Baling Hay
Member
Looks about right to me, do you think it will grow any more over winter?
First cover crop going in
- Thread starter dontknowanything
- Start date
Looks about right to me, do you think it will grow any more over winter?
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
I'm sure there will be some regrowth, but it won't be re grazed.
I would say too much.....
But as you have got to get the horsch through there in the spring it needs to be fairly clean.
Last year with it being so wet we were grazing about half the biomass grown. This meant getting them moved along before poaching tramlines and gateways too badly, and they still had some biomass to stand on, protecting the soil a bit.
I can't believe how fast the worms disappear the sheep muck, should be all gone in a week or two.
But as you have got to get the horsch through there in the spring it needs to be fairly clean.
Last year with it being so wet we were grazing about half the biomass grown. This meant getting them moved along before poaching tramlines and gateways too badly, and they still had some biomass to stand on, protecting the soil a bit.
I can't believe how fast the worms disappear the sheep muck, should be all gone in a week or two.
Baling Hay
Member
Why not just graze these covers a few weeks before drilling? I thought the point in the cover was to cover the ground all winter?
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
Because I doubt there will be enough there to make it worthwhile
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
Sorry, misread your comment.
They aren't my sheep so I don't have total control on when. Also I'm playing it safe at the moment, which means big gap between cover and drilling.
Also I'm hoping without cover in the early spring there will be more weed germination pre spray off
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JNG
Member
- Location
- Leinster, Ireland
Ran the a mulch topper through our higher covers recently at about 6 inches
The reasons was that most plants growth had slowed and I felt probably the max biomass was achieved and there is time for some regrowth from some species. Also as you can see from the photo that there is plenty of grass weeds (mainly vol barley and some brome in places) I wanted to expose these to glyphosate whenever it gets done, I was concerned with shading and topping now gives time for mulch to break down before spraying. Also it very dry here only 30mm since the beginning of Nov and we could travel without doing any damage to soil so made the decision to go while we could, that option may not always be there. Still not sure if field will be drilled with Claydon or disc drill in the spring.
Did some digging today a week ish post topping, soils look to be enjoying this, its a high silt soil and prone to slumping and has low lying areas, so the aim of the project was to Add OM and keep soils open.
Rotting mulch
Scrap back mulch and plenty of activity.
Digg down and see the worm holes and roots keeping soil very loose and friable. In places I found bits of green material 4-6 inches down worm channels like in middle/left of first picture below, these I assume to be the subsoil dwelling worms or 'nightcrawlers' doing my drainage.
Walked a few crops today with the dog and as soon as we hit the cover crops his nose hit the ground and he sniffed around continuously, there were populations of small birds everywhere which I assume were after the bugs etc and buzzards and Kesterals soaring overhead, so plenty of food around whatever your taste. So its not just the farmers who benefit! Am I being smug?
The reasons was that most plants growth had slowed and I felt probably the max biomass was achieved and there is time for some regrowth from some species. Also as you can see from the photo that there is plenty of grass weeds (mainly vol barley and some brome in places) I wanted to expose these to glyphosate whenever it gets done, I was concerned with shading and topping now gives time for mulch to break down before spraying. Also it very dry here only 30mm since the beginning of Nov and we could travel without doing any damage to soil so made the decision to go while we could, that option may not always be there. Still not sure if field will be drilled with Claydon or disc drill in the spring.
Did some digging today a week ish post topping, soils look to be enjoying this, its a high silt soil and prone to slumping and has low lying areas, so the aim of the project was to Add OM and keep soils open.
Rotting mulch
Scrap back mulch and plenty of activity.
Digg down and see the worm holes and roots keeping soil very loose and friable. In places I found bits of green material 4-6 inches down worm channels like in middle/left of first picture below, these I assume to be the subsoil dwelling worms or 'nightcrawlers' doing my drainage.
