Let me ask you the same question in a different way: Why can't farmers work out their own mixes to suit their own land and system?Why aren’t the seedsmen incorporating more cheap ingredients into these SFI mixtures?
I reckon there’s a place for more white mustard, linseed, phacelia, borage, quinoa, sunflowers etc.
The good lord will also provide plenty of species of his own.
Let me ask you the same question in a different way: Why can't farmers work out their own mixes to suit their own land and system?
I have been buying straights and mixing my own for years and saved a fortune.
The ready made mixes are full of cheap ingredients; they're just not sold cheap.
Interesting what happens to farmers that have already had their whole farm accepted into an sfi?Government ensures food production remains primary purpose of farming
The government is introducing new measures to limit the amount of land farmers can take out of productive actions under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)www.gov.uk
from reading the defra update --nothing stays the sameInteresting what happens to farmers that have already had their whole farm accepted into an sfi?
from reading the defra update --nothing stays the same
Havent you seen the news? Farmers cant afford fancy mixes now we are all rolling barley into mud this week nowAHL2/AB9 AUTUMN SOWN WINTER BIRD FOOD
5.50
kgs Winter Barley (could replace with rye for AD)
5.50
kgs Winter Triticale
1.00
kgs Rebound Rape Kale Hybrid
1.00
kgs Late Flowering Fodder Radish
1.00
kgs Diana Forage Rape
2.00
kgs Gold of Pleasure Camelina
2.50
kgs Linseed
1.00
kgs Phacelia
0.25
kgs Choice Chicory
0.25
kgs Brown Mustard
20.00
kgs per acre
Yes .... downward pressure on existing SFI agreements in 3 yrs time after those agreements started..BPS is gone and DEFRA have stopped playing games with our industry... in the interim.. the name of the game is RISKAnnual review time will be interesting. Surely no upward addition to total of 'big 6' options - will there be downward pressure to(wards) 25% for existing agreements?
there does seem to be a lot of birds feeding in my 2 year CS wild bird patches this week.. not sure there are enough to justify an overnight 5 fold jump in the area grown though, they will need to breed a lot this summer!It’s an interesting question as to what is the truly natural diet of a truly native British bird.
I’d imagine grass seed mostly.
It also begs the question as to what bird numbers were like before cereal growing arrived on these shores. Has farming really caused a decline in numbers or did early farming methods with wastage cause a big rise in numbers of small seed eating birds which have now fallen back to natural prefarming levels as combines waste less and grain stores are better sealed.
Every time the RSPB moans about a decline in bird numbers it’s probably only a result of tidier farming not any kind of active thing we’ve done against the birds. Certainly we lost a lot of sparrows here when RT got fussy about the grain store and I think the bird flu has hammered them as well. Domestic cats cause huge losses as do raptors but never mind it’s £750 /ha so crack on.
If you dont supplimentary feed birds during late winter then you only breed them in summer to die by next spring.. poor birdiesthere does seem to be a lot of birds feeding in my 2 year CS wild bird patches this week.. not sure there are enough to justify an overnight 5 fold jump in the area grown though, they will need to breed a lot this summer!
I don't disagree... and a good reason to try make 2 year mixes work, plenty of feed still in mine and the brassicas are already in flower now for early winter feed. This spring drilling will then supply later winter and though next spring..If you don't supplementary feed birds during late winter then you only breed them in summer to die by next spring.. poor birdies
Good choice but many do annual mixes... 2yr mixes good until end of 2nd year!!I don't disagree... and a good reason to try make 2 year mixes work, plenty of feed still in mine and the brassicas are already in flower now for early winter feed. This spring drilling will then supply later winter and though next spring..
Supplimentary feeding helps.. of course in an SFI option this would be capped at 1 hanging feeder per farm in future for a max of 1 day per weekGood choice but many do annual mixes... 2yr mixes good until end of 2nd year!!
As the RPA computer system currently stands yes, it is possible as in year one you can enter AHL2 now on an area upto 25% of farmed area. And we presume in year two on that land parcel use NUM3 either introduced new or carried over from initial application. NUM3 current excluded from area restrictions. And may I assume why was advised this sequence. Whether Defra will look further into this ‘wheeze’ in light of this weeks announcement, I have no idea. You will see on TFF discussions and I presume one or two notable posting farmers say that is what they intend doing. Defra are in my view now in a complete muddle. Whether They either foresaw these sequences and didn’t think many would take them up, or had no idea the ingenuity of farmers when faced with a pot of cash. And whether Defra will change rules I have no idea.@Hindsight
Looking at a possible rotation is this doable W Barley,drill straight after harvest with AHL2,spring sownNUM3,WWheat?
I've been advised its possible,is it? or are/have they clarified this.
Thanks