thistles

All this talk of no one taking up sfi how many can actually say they banked 100% of there bps and will be able to manage on zero sub going forward

Hi, our meadow isn't great for animals and only 2acres, I wondered if there is something I can use that could cut and clear it? Long term I'm interested in exploring ways of turning this into compost for our vegetable crops, though appreciate it will need to be heated to destroy seeds.

Mrs teslacoils has, for the last month or so, kept waking up at random points through the night. And finds it difficult to get back to sleep and subsequently is feeling very tired. Is this common for others? I occasionally wake up, but tend to drift back off and it doesn't spoil my sense of "a...

We’ve got a field that’s poor drainage wise, worst on the farm by a mile. Had an awful year with it, sopping wet in the spring, barely dried out all "summer". Got naff all spring barley wholecrop off it, made a disgraceful mess in July, miracle we didn’t get machinery stuck. Got it flatlifted...

Hi all, what dealer boots are people really happy with at the moment for everyday? I prefer non safety. Had a pair of tan redbacks that I have worn nearly every day for the last 2 years but they have now split so time for some new! the redbacks have been by far the most comfy I have had but...

Feel better now . worst year in my 40 years doing this job , drip drip rather than one deluge

I have. A lot of this taking over pasture what would the ground have to little of or to much of

Applying a little liquid sunshine to Spring Barley this afternoon, as some fields have a bit of greenery coming up and another has loads of greens/secondary tillers. Just been once round the headland of a 17ac field and the heavens opened for half an hour. How many minutes does it take to be...

Thinking about our bean stubbles in particular which have a fairly weedy understory this year. Some of the weeds if left will set seed imminently (groundsel being our particular nemesis nowadays), but don't want to be too reliant on more than one pre-planting roundup. Also - thinking about...

There is a discussion on the livestock forum about the loss of BPS and rents which in theory should fall after BPS disappears and the small offering of SFI by my calculation in no way will compensate. I have a block of 23 ha of Downland that I rent, it is very steep in places and not possible...

Been noticing a lot of land on the Sainted Isle that previously had been farmed well (talking grassland here in the main) that this year is looking rank with thistles and other weeds common and the sward allowed to seed and go yellow. As far as I am aware, it’s being farmed by the same people...

Got both rape and turnips to sow next few days into stubble. Mix the seed? Drill 24m alternate straps of each? Just sow separate fields? Always grow rape but trying some turnips this year, thanks

What is the feed value of a dandelion? And do dandelion’s indicate/a sign of a lack of nutrients or something? Drought conditions they obviously thrive in due to there long tap roots . They can’t be too dissimilar to chicory /plantain surely in there nutrients? Cattle graze them down as good as...

Greetings hivemind - why can't farmers wait until January to cut their hedgerows? cutting in august / september removes a lot of fruit 'n' nuts which would be good for wildlife, no? But I think a big reason is in January the ground can be too wet, and big machines will damage the grass / soil...

Latest SFI update has now given option for NUM3 Legume Fallow to be rotational. See screenshot of the guidance. Non-rotated we have to establish within 13 months of agreement start date, so say we start agreement 1st Sept 2023, then we'd need to establish by 31st Aug '24, then leave it there...

Hi everyone, I have been lucky enough to purchase a small house with just over 40 acres of land. I have zero experience in farming and at 52, probably a bit to old to start. The land is all overgrown pastures split into between 2 and 6 acre plots. I was wondering if I should approach one of...

Was chatting to someone in the village about the weather, said possible looking at loosing money due to losses if milling premium losses. He said well you'll get money off the government for that

Morning everyone. Could I have some suggestions for establishing clover (white and or red) in mature grassland. I'm looking for alternative methods what don't cost much. I could graze it tight and drill it but timing, cost and weather really are big factors as I wouldn't have more than one...

As we increasingly become more “park keeper” thanks to SFI and CSS and have more cover crops and margins than in the past we have options that need management involving cutting Having never owned a topper or mower bigger than a garden ride on I find myself confused by what i should buy...

Was on a Superg farm walk this week talking about over seeding grass and clover https://www.super-g.eu/ It was interesting to see very little difference between the 3 plots on both farms. Control v slotseeding v rotor seeding. In terms of yields, protein or energy. There was a rise in the...