Walked a few crops today with the dog and as soon as we hit the cover crops his nose hit the ground and he sniffed around continuously, there were populations of small birds everywhere which I assume were after the bugs etc and buzzards and Kesterals soaring overhead, so plenty of food around whatever your taste. So its not just the farmers who benefit! Am I being smug?
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dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
Well I misjudged how much cover was there, the 555 sheep will be leaving on monday, which is exactly 6 weeks. We will be paid £1,165, which works out at £63/ha.
Seed cost was £30/ha, and I guess drilling + rolling was £20. So net result is the benefit of the cover crop, plus lots of sheep poo, plus about £10/ha. Not bad I think.
Seed cost was £30/ha, and I guess drilling + rolling was £20. So net result is the benefit of the cover crop, plus lots of sheep poo, plus about £10/ha. Not bad I think.
SilliamWhale
Member
Down here in the 'shire that would have been worth £2100 @ .65p pw.
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
SilliamWhale
Member
You'd have to pay me WAY more than that to live in Wales
We wouldn't want you. Your too tall and crap at rugby.
Baling Hay
Member
We wouldn't want you. Your too tall and crap at rugby.
Tall people are usually good at rugby! Unless he's lanky?
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
I'm not sure if Will means me, or the English population?
H.Jackson
Member
- Location
- West Sussex
walked cover crops this morning took the mandatory spade had a dig in the crop and the EERR....m control area!!!!
What the picture can't show is how easily the spade goes in the ground in the crop area half the effort and then how easily the spit pulls out feels like a quarter of the effort.
This is after 62 mm of rain in the last 3 days so quite wet
This is were I ran out of seed, this field was topped 2 weeks ago, if this is the level of infiltration increase three and a half months of growth by spring time things should be great. Always remember my one to one with the Principal at Harper,Harris, he said "you shouldn't be thinking of spring cropping on that weald clay".
soil still easer to dig where the crop is growing but not so great a difference in the feel of the soil here but the lack of standing water will be a boon in a few months.
control area!!!!
What the picture can't show is how easily the spade goes in the ground in the crop area half the effort and then how easily the spit pulls out feels like a quarter of the effort.
This is after 62 mm of rain in the last 3 days so quite wet
soil still easer to dig where the crop is growing but not so great a difference in the feel of the soil here but the lack of standing water will be a boon in a few months.
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
This is the first field, from the first post. Sheep are a bit over half way through now.
Stoosh
Member
- Location
- sunny scotland
If cover crop is grazed does all the beneficial stuff still go into the soil or do the sheep take some of it away in their bellies? Or does the dung compensate?
dontknowanything
Member
- Location
- Cambridge
They take some away, but possibly contribute good stuff too
H.Jackson
Member
- Location
- West Sussex
Topped some covers before the rain grazing others first picture thought I'd over grazed before Christmas
Seems to be regrowing now next shows a tillage radish grazed flush so it's fed a lamb but still got 5 inches of root in the soil.
Dug this hole the first dry day after 8 inches of rain
The top inch was wet but realy good crumb and not at all sticky below.
Topped covers greening up fast
Unfortunately the topper pulled up a lot more root than the lambs seem to walks well but noticeably wetter were the headland and land work of the drill overlap.
Dug a spit in some overwintered subsoiling
Soil here wet all the way down as is ground ploughed and drilled with barley.
Seems to be regrowing now next shows a tillage radish grazed flush so it's fed a lamb but still got 5 inches of root in the soil.
Dug this hole the first dry day after 8 inches of rain
The top inch was wet but realy good crumb and not at all sticky below.
Topped covers greening up fast
Unfortunately the topper pulled up a lot more root than the lambs seem to walks well but noticeably wetter were the headland and land work of the drill overlap.
Dug a spit in some overwintered subsoiling
Soil here wet all the way down as is ground ploughed and drilled with barley.
APJ
Member
- Location
- West Midlands(Shropshire borders)
Baling Hay
Member
Can mustard be grazed?