OSR next year

[Banana Bar]

It’s become almost an addiction here to drill rape for an early start to harvest.
The way our OSR looks this year we would of been better off fallowing for an early start. 30% was lost in the autumn which is now linseed, 20% has been put into barley or beans in the spring, 10% is in failed patches, 20% is flowering at about 2 ft tall and 20% is reasonably good.
Pretty much decided to drop the crop as the risk is enormous.
My cropping is going to look very different from his autumn, there will be no OSR, no beet, no peas.
There will be a slight increase in winter malting barley, more winter beans, more spring barley and probably some very late sown 3 rd wheat if conditions allow in late November/ December.

What are others doing?

BB

 

[Fiveospades]

It would be interesting to collate the information nationally just what the neonic ban has cost the farming community in terms of failed crops. I think the amount of diesel that we have burnt re establishing failed rape fields far outweighs the dubious environmental benefits of the neonic ban. Question, are the bees returning in numbers to the countryside and thriving as a result of the ban or is it to early to say?. A bit like saying that the skies are noticeably clearer recently as a result of less airplane movement but still we must cut meat production because of the methane it is releasing. Strange how some theories are put on the back burner when reality strikes.

 

[snarling bee]

If I do grow any it will be:
a) early August 'seeded'
b) on a smallish area
c) into a crop/high stubble/cover

Otherwise a few beans, a bit of barley, and lots of wheat.

 

[B'o'B]

Dropped rape last autumn. It was around 15-20% of cropped area. No plans for any rape for at least 5 years, but in reality probably much longer. I’ve gone into mid-tier in a big way and put 50% of farm into 2year legume rich fallow so all the farm will get a 2 year rest over the next 5 years. Where we go after that is pretty much anyone’s guess!

 

[ajd132]

We will roll the dice again with rape this year as it has been reasonably successful (apart from the 40ha into stripped straw that you mowed down for me!). I don’t know if it will work the same this year and I don’t know what our yields will be. We have 70% good rape and 30% average to poor.
to be honest I’m leaning towards just growing spring and winter cereals with cover crops. We will have more winter malting barley. I can’t see the benefit of the hybrids with the seed cost and huge amount of nitrogen they have.

 

[Banana Bar]

We will roll the dice again with rape this year as it has been reasonably successful (apart from the 40ha into stripped straw that you mowed down for me!). I don’t know if it will work the same this year and I don’t know what our yields will be. We have 70% good rape and 30% average to poor.
to be honest I’m leaning towards just growing spring and winter cereals with cover crops. We will have more winter malting barley. I can’t see the benefit of the hybrids with the seed cost and huge amount of nitrogen they have.

I’ve been saying for a long time the only crops worth growing are wheat and spring barley.

 

[Bignor Farmer]

It’s become almost an addiction here to drill rape for an early start to harvest.
The way our OSR looks this year we would of been better off fallowing for an early start. 30% was lost in the autumn which is now linseed, 20% has been put into barley or beans in the spring, 10% is in failed patches, 20% is flowering at about 2 ft tall and 20% is reasonably good.
Pretty much decided to drop the crop as the risk is enormous.
My cropping is going to look very different from his autumn, there will be no OSR, no beet, no peas.
There will be a slight increase in winter malting barley, more winter beans, more spring barley and probably some very late sown 3 rd wheat if conditions allow in late November/ December.

What are others doing?

BB

Very similar here. More barley, more 2nd/3rd wheat (late sown and opportunistic), some pulses where I’m confident they will work. The other big factor here is that my HLS scheme expires in May 2021 thereafter I will be looking for CSS/ELMs options to build fertility and organic matter while giving me a break crop and entry to first wheats.

Also trying to wean myself off the bad habit of a shed full of pink seed for £450/t that either doesn’t get sown or influences me to try and force in late wheat even though I know conditions are a big gamble! Without Deter I’m not sure there are many worthwhile seed dressings here, Latitude maybe but £££. In most cases I’d rather have the flexibility to alter seed rates on the day.

 

[ajd132]

I’ve been saying for a long time the only crops worth growing are wheat and spring barley.

I think rape is worth a roll if it’s farm saved seed beginning of August this year. But totally agree everything else is pointless. I love growing spring oats but the outlets are just not there. Lots more people drinking oat milk and eating oats so hopefully they may be more feasible in the future.

 

[Banana Bar]

Very similar here. More barley, more 2nd/3rd wheat (late sown and opportunistic), some pulses where I’m confident they will work. The other big factor here is that my HLS scheme expires in May 2021 thereafter I will be looking for CSS/ELMs options to build fertility and organic matter while giving me a break crop and entry to first wheats.

Also trying to wean myself off the bad habit of a shed full of pink seed for £450/t that either doesn’t get sown or influences me to try and force in late wheat even though I know conditions are a big gamble! Without Deter I’m not sure there are many worthwhile seed dressings here, Latitude maybe but £££. In most cases I’d rather have the flexibility to alter seed rates on the day.

Agree about seed treatments although after testing mine this year most got treated. Nothing worse than a heap of seed to force you into bad drilling decisions. I shall have a big heap of seed ready to clean if conditions are favourable late in the season.

