Hard winter on the way?

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Plenty of berries and nuts on trees, old wives tale that it means it’s a going to be a hard winter

We have lots of berries and nuts about too, but had even more last year, which mus5 have been one of the mildest, driest winters I can remember.

It’s about this time every year when the Daily Express says we’re heading for a Siberian winter.
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
Plenty of berries and nuts on trees, old wives tale that it means it’s a going to be a hard winter
read an article about this, apparently, if you put a plant/tree/bush under serious pressure, ie last years drought, it produces more 'reproductive' shoots, which will lead to it setting more 'reproductive' seeds etc for the following year (this), it's basically a survival strategy, and nothing to do a ensueing winter, this is a simplistic view of the article, as it contained contained long words that I can't remember, let alone spell
 

OGB

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Leicestershire
...showers, heavy rain and sleet will move in from the East, gradually spreading over much of the UK. Elsewhere will remain dry and warm - very warm inland - sparking the potential for some heavy thunderstorms... From Tuesday onwards, things take a turn from the West, bringing a mixed bag of weather for the whole of the British isles




:LOL::ROFLMAO:...I'll get my coat...
 

Goweresque

Member
Location
North Wilts
I think it was mentioned elsewhere, but ignoring the 200-year Grand Solar Minimum that's looming, we're still heading for the next 11-year solar minimum, the last was around 2009.

If you look at the list of hard winters in the link there's a definite 10-12 year interval, which ties in with solar minima. The last solar minimum was around 2009-10 and we did have 2 consecutive very cold winters at that point.
 

Poorbuthappy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
Researchers at the University College London are predicting a severe January/Feb next year:

http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10080518/1/Saunders_Lea and Smallwood (2019).pdf

The scientific back-up for the old countryman's axiom that a hard winter follows a plentiful harvest? Maybe all that fodder will be needed after all?
Notwithstanding the possibility of a cold snap in Jan/ Feb, surely the biggest driver for "all this fodder being needed" is a wet autumn and late spring?
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
Oh dear, we have this every year...another 1963 / 64.?
Bit like it's going to be another summer like '76......whereupon it rains like a bitch.?
I cannot recall 76 being as bad for us, as this year, 76 we were very short of grass, but made enough grub, this year, we have had no real grass since end of may, and have cut no grass since mid may. Most of the heifers have stayed in on straw and cake, just to try and keep a bit if pick for the dairy. Forage rape is really slow, on some banks its taken, both weeds and rape 6 weeks to germinate. And to top that we have a lot of reseeding to do, because some leys have either died, or become so thin, we have to either renew, or overseed ! 1 thought has crossed my mind, back in 76, the % of ''old'' grasses ie cocksfoot, fesques etc was probably higher, and therefore more drought tolerant !
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
I cannot recall 76 being as bad for us, as this year, 76 we were very short of grass, but made enough grub, this year, we have had no real grass since end of may, and have cut no grass since mid may. Most of the heifers have stayed in on straw and cake, just to try and keep a bit if pick for the dairy. Forage rape is really slow, on some banks its taken, both weeds and rape 6 weeks to germinate. And to top that we have a lot of reseeding to do, because some leys have either died, or become so thin, we have to either renew, or overseed ! 1 thought has crossed my mind, back in 76, the % of ''old'' grasses ie cocksfoot, fesques etc was probably higher, and therefore more drought tolerant !
Whereabouts are you ? The last 2 years in Pembs have been fairly dry.....up till the end of July......when the heavens have opened nicely for harvest.:X3: TBH, dry weather seems to suit us, having said that, I don't know how we'd fair in a true 1976 style drought.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    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

  • 1,291
  • 1
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/
Top