Farming pictures from Finland

[TheVardibo]

I have been a long time reader of this forum. I think it is interesting to see how farming is done in different parts of the world.
In this thread I will post pictures from our farm, located in the south-west part of Finland, on an island called Aland. We farm about 60 ha, and grow vegetables and some cereals.

This is red onions for winter storage. This year have been good for onions, with good amounts off rain and sunshine.

Closeup. Herbicide treatment has done a good job. Onions can otherwise be a real pain to keep clean from weeds.

Winter wheat beside the onions looks decent considering how poor it looked in the spring, after a harch winter. Plant population was very low, but winter wheat allways seem to compensate. Still thin in some places.

Good size ears!

Ploughing down a mustard crop before transplanting lettuce.

Frontpress for pushing the crop in the right direction.

 

[Niels]

Nice to see more pictures from abroad. All looks very similar to Holland.

Are you not afraid the mustard won't digest properly by ploughing it in directly?

 

[Muck Spreader]

Nice photo's. Always tended to think of Finland as snow covered woodland with mad rally drivers racing though it.

 

[TheVardibo]

Oh, I forgot this thread. I´ve been busy with harvest at home and now school. I study at Swedish agricultural university in Uppsala.

Nice to see more pictures from abroad. All looks very similar to Holland.

Are you not afraid the mustard won't digest properly by ploughing it in directly?

Niels, Holland would be a dream to farm in . We have a much shorter growing season and also the fields are much smaller and more awkvard. But a lot of the crops are the same I guess.
As for the mustard, I did level it with the springtine harrow and then left it for two weeks as a stale seedbed, then powerharrow and transplanting. We can´t spray for weeds in lettuce so weedcontrol is critical. Mustard digest quickly when ploughed under green, but it needs to be ploughed under deep to not block up the transplanter.

Nice photo's. Always tended to think of Finland as snow covered woodland with mad rally drivers racing though it.

That is all true i guess . But we do eat up here as well, so we have some farms and farmland also.

 

[Rob Graham]

Lovely MF...a classic!!

 

[TheVardibo]

Here is some more pictures from our vegetable operation with is the most importent bussines on the farm.

Powerharrowing land for lettuce transplanting

Transplanting lettuce. Must be one off the most boring tractordriving, but the result is good.

Fencing the bloody deers out. We need to have fence around every plot of vegetables or the deer will eat it. Biggest problem is roe-deer but also moose.

This is called napa cabbage in english i think and is for vinter storage.

Irrigating the same field a couple of weeks later.

Lifted the onions with the old trusty 3050.

Now they will dry on field for about two weeks, then lifted in to storage.

We also have two greenhouses for lengthening the season.

Napa cabbage planted this spring, i think this picture is taken in February.

Same crop a bit later.

 

[Yale]

No Valtras?

 

[Niels]

Oh, I forgot this thread. I´ve been busy with harvest at home and now school. I study at Swedish agricultural university in Uppsala.
Niels, Holland would be a dream to farm in . We have a much shorter growing season and also the fields are much smaller and more awkvard. But a lot of the crops are the same I guess.
As for the mustard, I did level it with the springtine harrow and then left it for two weeks as a stale seedbed, then powerharrow and transplanting. We can´t spray for weeds in lettuce so weedcontrol is critical. Mustard digest quickly when ploughed under green, but it needs to be ploughed under deep to not block up the transplanter.

I understand, thanks for the reply. It is much the same over here. Farming in Holland might seem like a dream but with land prices, other costs and regulations the way they are your dream shall soon be shattered! The grass always looks greener on the other side of the hedge. I always love the thought of farming in the UK or Poland perhaps, but it is certainly not easier over there than it is here.

Why are you lifting the onions so green?

 

[TheVardibo]

I understand, thanks for the reply. It is much the same over here. Farming in Holland might seem like a dream but with land prices, other costs and regulations the way they are your dream shall soon be shattered! The grass always looks greener on the other side of the hedge. I always love the thought of farming in the UK or Poland perhaps, but it is certainly not easier over there than it is here.

Why are you lifting the onions so green?

Farming is a challange in all parts of the world it seems . In Finland we are always amazed how cheap you can produce and export your products in Holland. As a vegetable producer holland is a big inspiration.

The onions are lifted as soon as they "fall over". We don´t have the time to wait for them to dry out naturally, and the storing quality is said to be improved if lifted green. You probably lose some yield but if storage losses are minimized it compensates, as we get paid for sold amount to wholesaler. All our onions are stored till next spring when prices are usually higher.

 

[TheVardibo]

Here is some more pictures from this fall, harvesting and seeding combinable crops. We grow wheat and oats, mainly as break crops and on fields that are not suitable for vegetables.

Tractors and combine ready for the day! As you can see we like red machinery

Harvesting oats with our small combine. It has only got a 10´ header but covers our acreage and suits our needs.

Unloading.

Ploughing and seeding winter wheat with the 3m JUKO seeder.

Filling the seeder as you need too do often with this seeder. High tipper trailer is old but handy at times. Mostly used like this now.

