One of the highest pressure readings on the barometer since 1957, so I was informed earlier this week. Down here in the south of England it bought with it a strange apparition in the sky. Apparently it’s called the sun. However, it didn’t hang around for long and has now sadly gone again. With it came a few days of frost, which allowed us to … Continue reading Frost brings a rare outing for the tractors.
In farming, my motto is to never look back unless you have something to learn from it. However on a personal note, I have some wonderful family memories from the last decade, including my daughter’s wedding and the subsequent arrival of 2 grandchildren. My son left university with a first, successfully starting up his own business and then last Christmas got engaged. Visiting New Zealand … Continue reading Looking forward to 2020
I have tried hard to avoid any reference to politics whilst the general election was in progress, but thankfully it is now over and we can all move on. Three flawed leaders from the main parties fought to win our votes over the last few weeks. I spoke to quite a few people before polling, who simply did not know who to vote for and … Continue reading Seed lies rotting in the field whilst Boris roasts the opposition.
Even my faithful assistant Paddy is starting to get fed up with looking for signs of life in our wet seedbeds. Depending on soil type, what we have sown so far is taking anywhere between 3 to 5 weeks to emerge. The hybrid barley, as in the above photo, seems to take longer than the wheat. On the clay cap areas, particularly in the barley, … Continue reading Is there life down there?
Wheat direct drilled into winter linseed stubble on some of the gravel is just starting to poke through the ground. Even on the more friendly soil, we have had problems in fully closing the slot this time. Normally the John Deere 750A drill would be followed up by the ring rolls, but not this year. We have managed to get 80% of our winter barley … Continue reading Green shoots
74 ha of wheat and 91ha of winter barley have been moved from the bag to the soil. I hesitate to use the words drill or sow because that might indicate a successful outcome. A massive compromise better describes the week’s activities, but at least we are making some progress. Not being able to fully close the slot in places and no follow up with … Continue reading On we plod.
The weather forecast was for a much better week. However, apart from a lovely day on Tuesday it failed to deliver. Never the less we have at last been able to make a start. The hybrid winter barley was due to go in the ground in early October, but torrential rain put paid to that. We do have a few fields which are a clay … Continue reading Made a start, but it’s still raining!
