Tidy Fields

[Martin Holden]

Driving through Scotland yesterday and today reminds me that it always seems that fields look tidier up here than in other parts of the UK admittedly they are still on some Spring cereal harvesting so both fresh round and square bales out in the fields but they all appear neat and equally spaced. Maybe it’s the topography but farming up here always seems neater somehow.

 

[solo]

I was up in the borders near Kelso just before harvest and thought that the farming in general was all kept neat and tidy. Crops were weed free as were the grass fields. The villages also seemed less developed than round here in the commuter belt. It was a pleasure to speak to locals too. Genuine people without all the pretences I am used to seeing around home.

 

[Danllan]

I must admit that as far as fields go, this does seem so; doesn't always extrapolate to yards though...

 

[briona112]

Heatwave brings wind turbines to standstill and causes gas plants to struggle.
This was last year it could be the same this year

shell shockers​

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

Driving through Scotland yesterday and today reminds me that it always seems that fields look tidier up here than in other parts of the UK admittedly they are still on some Spring cereal harvesting so both fresh round and square bales out in the fields but they all appear neat and equally spaced. Maybe it’s the topography but farming up here always seems neater somehow.

Don't they have some massive advantage that dry stone dykes don't grow in an unruly way like hedges, which now only get trimmed every three years, obscuring the view of my weed free (in my dreams) pastures

 

[Yale]

It’s just the Scottish are too tight to waste a square inch.

 

[Bill dog]

It’s just the Scottish are too tight to waste a square inch.

Yep !

 

[Chae1]

Driving through Scotland yesterday and today reminds me that it always seems that fields look tidier up here than in other parts of the UK admittedly they are still on some Spring cereal harvesting so both fresh round and square bales out in the fields but they all appear neat and equally spaced. Maybe it’s the topography but farming up here always seems neater somehow.

Yeah Nicola encourages tidy fields.

 

[Martin Holden]

Yeah Nicola encourages tidy fields.

Do you get extra points for this then from her???

 

[icanshootwell]

Do you get extra points for this then from her???

I heard her bush is kept neat!!

 

[warksfarmer]

Driving through Scotland yesterday and today reminds me that it always seems that fields look tidier up here than in other parts of the UK admittedly they are still on some Spring cereal harvesting so both fresh round and square bales out in the fields but they all appear neat and equally spaced. Maybe it’s the topography but farming up here always seems neater somehow.

Less weed burden as they never really went down the min till route which has ruined English farms in my view. Min till increases the weed burden by mixing it through about 12 inches of top soil meaning every year you bring up fresh and germinate them which then ultimately makes herbicides in affective.

The Scots co tinted to plough and combi drill altering the plough depth carefully so not to bring up buried seeds from the previous year.

Some family friends have a 5 year ploughing cycle which they strictly adhere to. It goes Year 1 - 14 inches, year 2 12 inches, year 3 10 inches, year 4 8 inches, year 5 shallow plough and then back to 14 inches. It means that what they buried in year 1 at 14 inches stays buried for 5 full years which is acknowledged to kill most weeds.

They do however generally have nice soil that ploughs properly which helps massively.

 

[ajd132]

I think there’s a balance, ridiculously tidy farms with perfect box hedges and margins that are mown 3 times of year are devoid of wildlife

 

[bobajob]

Generally bigger farms north of the border with less urban sprawl and pony paddocks full of ragwort !.
Most/ a lot of farmers take a pride in their farms.

 

[toquark]

Driving through Scotland yesterday and today reminds me that it always seems that fields look tidier up here than in other parts of the UK admittedly they are still on some Spring cereal harvesting so both fresh round and square bales out in the fields but they all appear neat and equally spaced. Maybe it’s the topography but farming up here always seems neater somehow.

Not sure on where you were but we’ve had a glorious warm summer and very dry year generally in the SW which has certainly helped matters. I was thinking the other day that the countryside was looking in fine fettle, no poached up field corners, no chewed up gateways and margins, no flattened crops, steady grass growth and stock looking great. It’s been a fine year to be at the job really.

 

[Bill the Bass]

I think there’s a balance, ridiculously tidy farms with perfect box hedges and margins that are mown 3 times of year are devoid of wildlife

You say that but I would wager that Scotland is far, far more biodiverse than the south east of England

 

[ajd132]

You say that but I would wager that Scotland is far, far more biodiverse than the south east of England

I was just talking generally around here. I have farms where the owners like them pristine and some where they like some wild areas and let hedges go abit.

 

[Bill the Bass]

I was just talking generally around here. I have farms where the owners like them pristine and some where they like some wild areas and let hedges go abit.

Fair do’s. Always intrigued by this, do you tailor your farming to suit the client or do you operate in a way that attracts a certain ‘clientele’?

 

[ajd132]

Fair do’s. Always intrigued by this, do you tailor your farming to suit the client or do you operate in a way that attracts a certain ‘clientele’?

On many contracting farming agreements stuf like the hedges, looking after field margins etc etc is not part of it. So we have some like to leave stuff flowering for ages and setting seed and some which like to mow a couple of times and keep hedges short and neat. Obviously we can do this stuff but it’s an additional cost.
in terms of farming most of them let us get on with it!