How’s your OSR looking now

[cquick]

Because it fails to become profitable once externalities are costed? Govt chooses to ban rather than pass the cost to the the user, as a true 'polluter pays' framework doesn't exist yet.
One's moral compass also has to bear on the decision. Personally I think it's abhorrent to use such broad-spectrum chemicals on any crop and I am glad to see the back of OPs and neonics, and I choose to avoid all other insecticides. I prefer to let Nature do the hard work for me.
The Red Queen can never be caught, not with Chemistry nor predators, but the latter are cheaper.

 

[Clive]

Again, you may have a point. However, farming is a business just like any other one. If you can grow a crop profitably using whatever tools are available, then why not?

Any business will know that as soon as those tools become unavailable such that the crop becomes unviable, switch to something else.

The problem is not that the chemicals have become banned because of their perceived danger. It is because Political and Environmentalist’s will outweighs the scientific evidence.

Funny how all those Scientists suddenly become important again when we have a Coronavirus pandemic, isn’t it?

i get what you are saying but there seems to be very few examples in mankind’s history where working against nature ends well or is without wider consequences

 

[teslacoils]

i get what you are saying but there seems to be very few examples in mankind’s history where working against nature ends well or is without wider consequences

Working against nature is our very purpose. It's what we do.

 

[Clive]

Working against nature is our very purpose. It's what we do.

how’s that working out right now ?

 

[teslacoils]

how’s that working out right now ?

Well.

 

[Clive]

Well.

global warming

global pandemic

depletion of natural resource

extinction of species

and to get back on topic .......... plants that won’t grow without synthetic inputs

i’m not sure we are totally on the right track!

 

[teslacoils]

Higher standard of living.
Living longer.

They are the success parameters of the human species. For every one person who shuns these, there will be ten others to take their place.

 

[teslacoils]

But yes, osr is looking nicky knacky knickt nooed round here.

 

[Two Tone]

We can all play devils advocate as much as we like. But the reality is that the entire human race depends on us tweaking nature as much as we can to feed it.
By doing so, we as farmers allow everybody else to do what they do, without the need for them to grow their own food to survive.
It could be argued that only by doing so, has the global population grown to its present levels.
Which half of the world’s population do we let die if we don’t take full advantage of the synthetic chemistry and fertilisers we use?

 

[Brisel]

how’s that working out right now ?

You’re doing the same. You tell us. You might be no tilling but you’re still manipulating nature for commercial gain.

 

[Flat 10]

Because it fails to become profitable once externalities are costed? Govt chooses to ban rather than pass the cost to the the user, as a true 'polluter pays' framework doesn't exist yet.
One's moral compass also has to bear on the decision. Personally I think it's abhorrent to use such broad-spectrum chemicals on any crop and I am glad to see the back of OPs and neonics, and I choose to avoid all other insecticides. I prefer to let Nature do the hard work for me.
The Red Queen can never be caught, not with Chemistry nor predators, but the latter are cheaper.

Go on then how did you achieve the impressive crop that you have and can you replicate that success going forward? If you can I think you will be rich.

 

[Flat 10]

I have a copy of farmer and stockbreeder from 1957 where they were advertising flea beetle dressings, and that was just for a few crops of kale. I have said before FB used to cause crop loss way before the 1970s OSR revolution. There’s nothing natural about arable farming Clive however you practice it certainly on a scale bigger than an allotment. As an aside I have kale in gamecover strips that established with quite a lot of shot holing but is now flourishing and on flower with little larval damage.

 

[Hindsight]

I have a copy of farmer and stockbreeder from 1957 where they were advertising flea beetle dressings, and that was just for a few crops of kale. I have said before FB used to cause crop loss way before the 1970s OSR revolution. There’s nothing natural about arable farming Clive however you practice it certainly on a scale bigger than an allotment. As an aside I have kale in gamecover strips that established with quite a lot of shot holing but is now flourishing and on flower with little larval damage.

Some of the best Oilseed Rape this year is on roundabouts! Single and maybe three or four individual plants. Be a beggar to get the combine in though.

 

[FarmerBruce]

This small area was missed with the insecticide the two times we sprayed it. Sometimes you have to do what is right in your own situation rather than follow the few on here!!!

 

[David.]

It obviously still kills your particular strain of beetles at the moment then.

 

[ajd132]

We need to move away from 20th century farming which is based around treating SYMPTOMS and not CAUSES. Fossil fuel based chem and fertiliser agriculture has done its job but is not panacea, it is a constant battle.

 

[FarmerBruce]

It obviously still kills your particular strain of beetles at the moment then.

We are very lucky at the moment I guess

 

[cquick]

Go on then how did you achieve the impressive crop that you have and can you replicate that success going forward? If you can I think you will be rich.

Mostly luck.
But while the crop is in such a fragile position in autumn I think it's best to just direct drill early and leave it well alone until you've got a crop. Still time to establish WW, WBeans or a spring crop if it fails, although we have never had to take that option.
Having smaller fields with margins also helps IMO, more habitat for predators.
Been no-till here since 1998 so the soil is in very good heart.

 

[Flat 10]

Mostly luck.
But while the crop is in such a fragile position in autumn I think it's best to just direct drill early and leave it well alone until you've got a crop. Still time to establish WW, WBeans or a spring crop if it fails, although we have never had to take that option.
Having smaller fields with margins also helps IMO, more habitat for predators.
Been no-till here since 1998 so the soil is in very good heart.

Thanks. Regardless of how achieved you should be very happy with that OSR stand!

 

[essex man]

Higher standard of living.
Living longer.

They are the success parameters of the human species. For every one person who shuns these, there will be ten others to take their place.

Indeed, agree and would that the way people talk about nature as something separate to humans is a false premise.
We evolved naturally and in concert with all other species and in my opinion are part of nature and everything we do is natural