Stone Fork Has Unique Crowd Action

Location
Ross
Thanks everyone, I've highlighted the comments to Mike and to confirm this is an article from a few years ago in the magazine, so you will have seen it before if you already subscribe.
 

Martin Holden

Member
Trade
Location
Cheltenham
Mike is the only ag journo I will talk with - every other time I have been interviewed they seem to take no notice and write what they want to the point I refuse to let them publish it with my name in it !
Clive you may have to "eat your words" to some extent when you get your mag up and running. Manufacturers can take a different view to the "reported" views and comments about their product. Of course we all believe we have good products and to be frank, the days of lousy products have long since gone. I recall many products from 20-30 years ago that wouldn't be accepted; in fact rejected today and probably rightly so. I think the bigger issue is not the actual brand v brand, more the practice v practice as in your case it's DD v min till v conventional till. You'll find "balance" is a difficult thing to attain but I do look forward to reading it. Spoke to a fellow TFF member in Pembroke last week who was amazed I followed the DD sections of the forum! Even discussed good old sillaimwhale or what ever he goes as. Got to say the DD section seems to have a lot of common sense and reasoned passion. That said I did for my sins get involved in the mid '70's with Bettison 3D drills and International cultivator drills - but the biggest secret or common denominator was the box of matches for the burn! Great fun but ludicrously dangerous from my memory. (I admit to burning some hedges and a few telegraph poles during this period, but the lasting memories were the plumes of smoke and ash drifting across A roads!) But the result was perfect for DD unless you were on brash soil. Eventually you had to plough the stones back in. Still healthy debate is a good thing! Not everyone agrees so that in itself is also good.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Clive you may have to "eat your words" to some extent when you get your mag up and running. Manufacturers can take a different view to the "reported" views and comments about their product. Of course we all believe we have good products and to be frank, the days of lousy products have long since gone. I recall many products from 20-30 years ago that wouldn't be accepted; in fact rejected today and probably rightly so. I think the bigger issue is not the actual brand v brand, more the practice v practice as in your case it's DD v min till v conventional till. You'll find "balance" is a difficult thing to attain but I do look forward to reading it. Spoke to a fellow TFF member in Pembroke last week who was amazed I followed the DD sections of the forum! Even discussed good old sillaimwhale or what ever he goes as. Got to say the DD section seems to have a lot of common sense and reasoned passion. That said I did for my sins get involved in the mid '70's with Bettison 3D drills and International cultivator drills - but the biggest secret or common denominator was the box of matches for the burn! Great fun but ludicrously dangerous from my memory. (I admit to burning some hedges and a few telegraph poles during this period, but the lasting memories were the plumes of smoke and ash drifting across A roads!) But the result was perfect for DD unless you were on brash soil. Eventually you had to plough the stones back in. Still healthy debate is a good thing! Not everyone agrees so that in itself is also good.

I've effectively been a (accidental) publisher for 3 years now - this website is a publication and being involved with it has only strengthened my believe that most Ag journalism is rubbish, bias and engineered to suit agenda making me more determined that a quality and independent alternative should exist.

There are good an bad products out there still in our industry, the only difference these days is there is no place to hide ! honesty pays though and its seems there is a big appetite from farmers for the kind quality, independent and honest information that publications like Practical Farm ideas, TFF and in the future I hope Direct Driller magazine will provide and I won't be selling out of those principles anytime soon
 

Martin Holden

Member
Trade
Location
Cheltenham
I've effectively been a (accidental) publisher for 3 years now - this website is a publication and being involved with it has only strengthened my believe that most Ag journalism is rubbish, bias and engineered to suit agenda making me more determined that a quality and independent alternative should exist.

There are good an bad products out there still in our industry, the only difference these days is there is no place to hide ! honesty pays though and its seems there is a big appetite from farmers for the kind quality, independent and honest information that publications like Practical Farm ideas, TFF and in the future I hope Direct Driller magazine will provide and I won't be selling out of those principles anytime soon

Wow harsh words but hey! You're entitled to an opinion. Sure many of the regular publications are in bigger group hands and have interests beyond their specific publications. Striking the right balance between good editorial whether this is direct customer stories or edited articles isn't easy. That said some achieve this more than others. I look forward to seeing the first DD (may I sign up for it or is the trade not allowed?) to see how you actually do it. By the way your system is a mod'd JD drill isn't it? So you're not even making a tilled seed slot as do the strip till drills - correct?
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Wow harsh words but hey! You're entitled to an opinion. Sure many of the regular publications are in bigger group hands and have interests beyond their specific publications. Striking the right balance between good editorial whether this is direct customer stories or edited articles isn't easy. That said some achieve this more than others. I look forward to seeing the first DD (may I sign up for it or is the trade not allowed?) to see how you actually do it. By the way your system is a mod'd JD drill isn't it? So you're not even making a tilled seed slot as do the strip till drills - correct?

Not meant to be harsh, just how I see the majority of Ag media through my farmers eyes.

There are exceptions, Practical farm Ideas certainly being one, Mikes quality and useful journalism stands out a mile to me, I can't help feel the reason for this is his independence, what he writes is never trying to sell anything and I hope Direct Driller can be as good, with him as editor I certainly stands a good chance IMO

My farm is zero-till yes, a farm modified 750a

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/clives-750a-chop-shop-pimp-my-drill.48812/

and a farm modified Horsch tine drill

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/my-new-drill-pimpmydrill-part-2.94490/

Both are working very well for us, one cost a lot of money and the other cost buttons, between them they give us a lot of capacity and a very efficient and profitable farming system that is a lot less dependent on bought in inputs and nicely set up to survive farming without EU subs in the future
 
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I am thinking of making something like this for a 4 ton lift telescopic. Want it to get big stones out and rake up brash, small trees. What should i use for tines? Proper tines or heavy mild steel bar. Maybe 100mm round bar.
 
I am thinking of making something like this for a 4 ton lift telescopic. Want it to get big stones out and rake up brash, small trees. What should i use for tines? Proper tines or heavy mild steel bar. Maybe 100mm round bar.
Get some hardox ones cut out and make a "double tine" for the end ones or two close together with a filler plate in it so when you stick under something fast with end of fork you don't bend tine
 

Nearly

Member
Location
North of York
Sorry to resurrect a old post but what was your silage clamp tyre storage innovation?
There was a lean to on the side of the indoor silage clamp and we made a 4' wide shelf on top of the wall, hanging over the cattle area under the lean-to. It had a mesh floor and a handrail too. It was very posh. :cool:
 

Turboman

Member
Location
N.I.
I know the guy that made that hydraulic top link , for the record I think he bought a basic kverneland stone fork and made the top link. A standard hydraulic top link is too long to crowd back and too short to tip the stones off with no fuss. The same guy has made a yard full of inventions!
 

Chris F

Staff Member
Media
Location
Hammerwich
Wow harsh words but hey! You're entitled to an opinion. Sure many of the regular publications are in bigger group hands and have interests beyond their specific publications. Striking the right balance between good editorial whether this is direct customer stories or edited articles isn't easy. That said some achieve this more than others. I look forward to seeing the first DD (may I sign up for it or is the trade not allowed?) to see how you actually do it. By the way your system is a mod'd JD drill isn't it? So you're not even making a tilled seed slot as do the strip till drills - correct?

So @Martin Holden did you like Issue 1 of Direct Driller? It was a lot harder than expected, you were right there!
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 35.0%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 28 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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