Driving around trees

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
Very clever GPS I think. Too perfect to be driver skill I think.

Begs the question why the trees hadn't been removed though. Ruins efficiency and created and obstacle for GPS/damage potential.

Also surprised by the amount of soil movement.
 

Farmer Roy

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
NSW, Newstralya
Very clever GPS I think. Too perfect to be driver skill I think.

Begs the question why the trees hadn't been removed though. Ruins efficiency and created and obstacle for GPS/damage potential.

Also surprised by the amount of soil movement.

They are probably " moisture seeking ", planting the seed up to 6 inches deep to place into moist soil, thus leaving a deep furrow with only an inch of soil actually covering the seed. Quite common
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
They are probably " moisture seeking ", planting the seed up to 6 inches deep to place into moist soil, thus leaving a deep furrow with only an inch of soil actually covering the seed. Quite common

Would the increased surface area caused by ridges not loose more moisture ?
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
They are probably " moisture seeking ", planting the seed up to 6 inches deep to place into moist soil, thus leaving a deep furrow with only an inch of soil actually covering the seed. Quite common

Fascinating! Thank you for that insight. Helpful to have the full story. Must make the field quite rough to drive on after....especially those roundabouts. Like driving on a draining board.
 

Farmer Roy

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
NSW, Newstralya
Would the increased surface area caused by ridges not loose more moisture ?

That soil would already be dry & act as an insulation or mulch over the moist soil, that's why you go deep to "chase" it. On these heavy self mulching black soils, we are basically growing crops largely on stored soil moisture, rather than relying on in crop rainfall
The ridges help to divert any rainfall down into the furrow & also allow a bit of protection for the emerging plants
My biggest issue with what they are doing ( knowing the environment they operate in ) is the total lack of groundcover, but in a dry environment that is not always within your control
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
That soil would already be dry & act as an insulation or mulch over the moist soil, that's why you go deep to "chase" it. On these heavy self mulching black soils, we are basically growing crops largely on stored soil moisture, rather than relying on in crop rainfall
The ridges help to divert any rainfall down into the furrow & also allow a bit of protection for the emerging plants
My biggest issue with what they are doing ( knowing the environment they operate in ) is the total lack of groundcover, but in a dry environment that is not always within your control

How common are the big operations like that ? And what kind of area do they operate over ?
 

AndrewB

Member
Location
Kincardineshire
It looks like the trees may have been ‘mapped’ by a smaller machine previous to the drilling.

Looks like sprayer marks, pre emerge is usually put on before the drill, so the ridges that the drill leave aren’t disturbed.

Just like rolling around telegraph poles in this country, you get used to judging when to turn but on a MUCH BIGGER SCALE!!

Skilled operator I think.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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