Farming in Suffolk

Devil's advocate · Jun 14, 2022

Just been trying to imagine life on a 500 acre Farm in Suffolk within a ring fence grade 2 & 3 land.

I've grown up on the foothills of the Pennines with small stony fields, lots of walkers, dogs, anti social behaviour etc.

Family would mean, I'm not moving, but heck its tempting.

But what are the down sides of Suffolk farming life?

I imagine things I've no experience of such as soil blow, blackgrass, nematodes , drought & maybe even flooding on lower lying ground. Oh no vets either? or livestock markets.

Where I live we can drill spring barley 20 th April and harvest 55cwt/acre most seasons, I'm guessing Suffolk would be too dry? On the other hand hay & grain harvests can be a struggle in a damp Autumn.

Tim G · Jun 14, 2022

Down sides of Suffolk.......
Well, it's closer to Norfolk for a start.

spin cycle · Jun 14, 2022

Tim G said:
Down sides of Suffolk.......
Well, it's closer to Norfolk for a start.

but norfolk is further away from essex

robbie · Jun 14, 2022

Tim G said:
Down sides of Suffolk.......
Well, it's closer to Norfolk for a start.

I'd actually say the down side of Suffolk is it's not Norfolk!!!!

Tim G · Jun 14, 2022

spin cycle said:
but norfolk is further away from essex

Not quite far enough....

Bogweevil · Jun 14, 2022

Devil's advocate said:
Just been trying to imagine life on a 500 acre Farm in Suffolk within a ring fence grade 2 & 3 land.

I've grown up on the foothills of the Pennines with small stony fields, lots of walkers, dogs, anti social behaviour etc.

Family would mean, I'm not moving, but heck its tempting.

But what are the down sides of Suffolk farming life?

I imagine things I've no experience of such as soil blow, blackgrass, nematodes , drought & maybe even flooding on lower lying ground. Oh no vets either? or livestock markets.

Where I live we can drill spring barley 20 th April and harvest 55cwt/acre most seasons, I'm guessing Suffolk would be too dry? On the other hand hay & grain harvests can be a struggle in a damp Autumn.

Went to the sanderlings for seaside break - you can stand at a crossroads with five field gates each field different; early spuds, overwintered onions, carrots, sugar beet and peas, lovely,...though a raingun in each field too.

robbie · Jun 14, 2022

Devil's advocate said:
Just been trying to imagine life on a 500 acre Farm in Suffolk within a ring fence grade 2 & 3 land.

I've grown up on the foothills of the Pennines with small stony fields, lots of walkers, dogs, anti social behaviour etc.

Family would mean, I'm not moving, but heck its tempting.

But what are the down sides of Suffolk farming life?

I imagine things I've no experience of such as soil blow, blackgrass, nematodes , drought & maybe even flooding on lower lying ground. Oh no vets either? or livestock markets.

Where I live we can drill spring barley 20 th April and harvest 55cwt/acre most seasons, I'm guessing Suffolk would be too dry? On the other hand hay & grain harvests can be a struggle in a damp Autumn.

Depends where in Suffolk. You couo farm in the brecks around elveden and you would be able to plant any crop any day of the year but 9 years out of 10 you wouldn't have any grass worth mowing by June and wheat would yield the same or worse than your spring barley.
Carful management of this ground is important to stop blow and when it gets heavy rains I've seen rilles and gullies appear that would take the axle off a tractor.
The further you go into deeper darker Suffolk and the soil becomes heavy and drought isnt such an issue.

Other down sides are the local breweries are green king and adnams, neither of which are a patch on woodfordes and there wherry which you'd get if you was on the "right" side of the boundary.

JP1 · Jun 14, 2022

Devil's advocate said:
Just been trying to imagine life on a 500 acre Farm in Suffolk within a ring fence grade 2 & 3 land.

I've grown up on the foothills of the Pennines with small stony fields, lots of walkers, dogs, anti social behaviour etc.

Family would mean, I'm not moving, but heck its tempting.

But what are the down sides of Suffolk farming life?

I imagine things I've no experience of such as soil blow, blackgrass, nematodes , drought & maybe even flooding on lower lying ground. Oh no vets either? or livestock markets.

Where I live we can drill spring barley 20 th April and harvest 55cwt/acre most seasons, I'm guessing Suffolk would be too dry? On the other hand hay & grain harvests can be a struggle in a damp Autumn.

Drought and encroaching urban overspill but still lovely . You’d be surprised how much grass along rivers and low lying areas there are

Suffolk is a quite diverse county

Agriculturally soils vary and culturally there’s quite a distinct difference between Coastal and West Suffolk

Devil's advocate · Jun 14, 2022

robbie said:
Depends where in Suffolk. You couo farm in the brecks around elveden and you would be able to plant any crop any day of the year but 9 years out of 10 you wouldn't have any grass worth mowing by June and wheat would yield the same or worse than your spring barley.
Carful management of this ground is important to stop blow and when it gets heavy rains I've seen rilles and gullies appear that would take the axle off a tractor.
The further you go into deeper darker Suffolk and the soil becomes heavy and drought isnt such an issue.

Other down sides are the local breweries are green king and admans, neither of which are a patch on woodfordes and there wherry which you'd get if you was on the "right" side of the boundary.