Spring crops where yielding like normal this year, Oats 5 t/ha and spring wheat 5,5 t/ha. Winter wheat was a dissapointment and only yielded around 4,5 t/ha. Normally ww yield is around 6-7 t/ha.

 

[Niels]

Farming is a challange in all parts of the world it seems . In Finland we are always amazed how cheap you can produce and export your products in Holland. As a vegetable producer holland is a big inspiration.

The onions are lifted as soon as they "fall over". We don´t have the time to wait for them to dry out naturally, and the storing quality is said to be improved if lifted green. You probably lose some yield but if storage losses are minimized it compensates, as we get paid for sold amount to wholesaler. All our onions are stored till next spring when prices are usually higher.

Indeed it is a major challenge wherever you are. I can understand Holland is an inspiration. Dutch (vegetable) growers generally apply the latest technology and love new stuff. Production costs aren't always cheap over here I don't think. People just get paid little money for them, or sell with a loss. For onions, straight off the field, the production costs are still around 10 euro cents a kg. If you store them you need 13-14 cents. For potatoes it is a little lower.

Nice pictures again. Liking the little MF a lot!

 

[TheVardibo]

In Finland there is a large demand for locally (Finnish) produced food. Therefore Finnish products tend to be priced a bit higher and people buy the products anyway. With out that I don´t think we could compete with imported food. Prices for red onins range from 30-50 cents a kilo, delivered sorted by size in 600kg boxes. If prices would be less than 20 cents we would probably consider growing something else. This years onions are now in store and where yielding around 35 t/ ha, and I am satisfied with that.

 

[Niels]

Those are fantastic prices really despite the extra work and lower yield you have to put in. Currently prices around here are 18-20 cents/kg. Due to the cold spring and hot summer the yields have suffered a lot. They vary from 50 to 75 tonnes. Some growers can go up to 100 tonnes in a good year, although quality is much more important. The quality is becoming a real issue as growers and breeders only focus on yield, as that is what pays them. This year the demand is strong and prices high but we have seen years when the crop was 0-2 cents.

 

[TheVardibo]

Those are fantastic prices really despite the extra work and lower yield you have to put in. Currently prices around here are 18-20 cents/kg. Due to the cold spring and hot summer the yields have suffered a lot. They vary from 50 to 75 tonnes. Some growers can go up to 100 tonnes in a good year, although quality is much more important. The quality is becoming a real issue as growers and breeders only focus on yield, as that is what pays them. This year the demand is strong and prices high but we have seen years when the crop was 0-2 cents.

Yields were down a bit here as well but quality was really good and harvesting weather was superb. The highest yielding fields of late varieties of yellow onions can yield around 60 tons, but then you are really pushing it. Reds tend to yield a little less but are payed better. Quality is very important here as you simply can´t sell bad quality products.

 

[Barleycorn]

Vardibo I think that your farm is an inspiration. So much going on on less than 200 acres, and you are able to invest in a good range of machinery.
It's nice that your countrymen appreciate the effort, and pay a premium for your food.
Over here the emphasis seems to be on mass production, which is fine where the soils can take it, but in many cases a mixed farming rotation such as yours would be so much better.

 

[Stoxs]

Great to see all the machinery in such good condition.

Bit embarressed now looking at mine.

 

[TheVardibo]

My christmas present arrived today. A new grader blade, the old one broke after over 30 years of service when father was filling back drains. This one will not break to easy and is 50 cm wider at 3 meters. Just waiting for some snow so I can try it out. Last christmas we had almost a meter of snow, and now the grass is still growing...

 

[jerseycowsman]

Vardibo I think that your farm is an inspiration. So much going on on less than 200 acres, and you are able to invest in a good range of machinery.
It's nice that your countrymen appreciate the effort, and pay a premium for your food.
Over here the emphasis seems to be on mass production, which is fine where the soils can take it, but in many cases a mixed farming rotation such as yours would be so much better.

I wonder if food in the shops in Finland is actually more expensive than here or are Tesco's et al just good at ripping us and the consumer off?!

 

[TheVardibo]

Back again with some pictures from up north. We have had a very early spring this year, dry and warmer than normal. Started the first fieldwork on April 4th and all grain was seeded in April. Normal years we start last week of April, so about 3 weeks earlier than normal. Very pleased with the season so far, but some hard night frosts would be horrible.

Preparing seedbed for oats mid April. Lots of seagulls eating my worms!

Old girl pulling the harrow. Pulls that harrow like a toy with 140 hp at the PTO. Favorite tractor on the farm and has been very reliable, only problem is lack of suspension on rough ploughing.

First lettuce going out on April 19th, this will probably be harvested early June, Then we will harvest lettuce till october. Seedlings wasn´t the best so transplanting was not to good but will probably be okey when rooted.

Winter wheat late April looking absolutly perfect, regret not seeding more, only 10 ha this year in this one field. Winter wheat is a bit of a gamble up here. If winter is kind it is the most profitable cereal but some years winter hits it hard, like last year.

The greenhouse early may, started harvest this week. Napa cabbage is the correct name in english I belive.