Arable Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer focus: An autumn to lift the spiritsApologies should be handed out sparingly, which is why I’m not about to row back on what I said in my previous piece about the prevailing pessimism in the farming… FARMER FOCUSFarmer focus: Long-standing questions on variety trialsLast year’s winter wheat drilling was a stressful affair, full of uncertainty about whether to start or hold off, and then a period wondering whether anything would come up at… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Good progress in a surprisingly smooth autumnThis autumn has been one of the easiest I can remember. I began drilling on 7 October, about three weeks earlier than usual. It would have been even earlier, but… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Harry adds to the positive outlookWhat an October it has been. With all the current financial and political gloom surrounding British agriculture, I thought readers might welcome a little positivity. The weather this autumn in… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: It’s tempting to not plant, but we’re farmersWe’re a month ahead of last year. That felt good to write. We are drilled up, just had 15mm of rain after a dry spell, and have 12ha of potatoes… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Too much N is an 'eat me' sign to aphidsWhat a beautiful month October has been so far. This reminds me of Octobers as a young boy, helping lift potatoes and sugar beet. I would be getting machines ready… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Second wheats replaced with lower input triticaleWe’re fortunate enough not to suffer from any major issues with blackgrass, something I like to think is the result of having a mixed rotation. We also don’t have a… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: There’s been massive change in our systemIt’s 20 years since I finished college and started full-time farming, and I’ve seen massive change in our “farming system”. Back then, a large amount of land was in continuous… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Winter barley looks great despite weed pressureThis autumn has been a relaxed affair. We started drilling the winter barley on 22 September and it is all up in rows. We drilled our cleanest fields of wheat… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Autumn sowing is done and dustedAll is now safely in the ground with no compromises due to the weather. Many things can still go wrong before harvest is complete, but it’s encouraging to feel one… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Drilling ends and storms beginApparently, in the words of a famous Cambridgeshire YouTuber and farmer (James Peck), October drilling is for losers. Well, I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but we did… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Drilling finished with near perfect seed-bedsAnd just like that September has been and gone. Autumn drilling will be completed soon and conditions have been excellent for autumn cereals – seed-beds have been near perfect. Unfortunately,… More articles