I buy potatoes from Elevedon farms, they are the best (for appearance) I think they have a really fancy irrigation system where drains irrigate the crop.

Stocking rates low for sheep then, maybe more winter keep than summer keep?

carbonfibre farmer · Jun 14, 2022

robbie said:
Depends where in Suffolk. You couo farm in the brecks around elveden and you would be able to plant any crop any day of the year but 9 years out of 10 you wouldn't have any grass worth mowing by June and wheat would yield the same or worse than your spring barley.
Carful management of this ground is important to stop blow and when it gets heavy rains I've seen rilles and gullies appear that would take the axle off a tractor.
The further you go into deeper darker Suffolk and the soil becomes heavy and drought isnt such an issue.

Other down sides are the local breweries are green king and adnams, neither of which are a patch on woodfordes and there wherry which you'd get if you was on the "right" side of the boundary.

Steady.

Adnams is the nectar of the gods.

(I don't drink beer btw)

robbie · Jun 14, 2022

Oh I forgot to add, like Norfolk, Suffolk is too close to London so we have to put up with far to many outsiders moving into the countryside and generally f#cking it up.

JP1 · Jun 14, 2022

robbie said:
Depends where in Suffolk. You couo farm in the brecks around elveden and you would be able to plant any crop any day of the year but 9 years out of 10 you wouldn't have any grass worth mowing by June and wheat would yield the same or worse than your spring barley.
Carful management of this ground is important to stop blow and when it gets heavy rains I've seen rilles and gullies appear that would take the axle off a tractor.
The further you go into deeper darker Suffolk and the soil becomes heavy and drought isnt such an issue.

Other down sides are the local breweries are green king and adnams, neither of which are a patch on woodfordes and there wherry which you'd get if you was on the "right" side of the boundary.

Come try Artefact microbrewery ales - absolutely above those . Amber Haze at 6.7 is great but (for me) not a session ale !

onthehoof · Jun 14, 2022

Devil's advocate said:
Just been trying to imagine life on a 500 acre Farm in Suffolk within a ring fence grade 2 & 3 land.

I've grown up on the foothills of the Pennines with small stony fields, lots of walkers, dogs, anti social behaviour etc.

Family would mean, I'm not moving, but heck its tempting.

But what are the down sides of Suffolk farming life?

I imagine things I've no experience of such as soil blow, blackgrass, nematodes , drought & maybe even flooding on lower lying ground. Oh no vets either? or livestock markets.

Where I live we can drill spring barley 20 th April and harvest 55cwt/acre most seasons, I'm guessing Suffolk would be too dry? On the other hand hay & grain harvests can be a struggle in a damp Autumn.

Downside is needing £7m????

robbie · Jun 14, 2022

carbonfibre farmer said:
Steady.

Adnams is the nectar of the gods.

(I don't drink beer btw)

I DO!!!!!!

Greenking IPA is decidedly meh.
Adnams broadside or ghostship(love saying that to the barman after the 8th

) is pretty good to he honest but a pint of wherry is absolute perfection in a glass!!!!!!!

Devil's advocate · Jun 14, 2022

511.35 acres, Land At Wetherden Hall Farm, Wetherden, IP14 3LS, Suffolk

<p>Land At Wetherden Hall Farm, Wetherden, Suffolk, IP14 3LS A Productive Commercial Arable Farm with Modern Buildings FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY DETAILED DESCRIPTION Wetherden Hall Farm extends to approximately 206.92 hectares (511.35 acres) with a range of modern farm buildings including...

www.uklandandfarms.co.uk

Very cheap compared to Yorkshire (but I do not understand the problems of Suffolk)

As said family rules it out for me, but looks a great farm, love the grain storage.

carbonfibre farmer · Jun 14, 2022

robbie said:
I DO!!!!!!

Greenking IPA is decidedly meh.
Adnams broadside or ghostship(love saying that to the barman after the 8th) is pretty good to he honest but a pint of wherry is absolute perfection in a glass!!!!!!!

(I don't want my adnams shares dropping in value any more, you need to talk the job up

)

Devil's advocate · Jun 14, 2022

robbie said:
Oh I forgot to add, like Norfolk, Suffolk is too close to London so we have to put up with far to many outsiders moving into the countryside and generally f#cking it up.

We've got neighbours who work in Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Huddersfield & Arthur Scargill's daughter lives just across the road. You think Londoners are a problem?

Devil's advocate · Jun 14, 2022

So what soils does Suffolk have? Are there any stony areas?

Will 1594 · Jun 14, 2022

Not long been back from south elham ,where durrrants having sale ,
must say roundnthere it looks superb ,crops look good and no blackgrass
chap having sale

Sad state off affairs with family fall out ,such a super farm and set up ,
hope he has a good sale ,

Devil's advocate · Jun 14, 2022

Will 1594 said:
Not long been back from south elham ,where durrrants having sale ,
must say roundnthere it looks superb ,crops look good and no blackgrass
chap having sale Sad state off affairs with family fall out ,such a super farm and set up ,
hope he has a good sale ,

Sorry to read that, no one could ever buy if no one sold.

But sounds a sad story.

Farming in Suffolk

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Up to 25%

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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