Is It Time To Ban Maize

[Bury the Trash]

I don't like people early sowing, to my mind it invites too much risk. I've seen maize fail and it gets expensive fast... It always comes ready the same as fields drilled a bit later.

Use a thermometer.

Soil temperature is key.

Pretty much the same as SB actually..

Give it the chance to Hit the ground running.

 

[som farmer]

A lot of the sentiment on this thread I think is resentment of the fact AD plant farmers are subbed twice .

often hear, not growing it for the digesters again, too slow paying, 1st thing agents say, when discussing rent, well we can get £200 acre from the digester boys, could do with some honesty here, anyone had problems extracting money from the digester boys ?

 

[primmiemoo]

Given the soil structure damage caused by maize harvesting in a wet season and the soil erosion during the following winter months, is it time to consider banning maize growing? Discuss.

Yes.

I've seen too much soil end up in the streams, good fields reduced to mire and wallow, and it's well known that badgers mix and mingle when raiding maize increasing the spread of bTB between setts and holdings.

 

[SilliamWhale]

It doesnt all the time but shows what is acheivable. Maize without ploughing is the next project!

It needs a bit of a joined up approach. The kit is expensive and so naturally farmers are cautious about buying it. Its a shame the Maize Growers Assocation and something combined with a leader grant and ADAS soil analysis together with farmers paying for some establishment can't do some on farm trials work on it and get the job up and running. Even if its only on lighter land to start.

Loads of smaller planters in the USA surplus to requirements that could be converted to no till that could be shipped here.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Claydon must work wonders. Maize with no ploughing is the holy grail in my book.

The lack of singulation will hurt the final yield. So it needs a proper planter - I'm sure Claydon could make one - Mzuri aren't far off.

 

[Tom H]

I haven't read the whole thread. We grow a big chunk of maize on the heaviest of soils. It's down to set up and management. We grow a lot of 150-180 FAO varieties (every 10 FAO is roughly a week later). They would be classed as super early. Started this year the second week of September, Finished first week of October (570ha). Averaged 46t/ha @32 DM. Other than FAO the second most import factor is not using a plough! It makes the soil structureless and very soft. You make a mess harvesting if it's wet. Plus erosion is bad. We had great results with two stage strip till this year with the Sly strip-cat. All maize is followed with a winter wheat (not this year. Not a seed planted in any form) We don't make a mess harvesting, having the right kit helps too.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

You cant get 10 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket whatever you try and do . I know its hard for those who lose everything too flooding . There was a phone in on the radio the other day about desaters and losing your home , obviously everyone was haveing a good moan . Bought my memory back too the day our house burnt too the ground with almost evrything we owned in it . I was 7 years old and it was the most fun day of my life almost . Sorry if thats a bit flippant but no one was hurt or worse still killed which would have been beond awaful

 

[Brisel]

The lack of singulation will hurt the final yield. So it needs a proper planter - I'm sure Claydon could make one - Mzuri aren't far off.

Mzuri are already there

 

[Clive]

The lack of singulation will hurt the final yield. So it needs a proper planter - I'm sure Claydon could make one - Mzuri aren't far off.

Novag has a singular availible for their drill I believe

Think Mzuri do as a well ??

 

[Selectamatic]

plenty of half harvested maize fields around here, many resemble the Somme in 1914 !

I would imagine that they look ok then? As the battle of the Somme was not until 1916...

 

[Clive]

I would imagine that they look ok then? As the battle of the Somme was not until 1916...

Im a farmer not a war historian clearly

 

[SilliamWhale]

You cant get 10 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket whatever you try and do . I know its hard for those who lose everything too flooding . There was a phone in on the radio the other day about desaters and losing your home , obviously everyone was haveing a good moan . Bought my memory back too the day our house burnt too the ground with almost evrything we owned in it . I was 7 years old and it was the most fun day of my life almost . Sorry if thats a bit flippant but no one was hurt or worse still killed which would have been beond awaful

But then again there are some on here saying how can we find a better way of doing it. Proactive rather than head in sand

 

[curlietailz]

That is the way things are going. 'They' want a massive increase in tree planting and an equally massive decrease in animal production. 'They' want cheap food, which means substantially cheaper food than we currently produce.
That could backfire of course, but 'they' probably calculate that it is very unlikely that there will be any shortages of consequence that lasts long.

I doubt “they” factor in Supplyemand economics
If you can no longer grow food yourself as a country and HAVE to import it, I believe you are in a sellers market. The seller can double/triple his price..... if the buyer HAS to have the commodity the seller will raise the price or the country will starve

but the farmer/smallholder will have his little allotment/veg patch/pig/chicken etc

 

[Derrick Hughes]

But then again there are some on here saying how can we find a better way of doing it. Proactive rather than head in sand

I was saying that in 1975 when i was standing up too my waist in water trying too attach a tow rope to my wifes car . As the old man said too the youngster . "You think its bad, you aint seen nothin yet "

 

[traadilooar]

What’s the big worry about a bit of soil?!
Can grow trees on any old rubbish [emoji16] hydroponic/lab grown food is the future !!!

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

The lack of singulation will hurt the final yield. So it needs a proper planter - I'm sure Claydon could make one - Mzuri aren't far off.

But when you've cut the establishment cost by 90% does that really matter?

 

[Durry cows]

I haven't read the whole thread. We grow a big chunk of maize on the heaviest of soils. It's down to set up and management. We grow a lot of 150-180 FAO varieties (every 10 FAO is roughly a week later). They would be classed as super early. Started this year the second week of September, Finished first week of October (570ha). Averaged 46t/ha @32 DM. Other than FAO the second most import factor is not using a plough! It makes the soil structureless and very soft. You make a mess harvesting if it's wet. Plus erosion is bad. We had great results with two stage strip till this year with the Sly strip-cat. All maize is followed with a winter wheat (not this year. Not a seed planted in any form) We don't make a mess harvesting, having the right kit helps too.

Have you pictures of planting it/crop at harvest at all? Interested to see that’s all

 

[Bogweevil]

Transplanting. It is the future.

 

[SilliamWhale]

But when you've cut the establishment cost by 90% does that really matter?

Yes. Its important to aim for max yield all the same. And the point is it should be capable of it

 

[som farmer]

its not the sowing that causes the problems, any thing d/d, min til, or transplanting, will help, its the harvesting, spreading sh1t, soil erosion, etc, that HAS created the problem, and I fear the damage has already been done, and growing maize, is firmly in the sights, of those who WANT to ban it, so we will be made to 'change/alter' how we grow it, and where we grow it. I would think, imported maize meal, could well be a substitute, that, in my opinion, would be a carbon negative approach, but the 'nimbys' would conveniently forget that bit.