Are they mad ?

neilo · Jul 20, 2022

farenheit said:
Its probably true. A bit like drilling rape now, its so dry its not like its going to rot in the ground, nor are the slugs going to have it. It'll just grow when the conditions are right (and no compaction to speak of!).

Don’t be too sure on the slugs. We have lots about, even in this weather.

I DD’ed into sprayed off grass a fortnight or so ago and put my third lot of slug pellets on today!
The drilled crop of grass, cloves and brassicas are getting frazzled as they come out of the slots, but those brassica plants that have got established are getting attacked by flea beetle as well as slugs.

How the hell slugs can be active in these temperatures is a mystery.

PSQ · Jul 21, 2022

A piece of advice. Your farm stops at the march fence: don't tell your neighbour how to run his own farm.

I really don't understand why several of the self proclaimed 'progressive' farmers get so pious on this forum, and think it's acceptable to criticise their neighbours. A bit of friendly rivalry is one thing, being 'high and mighty' while criticising your neighbours behind their backs, on a forum, is contemptible.

DrWazzock · Jul 21, 2022

Discs and maybe paraplow then power Harrow and roller here, if not ploughing.
We will see. But I’ve too much chopped straw residue to direct drill anything after cereals in the autumn.

tw15 · Jul 21, 2022

A large farm down in Dorset are drilling spring barley off the heap into winter barley stubble and hoping to combine it in oct . As friend and manager of the farming company said if fails what the heck . It could be late whole crop or even green manure . Nothing ventured nothing gained , got to think outside the box sometimes and try if only just to put your mind at rest ..

Will 1594 · Jul 21, 2022

tw15 said:
A large farm down in Dorset are drilling spring barley off the heap into winter barley stubble and hoping to combine it in oct . As friend and manager of the farming company said if fails what the heck . It could be late whole crop or even green manure . Nothing ventured nothing gained , got to think outside the box sometimes and try if only just to put your mind at rest ..

was thinking of drilling some beet now to lift in march .
but would need irrigation and we have used a lot of water
and just think of all those succulent green shoots at minute . would be a partridge and deer magnet and every other bit of wildlife looking for moisture

Grass And Grain · Jul 21, 2022

ajd132 said:
The problem is that you can get death by germination. Get 15mm of rain so it germinates, then no more rain and it dies. It’s happend to me before.

Have a bit of seed left over in the shed, but no point drilling ATM. Weather conditions worry me with SFI, be it too dry or too wet. Wouldn't have got 70% cover in autumn 2019.

ajd132 · Jul 21, 2022

Grass And Grain said:
Have a bit of seed left over in the shed, but no point drilling ATM. Weather conditions worry me with SFI, be it too dry or too wet. Wouldn't have got 70% cover in autumn 2019.

Hopefully the understand. The way Janet take it’s more about making the attempt. Although of it stays like this for a month there won’t be any point in planting covers

Phil P · Jul 21, 2022

tw15 said:
A large farm down in Dorset are drilling spring barley off the heap into winter barley stubble and hoping to combine it in oct . As friend and manager of the farming company said if fails what the heck . It could be late whole crop or even green manure . Nothing ventured nothing gained , got to think outside the box sometimes and try if only just to put your mind at rest ..

@agricontract has been doing it for a number of years and managed to harvest it. Needs to be in early though.

Grass And Grain · Jul 21, 2022

ajd132 said:
Hopefully the understand. The way Janet take it’s more about making the attempt. Although of it stays like this for a month there won’t be any point in planting covers

Sounds like they're going to be much more understanding with inspections. As you say though, no point in drilling covers if gets too late - waste of diesel and seed.

We need to be flexible in farming, adapting to weather conditions and the season. The DEFRA produced SFI sets a rigid framework of prescriptions. It's a bit strange.

DrWazzock · Jul 21, 2022

Grass And Grain said:
Sounds like they're going to be much more understanding with inspections. As you say though, no point in drilling covers if gets too late - waste of diesel and seed.

We need to be flexible in farming, adapting to weather conditions and the season. The DEFRA produced SFI sets a rigid framework of prescriptions. It's a bit strange.

Are we chasing the tail of global warming or getting ahead of it?
For me here it will be all about water supply.
Covers and trees are all a bit of a sideshow. Covers suck moisture out as do trees. Trees burn as does uncontrolled rewilded vegetation.Its muddled strategy as fas as I can see. Priority should really be winter excess rainfall conservation/storage/management.
Nothing wrong with covers and trees but I don’t think they are going to solve the biggest short term problems we are facing - water shortage.

DrWazzock · Jul 21, 2022

And if conditions come good in August wouldn’t I be spending time and money trying to establish a crop of OSR rather than fancy cover mix.

DrWazzock · Jul 21, 2022

What I have noticed during this dry spell is that even small amounts of compaction have limited rooting and increased drought stress markedly.
My OSR plants were much better where they were growing along the lines followed by my stubble cultivator legs than on the hard ground between them.
Also the Timothy ley we have established on heavy ground is poor on the sprayer wheelings where I sprayed the ploughing off before cultivating and drilling the grass seed, but doing very well on the rest of the field.
It’s obvious, but compaction causes poor rooting and leads to all sorts of plant health problems. And compaction seems to cause as bad a problem here in a dry time as a wet time.
It’s all very well trying to rely on covers etc to naturally restructure soil. Very worthy. But if there is compaction problem and it isn’t sorted out in time for the next season then expect poor plant rooting.

steveR · Jul 21, 2022

ajd132 said:
The problem is that you can get death by germination. Get 15mm of rain so it germinates, then no more rain and it dies. It’s happend to me before.

Yep. Lost too many ha this "Spring" when we finally had enough rain to germinate the Wild Bird mixtures, 3 weeks later, mostly all dead.

ajd132 · Jul 21, 2022

steveR said:
Yep. Lost too many ha this "Spring" when we finally had enough rain to germinate the Wild Bird mixtures, 3 weeks later, mostly all dead.

Winter bird food plots. We re growing really well but have to re establish every year.

steveR · Jul 21, 2022

ajd132 said:
Winter bird food plots. We re growing really well but have to re establish every year.

Similiar here.... after a re-drill, and passed Inspection

I have been very chuffed with the Autumn sown stuff, and will hopefully get away without drilling again for 2023!

ajd132 · Jul 21, 2022

steveR said:
Similiar here.... after a re-drill, and passed Inspection

I have been very chuffed with the Autumn sown stuff, and will hopefully get away without drilling again for 2023!

These were fantastic the last two years. Shows just how dry it is here.

tw15 · Jul 21, 2022

Phil P said:
@agricontract has been doing it for a number of years and managed to harvest it. Needs to be in early though.

I think it went in Monday / tuesday in anticipation of thunder storms wether they got it in or not ill see if i can find out.

7610 super q · Jul 21, 2022

For true madness, take a look at the classified section on here. A secondhand ( yes secondhand ) JD 750 drill for £59k ( yes 59k ). Makes ploughing look cheap.

Phil P · Jul 21, 2022

tw15 said:
I think it went in Monday / tuesday in anticipation of thunder storms wether they got it in or not ill see if i can find out.

Think he drilled his 3 weeks ago after winter barley, looked to be week emerged last time I saw a picture.

ajd132 · Jul 21, 2022

7610 super q said:
For true madness, take a look at the classified section on here. A secondhand ( yes secondhand ) JD 750 drill for £59k ( yes 59k ). Makes ploughing look cheap.

Nice 6m drill on 1500 acres, owner/manager with some harvest help, cheap system. You should see the price of a new one!

Are they mad ?

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