Will DD work for me?

[Jop]

Considering DD on our mixed farm in Devon. Current system is all plough based but we experimented last year with an Aitchison Grass Farmer to drill some crops of forage rape into burned off pasture which was relatively successful.

Historically cropping has been WW - WB - Maize. I am in process of changing this to something like a WW - WB - Swedes (for sheep) - Spring Wholecrop - 2 year grass ley. We also drill quite a bit of forage rape or stubble turnips on grass fields we want to reseed. Probably drill around 300 acres a year.

Cropping is only a small part of the business with the majority being beef and sheep, so we have lots of dung! Currently all cultivations and drilling work is completed by contractors. Our farm is not flat, we have variable soil types but on the whole it is free draining silty loam, the only problem being there are lots of stones. 60 inches of rain a year is the norm.

I have always been a livestock man and don't have much experience of cropping, it just seems mad to me that we start off with a perfect seedbed and then plough it! Then after multiple passes of various expensive machines we are back to where we started?! Also would be a good opportunity to take the work back in hand if we to go down the DD route.

Question is will direct drilling work in our situation, and if so what drill would suit us?

 

[SilliamWhale]

Yes it will work.

Id get a drill that doesnt need too much hp and keep drilling and subsoiling separate operations.

Dung can go on anytime

 

[Jerry]

@devonjames might be able to help @Devon James

 

[Jop]

Yes it will work.

Id get a drill that doesnt need too much hp and keep drilling and subsoiling separate operations.

Dung can go on anytime

Disk or tine drill? Or does it not really matter. Only have 130hp available so needs to be easy to pull. Also for drilling swedes I would like to be able to go down to 0.5kg per acre although I could perhaps bulk the seed up with fertiliser or something similar.

 

[Fuzzy]

Aitchison is probably the best drill for you, low hp requirement and ideal for drilling into pasture.

 

[Gregory Mac]

Aitchison is probably the best drill for you, low hp requirement and ideal for drilling into pasture.

That is if you don't want to drill in heavy trash, then you need a disc drill.

 

[Devon James]

@devonjames might be able to help @Devon James

Thanks Jerry for the tag.
We would establish crops for similar farms to yours @Jop ; winter and spring barley, stubble turnips then back to grass. Steep fields and the reduction in soil erosion is pleasing. And you are right, why plough the seedbed in under when its perfectly good to start with!

 

[Jop]

Aitchison is probably the best drill for you, low hp requirement and ideal for drilling into pasture.

That is my thought, would be handy to have a drill with the ability to follow contours but I guess these would be leveled out after after a few years of using the drill.

That is if you don't want to drill in heavy trash, then you need a disc drill.

This would be a concern following some forage crops that leave a lot of stalk behind, although I am sure there would be a way around this!

Thanks Jerry for the tag.
We would establish crops for similar farms to yours @Jop ; winter and spring barley, stubble turnips then back to grass. Steep fields and the reduction in soil erosion is pleasing. And you are right, why plough the seedbed in under when its perfectly good to start with!

Where abouts are you based @Devon James ?

 

[Devon James]

@Jop near Crediton/Exeter, but have worked with the drill to north at Taunton, and south devon.
Have wheels will travel!
Can show you some crops etc if would like to

 

[Bury the Trash]

@Jop near Crediton/Exeter, but have worked with the drill to north at Taunton, and south devon.
Have wheels will travel!
Can show you some crops etc if would like to

Just up the way .. after maize ? anyway - it looks pretty good from the road,.... especially, considering the constant wet probably since it was drilled.

 

[Devon James]

Im thinking where you mean now?! Yeah we had a nice long season back on october/november. Soil stayed warm.

 

[Clive]

short answer is I think it works for anyone with the right attitude towards change

 

[Sandy]

short answer is I think it works for anyone with the right attitude towards change

What about the cold NE of Scotland delayed sowing until it warms up in the spring could mean May before soils are warm enough?

 

[Clive]

What about the cold NE of Scotland delayed sowing until it warms up in the spring could mean May before soils are warm enough?

dunno - never tried it !!

but I would have a go and approach it with the attitude I would at least try to find a way to make it work

that's the thing with zero-till, there is no blueprint, you have learn and understand it and then adapt it to your situation

 

[Jim Bullock]

What about the cold NE of Scotland delayed sowing until it warms up in the spring could mean May before soils are warm enough?

Direct drilling seems to work well in Finland and Canada, but I suppose it can be argued that they do freeze up in winter so helping with surface soil structure.
Spending the weekend in Fife all seems to be ploughed and there are areas of serious soil erosion. It looks like land in need of cover crops and reduced tillage.

 

[Sandy]

Direct drilling seems to work well in Finland and Canada, but I suppose it can be argued that they do freeze up in winter so helping with surface soil structure.
Spending the weekend in Fife all seems to be ploughed and there are areas of serious soil erosion. It looks like land in need of cover crops and reduced tillage.

Yes agree overwintering ploughed ground can cause soil erosion flash floods are the main cause then the wind picks up in the spring and it blows away. I've just got to pick a drill/system and get on with it. @Knockie

 

[Jop]

@Jop near Crediton/Exeter, but have worked with the drill to north at Taunton, and south devon.
Have wheels will travel!
Can show you some crops etc if would like to

Ok thanks might take you up on that later in the year! We are based near Tavistock which might be too far to travel. You drilling with a claydon?

 

[Jop]

Are there many people direct drilling after forage crops such as swedes? Obviously at the moment the sheep are making a mess grazing them and wonder whether the ground would need ploughing to correct the damage the sheep make. Or is it possible to correct the damage with a subsoiler?

 

[Douglasmn]

Are there many people direct drilling after forage crops such as swedes? Obviously at the moment the sheep are making a mess grazing them and wonder whether the ground would need ploughing to correct the damage the sheep make. Or is it possible to correct the damage with a subsoiler?

How much actual damage do sheep really do to the soil? They are fairly light, nothing like a tractor or a combine. Surely they're affecting the top 2/3 inches at the most. Your plough and subsoiler go far deeper than that. Define damage...yes they leave the surface looking a bit poached but then they've given you a spread of muck without the 25 ton spreader!!

 

[rob1]

How much actual damage do sheep really do to the soil? They are fairly light, nothing like a tractor or a combine. Surely they're affecting the top 2/3 inches at the most. Your plough and subsoiler go far deeper than that. Define damage...yes they leave the surface looking a bit poached but then they've given you a spread of muck without the 25 ton spreader!!

Have DD the last three years after sheep and we are wet land, not seen any difference in the crops between stubbles grazed and those not grazed