charlesbrown
New Member
- Location
- N Beds
Hi everyone,some will know me from the BFF. My name is Andrew and I farm just over 600 acs on N Beds chalky boulder clay(hanslope series).
Its terrific soil and I wouldnt change it, but it needs handling carefully, and it is self structuring so ideal for dd. Back in the 70's I like to think I was a pioneer dder with help from ICI and Gramoxone, indeed winning prizes for it and hosting open days. At one stage the whole farm was dded with an IH 511 drill and we only had a sprayer and fert spreader, all pulled with a Ford5000. But we got clever (so we thought!) and started growing brussel sprouts and other crops, which entailed ploughing , and eventually with the burning ban ended up ploughing everything.
But I have always wanted to get back to dd, and 3 years ago started experimenting. We have now tried a Dale, a Mzuri, a Claydon and have eventually settled on a T Sem, and have had some good results with this simple little drill(I like to work on the KISS principle) We are now also rebuilding a Moore 4m.
This year has been particularly challenging and we are entering unchartered waters with a substantial acreage of spring cropping (S/wheat,linseed and borage) and failed crops of w/wheat and WOSR.
Of possible interest to members is an area of 60+ acres in continuous wheat, one field since 1975 and the rest since 1979. They have virtually no grassweed problems and have settled into a comfortable average yield. I intend to try and keep them dded (quelle horreur! I hear you cry)
I look forward to meeting some of you at Stoneleigh.
Andrew
Its terrific soil and I wouldnt change it, but it needs handling carefully, and it is self structuring so ideal for dd. Back in the 70's I like to think I was a pioneer dder with help from ICI and Gramoxone, indeed winning prizes for it and hosting open days. At one stage the whole farm was dded with an IH 511 drill and we only had a sprayer and fert spreader, all pulled with a Ford5000. But we got clever (so we thought!) and started growing brussel sprouts and other crops, which entailed ploughing , and eventually with the burning ban ended up ploughing everything.
But I have always wanted to get back to dd, and 3 years ago started experimenting. We have now tried a Dale, a Mzuri, a Claydon and have eventually settled on a T Sem, and have had some good results with this simple little drill(I like to work on the KISS principle) We are now also rebuilding a Moore 4m.
This year has been particularly challenging and we are entering unchartered waters with a substantial acreage of spring cropping (S/wheat,linseed and borage) and failed crops of w/wheat and WOSR.
Of possible interest to members is an area of 60+ acres in continuous wheat, one field since 1975 and the rest since 1979. They have virtually no grassweed problems and have settled into a comfortable average yield. I intend to try and keep them dded (quelle horreur! I hear you cry)
I look forward to meeting some of you at Stoneleigh.
Andrew