beccles_1 Hello from Suffolk

[Beccles_1]

Farming in Suffolk ,around 330ha arable with 40ha permanent grass. Small beef enterprise buying in stores and growing on feeding home milled ration, few sheep..

Growing mainly ww wbarley wosr and wbean (all subject to change) on soil types ranging from Hanslope ,Beccles 1 (slowly permeable clay) Most of, to kinder Burlingham 3, Newport 2 and Melford (deeper loams some sandy)

Really committed to changing from our current system of full cultivation (Sumo trio/Vaderstad rapid) to making notill work for us, I have become increasingly frustrated by the vicious cycle that is cultivation, getting no pleasure at all from clod bashing knowing its a pointless exercise resulting in dead soils that will never improve...

Currently have my first cover crops (planted Sept) Forage Rye and Vetch put into fallow land that's due for drainage/improvement work

Rotation is key I know, (Spring cropping will figure heavily)

So clean sheet of paper !

I value this forum highly for it constructive comment.

Any comments welcome Thankyou

Pip

 

[SilliamWhale]

Have a think of a rotation based around two cereals then a break and out using that rotation twice ie every 6 years try and do two spring crops (although late sown beans can negate the need for a spring crop sometimes). If you've got some muck and some sheep can you rotate grass too?

Design your cover crops so there's something for the stock to eat too - but remember compaction often comes from animals too long in the same place.

Have fun

 

[suffolksmallholder]

I probably look over your hedges on my way to and from Beccles I'd like to see the changes over time and hope they are positive.
SS

 

[Beccles_1]

Have a think of a rotation based around two cereals then a break and out using that rotation twice ie every 6 years try and do two spring crops (although late sown beans can negate the need for a spring crop sometimes). If you've got some muck and some sheep can you rotate grass too?

Design your cover crops so there's something for the stock to eat too - but remember compaction often comes from animals too long in the same place.

Have fun

Thanks Will

Think grass in the rotation has important role to play. Have seen the benefits. Just needs careful management, don't want rye grass to become a problem weed.