Something from the past?

[moldengineer]

I have just found the following on the iagre website. Theres quite a bit about direct drilling in the late 70's and early 80's along with the burning ban, straw incorporation and drainage. Thought it might be of interest to some.

http://www.iagre.org/publications/sawmajournals

 

[Andrew K]

Very good work and still relevant, thanks.

 

[LoamRanger]

Vol9 No2 excellent for clay land.

 

[Jim Bullock]

Selwyn Richardson is still about ...last known working as an advisor to Severn-Trent.. Told my brother last summer to forget about trying to reduced our soil Magnesium levels as we will never be able to do it...just keep on pumping the OM (Sewage Sludge) and keep an eye on pH levels..sound advice.!
Brian Finney very kindly sent me a copies of most of the work he did on direct-drilling back in the eighties before he retired. It amuses me to read some of the postings on the TFF with the "new experts" pontificating about their new found wealth of knowledge...most of this was tried and tested thirty years ago and nothing has changed too much... Little need to travel to the far corners of the world when there were trials in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridge and Gloucestershire taking place before some of the "new-no-tillers" had even heard about the concept...

 

[colhonk]

Reading the bit about drainage costs and extra crop needed to pay for it, in 1981 quoting cereals @ £110 tonne, Sugar beet £25, Potatoes £45, milk 13p, Not much difference to prices 34 years later.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Selwyn Richardson is still about ...last known working as an advisor to Severn-Trent.. Told my brother last summer to forget about trying to reduced our soil Magnesium levels as we will never be able to do it...just keep on pumping the OM (Sewage Sludge) and keep an eye on pH levels..sound advice.!
Brian Finney very kindly sent me a copies of most of the work he did on direct-drilling back in the eighties before he retired. It amuses me to read some of the postings on the TFF with the "new experts" pontificating about their new found wealth of knowledge...most of this was tried and tested thirty years ago and nothing has changed too much... Little need to travel to the far corners of the world when there were trials in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridge and Gloucestershire taking place before some of the "new-no-tillers" had even heard about the concept...

Personally I'm glad I travelled a bit of the world before starting it. Can approach things with a different mindset to the "we tried it in the 80's and it didn't work" and the "my land is too heavy/light/ not self structuring" stuff without any baggage then. Best thing you can ever do is zip about the world when you're young collecting ideas, rather than listen to stories of failure or how no to doesn't work so you need to till a little bit.

Also key things had changed - cover crops, residue management and awareness of changing soil management priorities

If I hadnt ooked a bit further than the UK then, maybe I'd have read the statement it won't work if you farm west of Bristol to the Wash take it as gospel and still be ploughing.

 

[Badshot]

Selwyn Richardson is still about ...last known working as an advisor to Severn-Trent.. Told my brother last summer to forget about trying to reduced our soil Magnesium levels as we will never be able to do it...just keep on pumping the OM (Sewage Sludge) and keep an eye on pH levels..sound advice.!
Brian Finney very kindly sent me a copies of most of the work he did on direct-drilling back in the eighties before he retired. It amuses me to read some of the postings on the TFF with the "new experts" pontificating about their new found wealth of knowledge...most of this was tried and tested thirty years ago and nothing has changed too much... Little need to travel to the far corners of the world when there were trials in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridge and Gloucestershire taking place before some of the "new-no-tillers" had even heard about the concept...

Selwyn gave a talk last autumn with the environment agency, he has boundless enthusiasm for soil structure, he also said forget cover crops on heavy land as they don't go together, keeping land wetter in spring instead of drying it out.

Oh he also said don't worry about global warming as we are overdue the next ice age anyway.

 

[Jim Bullock]

Personally I'm glad I travelled a bit of the world before starting it. Can approach things with a different mindset to the "we tried it in the 80's and it didn't work" and the "my land is too heavy/light/ not self structuring" stuff without any baggage then. Best thing you can ever do is zip about the world when you're young collecting ideas, rather than listen to stories of failure or how no to doesn't work so you need to till a little bit.

Also key things had changed - cover crops, residue management and awareness of changing soil management priorities

If I hadnt ooked a bit further than the UK then, maybe I'd have read the statement it won't work if you farm west of Bristol to the Wash take it as gospel and still be ploughing.

Will
The older you get the more you realise just how little you know.! Having listened to Tom Swell last week I am making plans to go to New Zealand and America again. Having been there 14-16 years ago and come home with ideas which have not all worked I need to go back for some more answers..

