Explaining Direct drilling to staff.

[Bill Turtle]

Nothing to be sorry about; just got me thinking back wistfully to the discussions I used to have with my father on anything and everything, always a counterpoint to my exuberant enthusiasm with whatever was my latest idea for the business!

 

[willy]

We were soil organic matter of 3-4. In 2005, now my highest is 9 and lowest is 5, but average is 6. Soil ranges from light brash to heavy. I have Claydon drilled and latterly seed hawk Aswell. The biggest thing I think is to leave the stubble on top to protect the soil. I have tried chopping wheat but struggle with slugs mainly.

I chop break crops and spring crops, and keep it simple . Rotation is variable but basically ww,spwheat,s peas, s oats, ww, osr.

 

[Feldspar]

Put them on a salary, tell them they will do less hours but be flexible when conditions are right. Also take them along to any seminars about the system.

One thing I have done is swap the cultivator for a baler and he spends his time baling and collecting and pays for himself this way. It also means we can clear fields when conditions are right and are boss of our own destiny a bit more. I know you may say I should chop, but I have raised soil organic matter to 7and9 %. And straw caused more problems with my seedhawk.

What depth are you taking your soil cores to and do you sample at the same depth as when you were in your old system?

 

[Pilatus]

I was prompted to ask the question after reading article in FW ,about "Cultivations Event" host at Downey Ampney,in which he lists all the big tractors they have. I would have thought a young farm manager in his position ,should be looking at D/D to lower the investment in such large tractors, but no mention saying "we are D/D on a small scale to see if it suits us .

 

[willy]

What depth are you taking your soil cores to and do you sample at the same depth as when you were in your old system?

Soil samples are taken at 6 inches were possible, but on the brash land there are only 4 inches of soil to play with.

 

[York]

I was prompted to ask the question after reading article in FW ,about "Cultivations Event" host at Downey Ampney,in which he lists all the big tractors they have. I would have thought a young farm manager in his position ,should be looking at D/D to lower the investment in such large tractors, but no mention saying "we are D/D on a small scale to see if it suits us .

I like this quote.
doesn't it show that this whole discussion has also quite a involvment of "feeling" & "social status". Tractor size to bob size (you can use also other parts of the male & female body, didn't want to be tooo precise)
Our late friend Elmstad would have had the right words on th8is one ;-) Excuse my lack this social upbringing & fine language skills.
York-Th.

 

[Clive]

I was prompted to ask the question after reading article in FW ,about "Cultivations Event" host at Downey Ampney,in which he lists all the big tractors they have. I would have thought a young farm manager in his position ,should be looking at D/D to lower the investment in such large tractors, but no mention saying "we are D/D on a small scale to see if it suits us .

There are many farmers and managers for whom a quadtrac, cultivation train and big drills have become status symbols that represent their "success"

All a bit sad really, bet their accounts look a lot less impressive than their metal this year !

Like people say flash sports car often overcompensate for a small cxxk's maybe the big kit makes up for some pretty poor farming !

Ironically they will all want to zero-till and dd when it's a bit more on trend, most of them will fail as they lack the basic farming skill and agronomic understanding, at that point everyone will be able to declare that it doesn't work etc just like last time it got trendy !

 

[Darren]

I would gladly swap My Challenger, 8f Dowdswell, Cultipress etc for something smaller with a no till drill. The boss on the other hand loves seeing these big toys. I can longer see the point in making big lumps to to throw time, fuel and metal at them in the hope of making them a bit smaller. Exercise in futility.

 

[SilliamWhale]

I would gladly swap My Challenger, 8f Dowdswell, Cultipress etc for something smaller with a no till drill. The boss on the other hand loves seeing these big toys. I can longer see the point in making big lumps to to throw time, fuel and metal at them in the hope of making them a bit smaller. Exercise in futility.

It's getting to the stage where DD training days would be useful I think.

 

[Darren]

It's getting to the stage where DD training days would be useful I think.

It's that "we've always ploughed" mindset. Now don't get Me wrong. I really enjoy ploughing. Is there any need on a heavy land cereal farm though? Not what I can see. What I struggle to make them see is that even if and IF yields were lower for a couple of seasons. The money saved in fuel (scared me last year, subsoil, plough, cultipress twice) metal and most importantly time would far out weigh the possible reduction in yield. What's the point in another 250 kg ph if it costs £200 in fuel to grow? Barstool yields don't put bread on the table

 

[SilliamWhale]

It's that "we've always ploughed" mindset. Now don't get Me wrong. I really enjoy ploughing. Is there any need on a heavy land cereal farm though? Not what I can see. What I struggle to make them see is that even if and IF yields were lower for a couple of seasons. The money saved in fuel (scared me last year, subsoil, plough, cultipress twice) metal and most importantly time would far out weigh the possible reduction in yield. What's the point in another 250 kg ph if it costs £200 in fuel to grow? Barstool yields don't put bread on the table

Its tricky because (I think) it takes a bit of skill and support network to get everything to click. But stage 1 is wanting to make it work.

Lower yields? Phase it in. Subsoil the rape, DD the wheat, lightly cultivate the barley, etc and you build skills then. If not sure ask on here as chances are some one has experience to help you.

It starts with a proper direct drill though.

 

[Darren]

I would like to @SilliamWhale. this farm is crying out for change but there's no point in trying to flog a dead horse

 

[marco]

Just get a wide enough drill so he can use all his horsepower, i.e dts.

 

[Tomjoad]

I'm finding that the switch to no til is about farming with your brain and not with the metal.

The no til mentality suits those of us that are slightly unconventional, question things and like a challenge. I think it frightens other farmers to death.

 

[britt]

It's getting to the stage where DD training days would be useful I think.

Thats what Base UK is for, talks, farm visits and whatever members are prepared to offer or sugest to help share information and experiences.

 

[ajd132]

This is so true, i despair when i am trying to press things 2 or 3 times to break clods up. We have ploughed this year for the first time in years for bg control and i think it was a big mistake. I am convinced no-till is the way foward. Would happily get red of the quad track, jd crawler, topdown, presses etc amd just run one wide true no-till drill.

 

[SilliamWhale]

This is so true, i despair when i am trying to press things 2 or 3 times to break clods up. We have ploughed this year for the first time in years for bg control and i think it was a big mistake. I am convinced no-till is the way foward. Would happily get red of the quad track, jd crawler, topdown, presses etc amd just run one wide true no-till drill.

no till is the way forward.

There will be some mistakes on the way and we will run up the odd blind alley but the likelihood that we will move back to ploughing looks very unlikely.

 

[rob1]

At one time min till was ground breaking ( sorry couldnt resist) and many believed it was a time and money saving method including many now who deride it on here, I believe it (dd'ing) has many things going for it but only time will truly tell whether it is, I think to say those who dont practice it are poor farmers is unfair if not a bit arrogant, as I said I believe it is the way forward but I have averaged 4.5 tonnes an acre in the past from ploughing and PH/drilling so was I a poor farmer then? yes it cost more particularly in time which as a one man band is very important, we all learn everyday in this job

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Modern no till is very different to the old 1970s continuous cereals, burn, gramoxone, Bettinson days. The failure of that system is what's remembered by many.