 

[teslacoils]

We have a huge amount of fallow and failed spring crops which would be ideal to drill osr into while all around are twiddling their thumbs waiting for the inevitable August washout to stop. And helpfully have one ton of farm saved, undressed Django we could test for germination. But still won't do it. It's too risky Vs even a crop of forage rye for ad.

About time the farming powers that be commission a study into what the bee effects are on there being next to no UK osr crop.

 

[T Hectares]

Dropped rape last autumn. It was around 15-20% of cropped area. No plans for any rape for at least 5 years, but in reality probably much longer. I’ve gone into mid-tier in a big way and put 50% of farm into 2year legume rich fallow so all the farm will get a 2 year rest over the next 5 years. Where we go after that is pretty much anyone’s guess!

Ive been modelling a few different rotation options and the 2yr legume is one I've looked at, I would need to reduce fixed costs to make it work, you clearly are ahead of me there, but the scary part of this option is the 18 month of arrears we have for our current Mid tier CSS, I don't know if I could stomach that kind of risk on half of the farm!!

 

[B'o'B]

Ive been modelling a few different rotation options and the 2yr legume is one I've looked at, I would need to reduce fixed costs to make it work, you clearly are ahead of me there, but the scary part of this option is the 18 month of arrears we have for our current Mid tier CSS, I don't know if I could stomach that kind of risk on half of the farm!!

That is a risk I’ll grant you. Cash flow could get a bit lumpy. I’m going to put a lot of effort into trying to do it right and over deliver on all options to make sure I’ve got some wriggle room.

 

[Clive]

It’s become almost an addiction here to drill rape for an early start to harvest.
The way our OSR looks this year we would of been better off fallowing for an early start. 30% was lost in the autumn which is now linseed, 20% has been put into barley or beans in the spring, 10% is in failed patches, 20% is flowering at about 2 ft tall and 20% is reasonably good.
Pretty much decided to drop the crop as the risk is enormous.
My cropping is going to look very different from his autumn, there will be no OSR, no beet, no peas.
There will be a slight increase in winter malting barley, more winter beans, more spring barley and probably some very late sown 3 rd wheat if conditions allow in late November/ December.

What are others doing?

BB

fist year we will harvest no OSR - it established, grew and was flowering a couple of weeks ago looking not the best crop but “reasonable”. it was however stuffed full of csfb larvae so we so sprayed it all off and it’s now linseed !

thankfully with FSS, zerotill and our low inputs regime it’s not too big a disaster but do i continue to try or just change rotation ....... that’s the question i’m considering right now

i’m favouring simply not bothering with it at the moment, it’s not a big % of our area so pretty sure i can make a rotation work without it, in fact it would probably set up a better rotation really

low fixed cost structure is again key to this - it gives you options that most simply could not begin to consider !

 

[Bobthebuilder]

probably still have @250ac again, sown early as possible with the sumo

 

[Brisel]

I'm halving my area of osr. Cut off drilling date is 1st September. Farm saved seed only except when breeding up a new variety.

Will be switching to alternative between osr, winter beans and spring oats for my break crop area until we have a good hard look at ELMS funded "fallow" options when my current CS agreement runs out. No peas with the current tine drill as my soil is just too stony and undulating for a 35ft header to be scraping them off the floor and harvesting more flints than peas. A big conflict with spring barley for harvesting date too.

Wheat followed by spring barley are the two banker crops here but they still require a break of some sort. For a spread of harvesting dates you'd consider linseed or beans, both winter & spring but spring linseed is just too late to harvest, too prone to drought. Winter linseed just seems like a more expensive way to grow a similar yield & and an earlier harvest date.

 

[Green oak]

 

[Clive]

I'm halving my area of osr. Cut off drilling date is 1st September. Farm saved seed only except when breeding up a new variety.

Will be switching to alternative between osr, winter beans and spring oats for my break crop area until we have a good hard look at ELMS funded "fallow" options when my current CS agreement runs out. No peas with the current tine drill as my soil is just too stony and undulating for a 35ft header to be scraping them off the floor and harvesting more flints than peas. A big conflict with spring barley for harvesting date too.

Wheat followed by spring barley are the two banker crops here but they still require a break of some sort. For a spread of harvesting dates you'd consider linseed or beans, both winter & spring but spring linseed is just too late to harvest, too prone to drought. Winter linseed just seems like a more expensive way to grow a similar yield & and an earlier harvest date.

interesting, i find spring linseed one of the more drought prone crops ?

i can’t see much point in just reducing osr area, i’m either going to grow the same (cheaply) or drop it all together

 

[Clive]

can’t read the print on my phone but expect ........ it’s in a magazine so will be sponsored so will be saying keeo growing it !

we need more honestly - there is no product or anything that can be done re CSFB - it’s a simple luck thing

 

[Mark140259]

We are growing a third winter wheat to be hoed with the inter row hoe. A third will have sludge then put a cover crop in ahead of spring wheat. Then final third split in 2 half linseed spring and winter. The other half rape. If it fails I shall use it as cover and drill into it with spring barley.

 

[Brisel]

interesting, i find spring linseed one of the more drought prone crops ?

i can’t see much point in just reducing osr area, i’m either going to grow the same (cheaply) or drop it all together

Did you mean to type that? You've just agreed with me...