 

[SilliamWhale]

Will
The older you get the more you realise just how little you know.! Having listened to Tom Swell last week I am making plans to go to New Zealand and America again. Having been there 14-16 years ago and come home with ideas which have not all worked I need to go back for some more answers..

Well Switzerland looks like its having fun looking at the link on the other thread

 

[rob1]

Selwyn gave a talk last autumn with the environment agency, he has boundless enthusiasm for soil structure, he also said forget cover crops on heavy land as they don't go together, keeping land wetter in spring instead of drying it out.

Oh he also said don't worry about global warming as we are overdue the next ice age anyway.

Sounds like he and I would get on well

 

[Dockers]

Jim, last night you said no need to travel to far corners of the world. Tonight you need to go to New Zealand and South America . WHAT.

 

[Spud]

Selwyn gave a talk last autumn with the environment agency, he has boundless enthusiasm for soil structure, he also said forget cover crops on heavy land as they don't go together, keeping land wetter in spring instead of drying it out.

Oh he also said don't worry about global warming as we are overdue the next ice age anyway.

Selwyn is a bit of a mad professor, in the nicest possible way. Boundless enthusiasm certainly. Bangs on about 'look at this structure, even a farmer couldn't wreck that' etc etc (hilarious) ...then tells us not to drill wheat in October, until all the tater land is ploughed!!! Barmpot. Wheat finishes up crap and tater land finishes up lovely and friable on top with goo underneath that we can do nowt with!!
As for cover on heavy land? I'll reserve judgement til after I've tried it myself.
Sorry, but I dont take his word as gospel.

 

[Badshot]

Selwyn is a bit of a mad professor, in the nicest possible way. Boundless enthusiasm certainly. Bangs on about 'look at this structure, even a farmer couldn't wreck that' etc etc (hilarious) ...then tells us not to drill wheat in October, until all the tater land is ploughed!!! Barmpot. Wheat finishes up crap and tater land finishes up lovely and friable on top with goo underneath that we can do nowt with!!
As for cover on heavy land? I'll reserve judgement til after I've tried it myself.
Sorry, but I dont take his word as gospel.

Lol. Mad professor indeed.
I don't take any "experts " word as gospel either, I've seen wetter soil under volunteer wheat and blackgrass, but haven't tried a proper cover.

 

[Jim Bullock]

Jim, last night you said no need to travel to far corners of the world. Tonight you need to go to New Zealand and South America . WHAT.

Dockers, you are 100% correct. But how else can I claim travel (holiday) expenses on the business. My comments were very much "tongue in cheek" and I have the greatest respect for all those who have been to places I would just love to go and visit (especially if they can get funding)..
However we have got to devise systems that will work in the UK on our soils...what works for you on your chalk might not work on our heavy silty clays, and we are less than 100 miles apart. What works for Frederic Thomas in France won't be the same for us as we don't have as much sunshine..

 

[Dockers]

Good reply Jim. Way to GO !!

 

[The Ruminant]

Selwyn Richardson is still about ...last known working as an advisor to Severn-Trent.. Told my brother last summer to forget about trying to reduced our soil Magnesium levels as we will never be able to do it...just keep on pumping the OM (Sewage Sludge) and keep an eye on pH levels..sound advice.!

Sound advice???? A man working as an adviser for Severn Trent suggests you don't need to apply anything but sewage sludge. Remind me what Severn Trent are trying to flog to farmers.......

 

[Shutesy]

Selwyn gave a talk last autumn with the environment agency, he has boundless enthusiasm for soil structure, he also said forget cover crops on heavy land as they don't go together, keeping land wetter in spring instead of drying it out.

Oh he also said don't worry about global warming as we are overdue the next ice age anyway.

No doubt he knows what hes on about if hes that enthusiastic about soil but not bothering with cover crops on heavy land? Not sure I agree with that one, the benefits far outweigh the negatives imo.

 

[Brisel]

Sound advice???? A man working as an adviser for Severn Trent suggests you don't need to apply anything but sewage sludge. Remind me what Severn Trent are trying to flog to farmers.......

Of course he is singing for his supper he is hardly going to say "don't touch it" is he?

What's wrong with sewage anyway other than PTEs & the compaction from the spreaders/heaps?

 

[britt]

Of course he is singing for his supper he is hardly going to say "don't touch it" is he?

What's wrong with sewage anyway other than PTEs & the compaction from the spreaders/heaps?

The bigggest problem is that you are requiered to cultivate it in. Not much use in notill.

 

[Brisel]

The bigggest problem is that you are requiered to cultivate it in. Not much use in notill.

You can apply it to grass & have no requirement to incorporate it. The no till in arable is a bit of a grey area. No pun intended.