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Regenerative Agriculture and Direct Drilling
Holistic Farming
"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..
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<blockquote data-quote="som farmer" data-source="post: 7446705" data-attributes="member: 86168"><p>when i farmed pretty intensively, lime was a problem, and a regular application was needed, since going less intensive for the last 20 yrs, it doesn't seem to be a major problem, any more, and that has suprised me, to the extent of doubting the results. I do know we have 2 banks, where ph is 4.5, and the cows eat it down to the roots, every time it comes round the rotation, as they are both small areas, the 'ration' includes higher ph, they will leave the higher in preference to the acidic<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite12" alt="o_O" title="Er... what? o_O" loading="lazy" data-shortname="o_O" /> </p><p> Going back to leys, and talking of books, freams elements of ag, from the 60's, was in a cupboard here, so been having a browse through that, very interesting to see how ag has changed since then. That could be summed up by the fact, making hay, was covered by about 15 pages, silage 2 ! But even then, additives were mentioned, not just molasses. Presumably this edition came in at the very start of the last 'revolution' of ag, but many 'principles' were the same then, as now.</p><p> My interest is grass, and as with the clifton park, grass was seen as 'temporary', and the points of creating a good 'turf' to feed the following crop, was very important. Ploughing was champion, and a regular plough, was a sign of good ag practice. On soil, the only living thing in it, that was beneficial, was worms, everything else was bad, and should be killed off. Preparation of a good seed bed, was more than we do today, but we should pay more attention to the seed bed. Direct drilling was in it's infancy, and the 'new' fantastic spray, gramoxone, had arrived to help it.</p><p> Quite a lot on bent grasses and couch, stale seed beds, to help control them. And then onto grass, simple mixtures, as to many species were counter productive, either rye grassed based, or not, clovers, white and red, aslike and birdsfoot, all commonly included, herbs were being looked at for anthelmintic properties. Non ryegrass leys were based around cocksfoot, timothy and fesques. The biggest SHOCK came with the amount of seed recommended to be sown per acre, 10 to 14 lbs, both the ryegrass, and non leys, if sown with clover, a dense ground cover should occur rapidly. WTF have we done, to go from 14 lbs/acre, to 14kg/acre, with some (me) using higher rates, to get good ground cover, something has gone seriously awry, and as have said, is the viability of grass seed compromised, either deliberately, or so highly 'developed', it needs intensive care to survive/grow.</p><p> All in all, not sure it was a good read, it's annoyed me ! The fundamental changes we have seen since that book was edited, cover my whole farming career, and yet the basic facts are the same, just ignored in the years since, i am, however, certain if we had followed the 'system' of then, till now, we would be no worse of than we are now, but would have saved £1,000's in the meantime. </p><p> On a different topic, we eat a lot of fruit, (and meat), the last couple of lots of bananas have looked 'odd', it dawned on me last night, the probable reason, straight bananas, were 'banned' by EU regulations, they all had to have the right degree of bend. The straight bananas in our fruit bowl, are the result of brexit, if that is the case, some one moved quickly.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="som farmer, post: 7446705, member: 86168"] when i farmed pretty intensively, lime was a problem, and a regular application was needed, since going less intensive for the last 20 yrs, it doesn't seem to be a major problem, any more, and that has suprised me, to the extent of doubting the results. I do know we have 2 banks, where ph is 4.5, and the cows eat it down to the roots, every time it comes round the rotation, as they are both small areas, the 'ration' includes higher ph, they will leave the higher in preference to the acidico_O Going back to leys, and talking of books, freams elements of ag, from the 60's, was in a cupboard here, so been having a browse through that, very interesting to see how ag has changed since then. That could be summed up by the fact, making hay, was covered by about 15 pages, silage 2 ! But even then, additives were mentioned, not just molasses. Presumably this edition came in at the very start of the last 'revolution' of ag, but many 'principles' were the same then, as now. My interest is grass, and as with the clifton park, grass was seen as 'temporary', and the points of creating a good 'turf' to feed the following crop, was very important. Ploughing was champion, and a regular plough, was a sign of good ag practice. On soil, the only living thing in it, that was beneficial, was worms, everything else was bad, and should be killed off. Preparation of a good seed bed, was more than we do today, but we should pay more attention to the seed bed. Direct drilling was in it's infancy, and the 'new' fantastic spray, gramoxone, had arrived to help it. Quite a lot on bent grasses and couch, stale seed beds, to help control them. And then onto grass, simple mixtures, as to many species were counter productive, either rye grassed based, or not, clovers, white and red, aslike and birdsfoot, all commonly included, herbs were being looked at for anthelmintic properties. Non ryegrass leys were based around cocksfoot, timothy and fesques. The biggest SHOCK came with the amount of seed recommended to be sown per acre, 10 to 14 lbs, both the ryegrass, and non leys, if sown with clover, a dense ground cover should occur rapidly. WTF have we done, to go from 14 lbs/acre, to 14kg/acre, with some (me) using higher rates, to get good ground cover, something has gone seriously awry, and as have said, is the viability of grass seed compromised, either deliberately, or so highly 'developed', it needs intensive care to survive/grow. All in all, not sure it was a good read, it's annoyed me ! The fundamental changes we have seen since that book was edited, cover my whole farming career, and yet the basic facts are the same, just ignored in the years since, i am, however, certain if we had followed the 'system' of then, till now, we would be no worse of than we are now, but would have saved £1,000's in the meantime. On a different topic, we eat a lot of fruit, (and meat), the last couple of lots of bananas have looked 'odd', it dawned on me last night, the probable reason, straight bananas, were 'banned' by EU regulations, they all had to have the right degree of bend. The straight bananas in our fruit bowl, are the result of brexit, if that is the case, some one moved quickly. [/QUOTE]
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