50% 1st wheat 50% fallow/cover/stubble

[ifindoubtflatout]

I’m planning on going 50% first wheat and 50% something else... non cash crop... I was thinking of just leaving stubble and perhaps subsoiling and preparing land early ( July) so it’s ready to drill at optimum time

suggestions for an easy/cheap catch crop that would build fertility and regenerate soil instead of plain old stubble

reason for this plan is to reduce workload so I can work off farm ( which makes far more money than farming).

thanks in advance

 

[Flat 10]

Overwintered stubble mid tier?!?!! Thank me later. Fee is 1%

 

[Flat 10]

Google ab6. Don’t forget 1st ww following falllow isn’t as good as after a break.

 

[spin cycle]

Overwintered stubble mid tier?!?!! Thank me later. Fee is 1%

wildlife offer....do min in other areas then max 'enhanced stubble' at £421/ha

 

[MikeNeaverson]

Our land sits very sad after AB6 fallow. I would prefer to cover crop but its not permitted in this option.

 

[midlandslad]

With wheat prices so high surely continuous wheat is the way forward?

Are there other CS options that would suit?

 

[yellow belly]

wheat prices will not stay high

a no crop fallow is the worst break option possible especially on heavier soil types

 

[teslacoils]

2yr ley.

 

[B R C]

Doing similar, couple of horrible fields in 5 year stewardship, rest 2 yr legume ley wheat. Oats,wheat.

 

[warksfarmer]

I’m planning on going 50% first wheat and 50% something else... non cash crop... I was thinking of just leaving stubble and perhaps subsoiling and preparing land early ( July) so it’s ready to drill at optimum time

suggestions for an easy/cheap catch crop that would build fertility and regenerate soil instead of plain old stubble

reason for this plan is to reduce workload so I can work off farm ( which makes far more money than farming).

thanks in advance

Yep this is the future inside ELMS. The pilot is working well and we all need to understand our cropped area is going to halve in the next 5-7 years unless you go full organic, there’s no future for current cropping systems in this country. ELMS is the retirement package that also ticks the UK’s global carbon emission position.

 

[Brisel]

Ignoring stewardship/ELMS for a minute, a multi species cover crop mix would be good but bear in mind that it will be September sown, so species choice is limited. Depending on your weed burden, you may find that you need to terminate grasses like black grass & brome in late April just as your solar/carbon harvesting really needs to ramp up. I suggest that you might consider spraying it off and establishing a more diverse seed mix to see you through to July but beware of the cover running to seed & more weeds establishing if you have disturbed the soil to resow.

I will get shot down for this, but it would be worth considering DD as a method of establishing cover crops & the following wheat? Time will not be on your side after cutting the wheat.

 

[teslacoils]

At the same time, with a year fallow you could make savings by leaving long stubbles and chopping which would allow you to, potentially, establish a cover in the growing wheat.

 

[Lincsman]

After last year, by accident I have discovered ploughing a year in advance, ie Oct 2019 then discing around june 2020, and drilling Nov 2020 has been ideal, weathering makes the seedbed and a quick pre drill spray cleaned up any blackgrass, the crops look a picture and even this morning no waterlogging.

Hopefully with ELMS I can roll this out over the whole farm.

 

[Brisel]

After last year, by accident I have discovered ploughing a year in advance, ie Oct 2019 then discing around june 2020, and drilling Nov 2020 has been ideal, weathering makes the seedbed and a quick pre drill spray cleaned up any blackgrass, the crops look a picture and even this morning no waterlogging.

Hopefully with ELMS I can roll this out over the whole farm.

So, you think the taxpayer will help you leave bare soil for 12 months?????

 

[Lincsman]

So, you think the taxpayer will help you leave bare soil for 12 months?????

They have in the past, in many guises.

 

[Brisel]

They have in the past, in many guises.

Really? Can you name them?

 

[Lincsman]

Really? Can you name them?

Birds nest set a side in CS scheme, had to be sprayed off (blackgrass and brome) and cultivated before birds started to nest.

 

[Brisel]

Birds nest set a side in CS scheme, had to be sprayed off (blackgrass and brome) and cultivated before birds started to nest.

Yes, ok. Skylark plots and lapwing plots. Limited in size and spread but fair enough.

 

[Lincsman]

Yes, ok. Skylark plots and lapwing plots. Limited in size and spread but fair enough.

No it was whole fields, around 45 acres each year for 10 years in my case.

 

[Gong Farmer]

wheat prices will not stay high

a no crop fallow is the worst break option possible especially on heavier soil types

When set aside was around, stubble was as good a break as pulses in trials. That was light land though.