Direct/Strip-till drilling photo gallery

[franklin]

Is the chopped straw starting to be moved into little heaps by the worms? I was shocked to see how overwintered stubble was "cleared" by the nature, but this only happened once the soil warmed up. Once they had done it, soil dried much more quickly.

 

[Feldspar]

Yes sure but lots of it will have gone before then and also it goes a lot more brittle doesn't it - once its had a few months of water and winter on it

It still seems remarkably resilient and uninviting on the one zero-till field I have for spring drilling.

 

[Feldspar]

Is the chopped straw starting to be moved into little heaps by the worms? I was shocked to see how overwintered stubble was "cleared" by the nature, but this only happened once the soil warmed up. Once they had done it, soil dried much more quickly.

Not that I've seen.

 

[Feldspar]

Also, the headlands seem better cropwise. I don't understand this. Fewer snails, but then more traffic.

 

[Will7]

Honestly I don't think you should worry about baling traffic - if its dry enough to combine its dry enough to bale usually but I take your point about the other issues. I can't believe you can't get reasonable money for spring barley straw and get it cleared quick by a keen operator though - you must have loads of acres for someone.

Don't get the terrastar thing - never did personally.

I disagree Will. A lot of land here had straw in the trail for a month or more. In that time some was turned three times and then trailers etc move it. Don't get me started on importing blackgrass either. I baled some spring barley a few years ago and it worked out at £20/acre.

I agree with @shakerator and you are better to lightly work it in rather than dd with bare land.

 

[franklin]

Also, the headlands seem better cropwise. I don't understand this. Fewer snails, but then more traffic.

More traffic post drilling ie rolling? Rolled Mzuri-drilled OSR twice. Headlands would have essentially been done 4 times with overlaps. They are the best bits.

Own baler and yard full of cattle?

 

[Feldspar]

More traffic post drilling ie rolling? Rolled Mzuri-drilled OSR twice. Headlands would have essentially been done 4 times with overlaps. They are the best bits.

Own baler and yard full of cattle?

Just wish livestock's future was more certain. If it was, I would consider it.

 

[Will Blackburn]

Just wish livestock's future was more certain. If it was, I would consider it.

Funny that, I would say livestock is more certain than cropping, just saying.

 

[Feldspar]

Funny that, I would say livestock is more certain than cropping, just saying.

Well you're most likely right given how little I know about livestock. Just worried about Brexit and trade deals really.

 

[franklin]

Just wish livestock's future was more certain. If it was, I would consider it.

Having just spent two days mucking out, I can only say that the massive pile of poop is making it more worthwhile. For those who have even considered the intangible benefits of cover crops, I doubt they have anything to compare with the power of some well-trodden FYM.

I know nothing about livestock except what I am picking up from my brother, and a basic 70s introduction to beef book given to my by the mother of a friend. But I reckon I can / will be able to add more value to a ton of barley once it has been turned into some beer and some muck. Mixed farm with secure source of P&K, and producing quality meat for the domestic market? Must be more secure than producing feed grains for export.

 

[mo!]

Rape after spring barley after failed hybrid barley. Just putting some ASN on today.

 

[Shutesy]

Rape after spring barley after failed hybrid barley. Just putting some ASN on today.View attachment 485682

Looks superb! Can I ask why the Hybrid barley failed?

 

[mo!]

Looks superb! Can I ask why the Hybrid barley failed?

Just wet. The whole field just died, heavy bits first then the light bits, just wet after wet after wet.

 

[Daniel]

Illustrious wheat, drilled straight behind the beet harvester with the Claydon.

 

[Daniel]

Crusoe following Winter Linseed and then a failed summer catch crop:

Winter linseed:

 

[mo!]

Wheat after maize 29/10/16. Not so good. Light land, roundup and liberator pre-em, sprayed off yesterday. Seed was J B Diego left over from previous year. Another field on heavier land drilled two days later looks much better.

 

[d williams]

Picto first fert 350kg/ha 24n15s going on today

 

[Brisel]

Siskin wheat sown 3rd October. There's a bit of tipping on the leaves for some reason but I'm not bothered.

Clearfield osr sown into chopped SB straw. This was knee high in October!

 

[Fish]

Had a bit of wander round this afternoon.
Top 2 photos, wheat after peas, second shot looking down the headland.

Middle 2, Graham wheat after ORS, Straw raked twice, fym applied, then drilled.

Bottom 2, wizard beans.

All crops no till drilled.

 

[Clive]

Generally rather unhappy with my zero-tilled 2nd wheat. Conditions couldn't have been better for drilling. Have decided only going to try again if straw is removed or drilled very early.
View attachment 484640
View attachment 484642
On the plus side, Claydon drilled OSR doing well (probably too thick here).
View attachment 484644
Was extremely unhappy with zero-tilled barley, but, despite still being a bit patchy, the plants that are there look happier than some of our ploughed and min-tilled stuff.
View attachment 484646

This is why I would not grow zerotill 2nd wheat

Zerotill will not work consistently without significant changes to the rotation