The East of England Looks Exceptionally Well

[Frank-the-Wool]

Having just had a few days away and driven from East Sussex via Lincoln to the North York Moors I cannot remember when I last saw all the crops looking so well over such a large area.
Where have all the livestock gone though? Driving up to Scarborough I hardly saw an animal, with just a few on the edges of the Wolds.

I walked some way up the Cleveland Way and the crops, especially the OSR looked fantastic on what looks to be some fairly marginal land. I would totally agree about the farmland bird thread as they are plentiful along the coastal section going up to Whitby. Even saw some good broods of young pheasants up to 10 thrush sized chicks. The Buzzards and Kites obviously not bothering them and very little sign of Badgers.
Lots of flowers and grasses for the insects and loads of Cinnabar moths and various butterflies.

The only area where the crops looked a little stressed was through Nottinghamshire with irrigators going on potatoes. There will be some very big straw crops in the eastern counties, some parts of Essex had suffered from the heavy rain on the winter barley. I doubt any Barley will be ready unless we have a heat wave before the end of July as it is all very green.

 

[Clive]

my drive to Groundswell reminded me how good the east is at growing black-grass !

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

" very little sign of Badgers "
We are stocked at 3 badgers an acre here !

 

[yellowbelly]

Having just had a few days away and driven from East Sussex via Lincoln to the North York Moors I cannot remember when I last saw all the crops looking so well over such a large area.
Where have all the livestock gone though? Driving up to Scarborough I hardly saw an animal, with just a few on the edges of the Wolds.

I walked some way up the Cleveland Way and the crops, especially the OSR looked fantastic on what looks to be some fairly marginal land. I would totally agree about the farmland bird thread as they are plentiful along the coastal section going up to Whitby. Even saw some good broods of young pheasants up to 10 thrush sized chicks. The Buzzards and Kites obviously not bothering them and very little sign of Badgers.
Lots of flowers and grasses for the insects and loads of Cinnabar moths and various butterflies.

The only area where the crops looked a little stressed was through Nottinghamshire with irrigators going on potatoes. There will be some very big straw crops in the eastern counties, some parts of Essex had suffered from the heavy rain on the winter barley. I doubt any Barley will be ready unless we have a heat wave before the end of July as it is all very green.

Ever thought of writing a book Frank

...........it's about time it was brought into the 21st century

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

I don't have the time sadly!

 

[Tarw Coch]

I have been thinking similar after journeys from the welsh border up through Cheshire and Yorkshire over to Lincolnshire and down to Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.
The country looks bloody marvellous, where is all this farmers are destroying the environment you hear about?

 

[Lincs Lass]

There's an odd buzzard in North lincs but certainly no red kites

 

[JP1]

Having just had a few days away and driven from East Sussex via Lincoln to the North York Moors I cannot remember when I last saw all the crops looking so well over such a large area.
Where have all the livestock gone though? Driving up to Scarborough I hardly saw an animal, with just a few on the edges of the Wolds.

I walked some way up the Cleveland Way and the crops, especially the OSR looked fantastic on what looks to be some fairly marginal land. I would totally agree about the farmland bird thread as they are plentiful along the coastal section going up to Whitby. Even saw some good broods of young pheasants up to 10 thrush sized chicks. The Buzzards and Kites obviously not bothering them and very little sign of Badgers.
Lots of flowers and grasses for the insects and loads of Cinnabar moths and various butterflies.

The only area where the crops looked a little stressed was through Nottinghamshire with irrigators going on potatoes. There will be some very big straw crops in the eastern counties, some parts of Essex had suffered from the heavy rain on the winter barley. I doubt any Barley will be ready unless we have a heat wave before the end of July as it is all very green.

Friends came down from near J36 M6 down the A1 and remarked how they never saw an animal from about the M18 until they got in to my village

The rains mean an absolute abundance of grass and all the stock looking really well. It just shows loking back how my cattle een extensively stocked can be on maintenance rations due to ground conditions many late springs

 

[yellowbelly]

There's an odd buzzard in North lincs but certainly no red kites

I'd say there's a lot of Buzzards...... and a Red Kite was spotted by brother in law at Elsham last week.

 

[Lincs Lass]

I'd say there's a lot of Buzzards...... and a Red Kite was spotted by brother in law at Elsham last week.

I've seen two buzzards just up the road,,transformer poll makes a good look out

 

[Ramrod]

The East of England Looks Exceptionally Well
It did in 2012, remember that harvest?

 

[Wolds Beef]

@yellowbelly I reckon I spotted a Red Kite here in the Winceby Valley's a couple of days ago. I also have a Buzzard Pair here!!
WB

 

[7610 super q]

Nice try, but sheds are empty.

 

[Hindsight]

Having just had a few days away and driven from East Sussex via Lincoln to the North York Moors I cannot remember when I last saw all the crops looking so well over such a large area.
Where have all the livestock gone though? Driving up to Scarborough I hardly saw an animal, with just a few on the edges of the Wolds.

I walked some way up the Cleveland Way and the crops, especially the OSR looked fantastic on what looks to be some fairly marginal land. I would totally agree about the farmland bird thread as they are plentiful along the coastal section going up to Whitby. Even saw some good broods of young pheasants up to 10 thrush sized chicks. The Buzzards and Kites obviously not bothering them and very little sign of Badgers.
Lots of flowers and grasses for the insects and loads of Cinnabar moths and various butterflies.

The only area where the crops looked a little stressed was through Nottinghamshire with irrigators going on potatoes. There will be some very big straw crops in the eastern counties, some parts of Essex had suffered from the heavy rain on the winter barley. I doubt any Barley will be ready unless we have a heat wave before the end of July as it is all very green.

Means nothing. Need Sun and lots of it. Poor grain fill today and for several days - grey lack of radiation.

 

[Wolds Beef]

What other industry would shoot itself in the foot!! Long while to harvest and it could be a poor one everything depends on the weather!. The costs are rising so keep b####Y quiet.
WB

 

[Robt]

I have to agree. Living on the Suffolk coast on some free draining sand. The crops have never looked so good. We seem to have 3-4 days of warm sun then 2 days of rain just lately. Excellent growing weather!