow the plough with the combi. Normally about an hour between. It seemed as soon as the top of the furrow turned that charcoal grey colour it was ideal to combi over. If we left the ploughing overnight it would never work down with just one pass.Not much has been going on recently, other than these fleecy things moving in to keep the grass down and eat the swedes, they have done very well, surprising how much of a feed there is in a single swede.
View attachment 462670
They are with me until early March, where the plan is then to spray off the stubble, plough and put in another crop of Spring Barley, have another go at the Spuds and Swedes too, moving them to the other end of the field this time.
The grass, above, will be harrowed, fertilised and rolled, I have found a local chap to catch the moles, having caught five in a few weeks the molehill construction company have certainly, thankfully, taken a bit of a hit. Hopefully should there be any there, they will be caught as they start digging afresh after harrowing.
Here is a question for the knowledgeable amongst us, those of you which have followed my ramblings on this thread from the beginning know I ploughed, rolled, then power harrowed the ground pre sowing, I was giulty of sowing when the ground was too wet, worse, I rolled it when it was damp, it capped and I suffered from a crap crop of Barley last year. In amongst this, I remember some of you criticising me for using a Power Harrow on such light land, arguing that this had led to many of my problems...
So, keen not to repeat the mistake, but with a Power Harrow sat in the shed waiting to go, and not keen on buying a spring tine harrow for such a small job, I'm thinking that the plan of action should be this year...
Spray off
Plough
Allow to dry
Power Harrow
Sow, if it is dry enough.
No rolling, leave it as it is.
Roll later if there is a need.
Am I being a fool, repeating the same mistakes of last year, I don't think I am, dry seedbed being key in my mind, but I would appreciate any advice from the grown ups that read this...
green giant
Member
- Location
- Northumberland
You can use the power harrow as a normal cultivator if you wish, just forget to turn the pto on
ThatsSomeSheep
Member
Hi @Selectamatic
I think it might have been rolling after the plough that was mistake. I remember this discussion from last year.
Power Harrow should be ok, and rolling immediately after it is sown - if dry enough- should also be fine.
TSS
I think it might have been rolling after the plough that was mistake. I remember this discussion from last year.
Power Harrow should be ok, and rolling immediately after it is sown - if dry enough- should also be fine.
TSS
+1 for rolling after drilling. Although based upon you experiences last year, don't do it if it is really wet. Hopefully, when you drill the ground is fairly dry, so aim to roll it as soon as possible afterwards. If the drilling is bringing up a lot of moisture, then obviously let it dry a bit.
Rolling will increase seed to soil contact, so will aid germination, deter any slugs which may eat the seed (although somewhat unlikely), make the plant root better and be more stable, and will also increase any pre-em chemical efficacy.
Rolling will increase seed to soil contact, so will aid germination, deter any slugs which may eat the seed (although somewhat unlikely), make the plant root better and be more stable, and will also increase any pre-em chemical efficacy.
Selectamatic
Member
- Location
- North Wales
Evening all!
Quite an enjoyable day today, the farming year has started again for me!
Sprayed the greenery off on my swede and barley stubble fields, hopefully will plough in a fortnight or so.
Also, while the tractor was there, Mrs S had a bit of tractor driving experience this afternoon, levelling old molehills and pulling out some moss with a set of chain harrows.
Some of you who know me outside this TFF malarkey will know that I brought a small piece of land, almost exactly a year ago. Happily I have now got some planning permission for a modest agricultural building to be built on it, mainly to keep the tractors, machinery, tools etc under one roof.
The shed is ordered, will be fabricated and delivered soon, quite looking forward to seeing it going up.
Because a little bit of digging, levelling etc will be needed, and while the sprayer was on, I squirted a bit on to the shed site, closer the time I will plough or rotavate the patch, making it easier to remove what soil's needed from there.
Quite an enjoyable day today, the farming year has started again for me!
Sprayed the greenery off on my swede and barley stubble fields, hopefully will plough in a fortnight or so.
Also, while the tractor was there, Mrs S had a bit of tractor driving experience this afternoon, levelling old molehills and pulling out some moss with a set of chain harrows.
Some of you who know me outside this TFF malarkey will know that I brought a small piece of land, almost exactly a year ago. Happily I have now got some planning permission for a modest agricultural building to be built on it, mainly to keep the tractors, machinery, tools etc under one roof.
The shed is ordered, will be fabricated and delivered soon, quite looking forward to seeing it going up.
Because a little bit of digging, levelling etc will be needed, and while the sprayer was on, I squirted a bit on to the shed site, closer the time I will plough or rotavate the patch, making it easier to remove what soil's needed from there.