Cover crops on heavy land

[ajd132]

Heavy soil in the autumn is a lot nicer to play with than heavy soil in the spring that’s had lots of rain on and then dried out very fast

Currently drilling oats and barley. Top is hard and it’s wet inside. But it’s not going too bad. Abit cobbly but follow in a day with the rolls and looks perfect.
Co-incidentally the plough/max till guys are burning fuel at a hell of rate trying to get seedbeds around here. Many doing two passes before the drill. February rain was not good for anyone really.
Proof will be in the pudding but I’m happy with how it’s going for us at the moment.

 

[jack6480]

Currently drilling oats and barley. Top is hard and it’s wet inside. But it’s not going too bad. Abit cobbly but follow in a day with the rolls and looks perfect.
Co-incidentally the plough/max till guys are burning fuel at a hell of rate trying to get seedbeds around here. Many doing two passes before the drill. February rain was not good for anyone really.
Proof will be in the pudding but I’m happy with how it’s going for us at the moment.

I did some on monday just like you described middle of the field was ok but headlands solid. Rolling the day after may be to late but we can hope

 

[ajd132]

I did some on monday just like you described middle of the field was ok but headlands solid. Rolling the day after may be to late but we can hope

I’ve done it when it’s been like this loads of times now and its fine. Decent rain forecast next week so will be perfect for it.

 

[jack6480]

I’ve done it when it’s been like this loads of times now and its fine. Decent rain forecast next week so will be perfect for it.

I like the optimism

 

[ajd132]

I like the optimism

 

[jack6480]

View attachment 1025083

Is that a time drill?? This is mine

 

[jack6480]

 

[ajd132]

Is that a time drill?? This is mine

Yes sprinter with 2 inch Dutch points

 

[Pilatus]

Currently drilling oats and barley. Top is hard and it’s wet inside. But it’s not going too bad. Abit cobbly but follow in a day with the rolls and looks perfect.
Co-incidentally the plough/max till guys are burning fuel at a hell of rate trying to get seedbeds around here. Many doing two passes before the drill. February rain was not good for anyone really.
Proof will be in the pudding but I’m happy with how it’s going for us at the moment.

Any pics please of your d/d in action during this spell of superb weather for land work would be nice to see.

 

[ImLost]

View attachment 1025083

Looks steep for Suffolk?! Which areas do you cover?

 

[ajd132]

Looks steep for Suffolk?! Which areas do you cover?

Inbetween Haverhill, bury st Ed’s and Sudbury. Glem valley. That was taken near hundon.
Nice rolling country with some pretty steep areas this part of the county. The rest is flat and full of outdoor pigs and sand.

 

[E_B]

Looks steep for Suffolk?! Which areas do you cover?

Plenty of hills in Suffolk!

 

[Pilatus]

View attachment 1025083

I am so envious of the soils that so many TFF members farm compared to Cotswold Brash (Trash) that shown in the pics attached, which is very similar to what I used to farm.

 

[Pilatus]

Any pics please of your d/d in action during this spell of superb weather for land work would be nice to see.

Oops,sorry I was way behind

 

[Banana Bar]

I am so envious of the soils that so many TFF members farm compared to Cotswold Brash (Trash) that shown in the pics attached, which is very similar to what I used to farm.View attachment 1025172View attachment 1025173View attachment 1025174

I am so envious of the soils that so many TFF members farm compared to Cotswold Brash (Trash) that shown in the pics attached, which is very similar to what I used to farm.View attachment 1025172View attachment 1025173View attachment 1025174

Bet you don’t have blackgrass though, bet you can graze arable land all winter and have zero problems with drainage?
As a neighbour of ajd I can confirm I am one of the people he says is moving land twice to drill it badly. Really wet lumpy clay to concrete in 2 days. Compare this to the 35 ha of oats we put straight into stubble with a direct disc drill on Thursday and it’s a no brainier. I’m not going to cultivate land for
spring next year ( with a couple of exceptions due to trials fields ).

BB

 

[ajd132]

Bet you don’t have blackgrass though, bet you can graze arable land all winter and have zero problems with drainage?
As a neighbour of ajd I can confirm I am one of the people he says is moving land twice to drill it badly. Really wet lumpy clay to concrete in 2 days. Compare this to the 35 ha of oats we put straight into stubble with a direct disc drill on Thursday and it’s a no brainier. I’m not going to cultivate land for
spring next year ( with a couple of exceptions due to trials fields ).

BB

From what i saw of yours the other day it’s actually gone in much better than most.

 

[Will7]

Bet you don’t have blackgrass though, bet you can graze arable land all winter and have zero problems with drainage?
As a neighbour of ajd I can confirm I am one of the people he says is moving land twice to drill it badly. Really wet lumpy clay to concrete in 2 days. Compare this to the 35 ha of oats we put straight into stubble with a direct disc drill on Thursday and it’s a no brainier. I’m not going to cultivate land for
spring next year ( with a couple of exceptions due to trials fields ).

BB

BB,
Which drill if you don’t mind me asking?
I keep trying disc drills with very limited success on strong land. Currently using a tine drill which is a little crude but does a job

 

[Pilatus]

Bet you don’t have blackgrass though, bet you can graze arable land all winter and have zero problems with drainage?
As a neighbour of ajd I can confirm I am one of the people he says is moving land twice to drill it badly. Really wet lumpy clay to concrete in 2 days. Compare this to the 35 ha of oats we put straight into stubble with a direct disc drill on Thursday and it’s a no brainier. I’m not going to cultivate land for
spring next year ( with a couple of exceptions due to trials fields ).

BB

Blackgrass now a serious problem,graze arable land all winter yes , but can then bake like concrete,nil drainage problems.
A dry spring and summer can lead to very poor yields.
That said it’s easy land to farm, but it will take many, many years of cover crops to make much difference to the fertility of the very stony brash, the saying, “you can’t make a silk purse out of a pigs ear”,
is very true.

 

[jack6480]

Blackgrass now a serious problem,graze arable land all winter yes , but can then bake like concrete,nil drainage problems.
A dry spring and summer can lead to very poor yields.
That said it’s easy land to farm, but it will take many, many years of cover crops to make much difference to the fertility of the very stony brash, the saying, “you can’t make a silk purse out of a pigs ear”,
is very true.

are you hoping over winter cover crops will improve your land

 

[snarling bee]

Currently drilling oats and barley. Top is hard and it’s wet inside. But it’s not going too bad. Abit cobbly but follow in a day with the rolls and looks perfect.
Co-incidentally the plough/max till guys are burning fuel at a hell of rate trying to get seedbeds around here. Many doing two passes before the drill. February rain was not good for anyone really.
Proof will be in the pudding but I’m happy with how it’s going for us at the moment.

We often go straight in with the vaddy after a max till in the autumn. On plough we have been twice with a12m set of vaderstad nz followed by rapide, all done in 36hrs if poss. Not sure what your neighbours are playing at. We are probably using 7 -12 l/ha fuel depending.