Contracting Dilemma

[Clive]

I have been asked to direct drill 150ac next week that I don't think has a great chance of being successful (soil structure poor, slugs and unfriendly rotation)

I have talked to the farmer about this politely at length whilst conscious I should not tell anyone how to farm and he still wants to try, it could well lead to a lot more work / whole farm contract for this guy who we have been doing an increasing amount of work for recently although a failure would not encourage that !

equally saying no to him would not make us a likely call for work in the future either

Should I do it or not ?? if it fails it WILL be the drills fault

 

[marco]

Depends. You could always use the dale with a bit of kick start fert and use the john Deere in a few years when things are up and running. What will you charge per acre?

 

[SilliamWhale]

Do it if its wheat. And tell Lee it will probably be ok!!

 

[Clive]

Depends. You could always use the dale with a bit of kick start fert and use the john Deere in a few years when things are up and running. What will you charge per acre?

He's happy at £20/ac (inc fuel etc) which seems to be the going rate for direct drilling ?? and importantly a price I can make a worthwhile margin at - he's keener for me to use the Dale than the 750a in this situation so no problem there as it would be my choice of the 2 options after a cereal crop anyway - its WW after Spring barley in a predominantly cereal rotation with not many breaks

I don't think fert is on his agenda or an option

 

[Clive]

Do it if its wheat. And tell Lee it will probably be ok!!

its not Lee ! dont think hes convinced just yet !

 

[JCMaloney]

You`ve advised him..... he wants to give it a go so crack on. If it doesn`t work at least you can say you tried to tell him then move forward & tell him how it should be done over the whole farm. Win,win.... nothing ventured nothing gained!

 

[BSH]

He's happy at £20/ac (inc fuel etc) which seems to be the going rate for direct drilling ?? and importantly a price I can make a worthwhile margin at - he's keener for me to use the Dale than the 750a in this situation so no problem there as it would be my choice of the 2 options after a cereal crop anyway - its WW after Spring barley in a predominantly cereal rotation with not many breaks

I don't think fert is on his agenda or an option

Seems good value, £24/acre here.

 

[Clive]

Seems good value, £24/acre here.

I'm a cheap date !

 

[mushnt grummmble]

use both drills

 

[Clive]

use both drills

customer wants Dale in this case and I think following a cereal crop (chopped straw) its possibly the best choice

 

[Andy Howard]

This is difficult and one of the reasons I have gone away from DD contract drilling. Even if you have told him you know who will get the blame if it all goes wrong and all the neighbours look over the hedge. It is risky and depends on what his future business is worth to you.

 

[neilo]

Agreed. I have a neighbour that had a contractor DD some swedes into pp last year. One balls up after another followed, resulting in total crop failure and plough & PH to put stubble turnips in. Of course the drilling got the blame.

My DD'ed Winifred crop on the livestock forum is right over the hedge from that field, which makes me chuckle every time I go into the field.

 

[Clive]

This is difficult and one of the reasons I have gone away from DD contract drilling. Even if you have told him you know who will get the blame if it all goes wrong and all the neighbours look over the hedge. It is risky and depends on what his future business is worth to you.

I'm getting quite a few ask me recently

Have decided we will do this drilling ASAP - we have made him aware we don't think it's ideal and he needs to follow up with slug pellets / adjust seed rate accordingly - it will only take a day and help pay for the 750a rebuild just completed !

I may live to regret it !

 

[Neddy flanders]

Clive, what's wrong with soil/rotation etc to prevent DD working?

 

[Clive]

Clive, what's wrong with soil/rotation etc to prevent DD working?

It's poorly drained soil with little structure (plough power harrowed to death often in bad conditions) straw always removed for many years so low OM content and heavily randomly trafficked and rotation to my knowledge if you can call it one has been continuos winter or spring barley for at least 3 years now and he wants to drill wheat

 

[d williams]

I'm getting quite a few ask me recently

Have decided we will do this drilling ASAP - we have made him aware we don't think it's ideal and he needs to follow up with slug pellets / adjust seed rate accordingly - it will only take a day and help pay for the 750a rebuild just completed !

I may live to regret it !

Give it a go with your advice noted by him if fails and he starts shouting might not be a bad thing at least you will see what's he's about before you take on 1000ac share farming

 

[Daniel]

It'll probably outyield your own carefully prepared land, its the things you don't worry about that catch you out, not the things you do.

 

[Thick Farmer]

Is it possible to include slug pellets in with the seed? Its what I do when sowing forage rape and I find it works well.

 

[Fred]

Compaction is the killer, especially on headlands, if its there suggest subsoiling areas,

we have been known to say to farmers yes we can direct drill it , but if it was our own we wouldnt do it, honesty is best esp if its a one off ,

 

[benferg]

how hard would it be to mount a spreader on the back of the drill?