BASE UK meeting

[Andy Howard]

Just thought I would post a few pictures from the meeting last night at ours. Seem to go very well. About 45 attendees. Very flattering that so many people came from so far for the meeting. The furthest was Aberdeenshire, Knockie you win that prize. There are various forum members pictured. I wont name them. Pictures taken by 155tm.

Inspecting wheat nutrition trials:

Discussion of starter fertiliser in the rape trials:

Group looking at the pea/rape bi-crop:

Spot the TFF members!

Roots and nodulation on the peas

Walking to look at the undersown oats:

Thanks to everyone for coming.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Can spot kpa in his hat!

 

[Clive]

Looks like it was a good evening - wish I could have got there but too much on this week

 

[Clive]

Can spot kpa in his hat!

BHS and fieldspar spotted

 

[SilliamWhale]

British Home Stores?

 

[Clive]

British Home Stores?

@BSH even !

 

[BSH]

Thank you Andy for allowing us to see what you have been up to. It was hugely inspiring and the crops looked great inspite of the most awful season. It is fantastic that you have the balls to try something different and then are prepared to share it with every one else. Thank you.

 

[Barleycorn]

Looked like a great evening Andy.

Sorry I missed it but we were silaging.

 

[Dan Powell]

Thank you Andy for allowing us to see what you have been up to. It was hugely inspiring and the crops looked great inspite of the most awful season. It is fantastic that you have the balls to try something different and then are prepared to share it with every one else. Thank you.

+1
What he said. Particularly impressed with the peas & rape bi-crop.

 

[Clive]

+1
What he said. Particularly impressed with the peas & rape bi-crop.

Any pictures of that ? The peas are dominating mine so far with OSR very slow to do much

 

[Feldspar]

Thanks very much Andy. A very interesting evening indeed and lots of wise people to talk to.

I think it was a good approach to say to everyone, "Make your own mind up". Nevertheless I'd be interested to know what conclusions, if any, you've drawn from the rape establishment trials. Do you think that the more patchy establishment of the 750a versus the Claydon is just due to the lack of mineralized N released by the former (meaning plants didn't grow away from slugs I think you said)?

Also, do you think that the level of disturbance created by the Claydon (versus the 750a) hampers the long term improvement of the soil structure and soil biology and do you hope to phase it out over time?

Lastly, have you taken any penetrometer readings from your soils recently? The job I currently have on my hands is persuading farm employees that ground can be consolidated and firm but not compacted. I couldn't see any signs of previous wheelings in the crops at all.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Thanks very much Andy. A very interesting evening indeed and lots of wise people to talk to.

I think it was a good approach to say to everyone, "Make your own mind up". Nevertheless I'd be interested to know what conclusions, if any, you've drawn from the rape establishment trials. Do you think that the more patchy establishment of the 750a versus the Claydon is just due to the lack of mineralized N released by the former (meaning plants didn't grow away from slugs I think you said)?

Also, do you think that the level of disturbance created by the Claydon (versus the 750a) hampers the long term improvement of the soil structure and soil biology and do you hope to phase it out over time?

Lastly, have you taken any penetrometer readings from your soils recently? The job I currently have on my hands is persuading farm employees that ground can be consolidated and firm but not compacted. I couldn't see any signs of previous wheelings in the crops at all.

Now is not the time for a penetrometer, too dry. Elmsted will tell you how crap they are but they do have a place but once you've used one a few times you will realise whats what and you will not likely need to use it as often. Use it in the winter on saturated soil which is the best time to measure it. Now it is best to look at roots etc.

 

[Andy Howard]

Feldspar, I do not think it was necessarily numbers established that was the problem, apart from the simtech the rest were fairly even. The difference was when we had slugs last week the claydon and the 750a with starter had a higher proportion of plants that were big enough to take the grazing whereas the simtech, dale, 750a without fert were not and the small plants got munched. There is field variation out there as the end we were standing on the plots were worse than the other end of the plots. My conclusions are that in pure no till starter fert is necessary in spring and oilseed. Would have been interesting to have plots of simtech and dale with fert. My order of preference is: Clayton, 750a with fert, dale, 750a without fert, simtech. Someone there told me they thought 750a with fert was the best. In terms of compaction. 155tm was digging holes and from the little I saw they seemed fine. Do not really find compaction much of a problem. Normally caused by tillage.

 

[Andy Howard]

I will take some pictures. Rape seems fine with mine at the moment. Again the rape did have starter fert and peas did not which I think helped stopped the peas smothering.

 

[Feldspar]

Andy, we had a walk in the winter wheat field that you suggested looking at (on the same side of the wood along the footpath and on the other side of the byway). What herbicides have you applied to that field this year?

Also, what seed rate did you use in the field that you did your fungicide trials in? Can you remind me what the variety was too. Thanks.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Feldspar, I do not think it was necessarily numbers established that was the problem, apart from the simtech the rest were fairly even. The difference was when we had slugs last week the claydon and the 750a with starter had a higher proportion of plants that were big enough to take the grazing whereas the simtech, dale, 750a without fert were not and the small plants got munched. There is field variation out there as the end we were standing on the plots were worse than the other end of the plots. My conclusions are that in pure no till starter fert is necessary in spring and oilseed. Would have been interesting to have plots of simtech and dale with fert. My order of preference is: Clayton, 750a with fert, dale, 750a without fert, simtech. Someone there told me they thought 750a with fert was the best. In terms of compaction. 155tm was digging holes and from the little I saw they seemed fine. Do not really find compaction much of a problem. Normally caused by tillage.

When you say starter, do mean something based around NPK or something based around ££ microgranules?

 

[Clive]

When you say starter, do mean something based around NPK or something based around ££ microgranules?

Also interested what starter your using Andy ?

 

[colhonk]

Andy, How did they find your place when you don`t bother to put a location under your name?

 

[Clive]

Andy, How did they find your place when you don`t bother to put a location under your name?

By joining this http://base-uk.co.uk/bockhanger-farms-ltd-open-evening/

 

[Andy Howard]

Both fields solstice. Both had liberator pre em and starane xl in spring. Used to have bg out there but has disappeared. One patch of brome that was rouged. Got a few more to pull. Seed rate o think around 275-300. Did you notice the dark patches with rolled flag leaf? Only saw it yesterday and not sure what it is.