Slurry

[Cowabunga]

As he posted above , 15 million cattle down to nine now what a joke.

Still just as much output though, that's a significant point. Which is why I previously mentioned that beef cows may have been kept a year or two longer, plus dairy heifers would calve at three rather than two, and milk yields from each cow increased from about 4500 litres to 8000+

 

[Henarar]

Still just as much output though, that's a significant point. Which is why I previously mentioned that beef cows may have been kept a year or two longer, plus dairy heifers would calve at three rather than two, and milk yields from each cow increased from about 4500 litres to 8000+

Yep we have done our bit so over to joe public to give up flitting round the world for no need

 

[neilo]

How is that any different to what they do now

If it’s stored and applied in the growing season, then those nutrients are used by the plants, rather than being leached out and wasted. Of course, those paddling round with umbilicals and spreaders when they shouldn’t be are just doing the same wasting, button a grander scale.

Slurry/FYM is a valuable resource, once you stop looking at it as just something that needs getting rid of.

 

[Cowabunga]

If it’s stored and applied in the growing season, then those nutrients are used by the plants, rather than being leached out and wasted. Of course, those paddling round with umbilicals and spreaders when they shouldn’t be are just doing the same wasting, button a grander scale.

Slurry/FYM is a valuable resource, once you stop looking at it as just something that needs getting rid of.

In recent years grass has grown vigorously for most of the winter, feeding sheep mostly, but also cows and heifers outwintered on a NZ extended grazing system. For the last 20 years or so, with few exceptions, the growing season has been around 10 months of the year. Certainly around these parts.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Yep we have done our bit so over to joe public to give up flitting round the world for no need

Ooh look, a flying pig

I’m sure farming can do more but much of it comes at a cost, fair enough if everyone is behind us but not so good If everyone from the public to the supermarkets to the government are happy to buy produce from countries with lower standards because it’s cheaper.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Still a bit to harvest round here, some of which has been under water a few times.?

Yes, and I was told a week or so ago that a lot was rotting, many cobs gone and plant contaminated with soil from the flood, can’t remember who told me now but they thought it would be unlikely it would be harvested as it was unlikely to make decent silage.

 

[neilo]

Yes, and I was told a week or so ago that a lot was rotting, many cobs gone and plant contaminated with soil from the flood, can’t remember who told me know but they thought it would be unlikely it would be harvested as it was unlikely to make decent silage.

That would be worrying if you were relying on it for your winter feed.

Tbh though, some of the fields growing maize locally are taking a bit of a chance with wet Autumns anyway i’d Have thought.

I remember we were offered some on the Cotswolds a few years back, cheap as the arable farmer had given up hope of combining it by early December. We went to have a look and the cobs were just rotten mush. We declined their kind offer.

 

[Cowabunga]

Yes, and I was told a week or so ago that a lot was rotting, many cobs gone and plant contaminated with soil from the flood, can’t remember who told me now but they thought it would be unlikely it would be harvested as it was unlikely to make decent silage.

Will it not need to be harvested, if only to allow cultivation for next year's crops?

 

[Cowabunga]

That would be worrying if you were relying on it for your winter feed.

Tbh though, some of the fields growing maize locally are taking a bit of a chance with wet Autumns anyway i’d Have thought.

I remember we were offered some on the Cotswolds a few years back, cheap as the arable farmer had given up hope of combining it by early December. We went to have a look and the cobs were just rotten mush. We declined their kind offer.

It does seem that varieties are earlier and earlier maturing. Year ago November was maize harvesting month. I seem to recall, back in the 1970's, that maize needed frost before the forager could chop it? Perhaps I have been dreaming?

 

[Tarw Coch]

That would be worrying if you were relying on it for your winter feed.

Tbh though, some of the fields growing maize locally are taking a bit of a chance with wet Autumns anyway i’d Have thought.

I remember we were offered some on the Cotswolds a few years back, cheap as the arable farmer had given up hope of combining it by early December. We went to have a look and the cobs were just rotten mush. We declined their kind offer.

The maize I was told of flooded and rotting belonged to a large scale operation so would only have been a proportion of their total, not sure what effect it would have on their winter feeding, thankfully not my problem.

 

[DRC]

It does seem that varieties are earlier and earlier maturing. Year ago November was maize harvesting month. I seem to recall, back in the 1970's, that maize needed frost before the forager could chop it? Perhaps I have been dreaming?

It’s the first year since growing maize, which must be over 25 yrs, that we haven’t managed to drill wheat on all of it. Usually harvest late September to mid October with the early varieties

 

[Tarw Coch]

Will it not need to be harvested, if only to allow cultivation for next year's crops?

I would think it would need something, I’m sure local shoot flail theirs off before ploughing/ drilling

 

[Derrick Hughes]

,

 

[neilo]

It does seem that varieties are earlier and earlier maturing. Year ago November was maize harvesting month. I seem to recall, back in the 1970's, that maize needed frost before the forager could chop it? Perhaps I have been dreaming?

No that’s right. Always used to need a frost on it, with a lot harvested on heavy clay next door at home in December. Watching them prevented us growing it for decades.?

I think it was in the FG that I was reading, sales of the early varieties dropped this Spring, as it had been so easy last Autumn. They were expecting sales to swing back in favour of the earlies next Spring!
Can nobody remember more than one year back these days?

 

[Henarar]

Ooh look, a flying pig

I’m sure farming can do more but much of it comes at a cost, fair enough if everyone is behind us but not so good If everyone from the public to the supermarkets to the government are happy to buy produce from countries with lower standards because it’s cheaper.

export the problem

 

[Tarw Coch]

No that’s right. Always used to need a frost on it, with a lot harvested on heavy clay next door at home in December. Watching them prevented us growing it for decades.?

I think it was in the FG that I was reading, sales of the early varieties dropped this Spring, as it had been so easy last Autumn. They were expecting sales to swing back in favour of the earlies next Spring!
Can nobody remember more than one year back these days?

Isn’t yield better with the later varieties though?
Not that yield should come into variety selection, should be more about the land it’s being planted on. Lighter land stands a chance even this year with later varieties, more marginal sites definitely need earlier varieties if indeed they are suitable at all, growing maize on a flood plain would have to be considered a risk as would growing on heavy/wet land..................,Allthough no doubt such land grows the best crops on years like last year.

 

[Tarw Coch]

export the problem

Sometimes it seems like the country’s preferred solution.

 

[Henarar]

Sometimes it seems like the country’s preferred solution.

sometimes, that's a bit of a understatement

 

[Walter R]

I don't know whether to be happy or sad, sad about all the vitreol directed and reciprocated by various members on here at each other, or happy by the frank admission in the opening thread by the OP that he is full of shite.

 

[holywell farmer]

Farmer says 2012 'the worst harvest in my lifetime'
That was the headline at the time, i gave up growing corn after that harvest when i almost lost the whole crop, extreme when we have not had a harvest that bad since

Very wet summer that 1