Arable Farmer Focus: David Shepherdson on the grain trade lottery
With the clocks having gone back, the short, dark days have returned. Thankfully, all the drilling is done and the crops are looking well, with the last few fields of wheat coming through.
A couple of fields of barley, which are fairly forward, got caught by a nasty hard frost in October. It turned them an ugly shade of yellow, but I’m sure they will make a full recovery by the spring. The oilseed rape is looking well and it will get a fungicide spray of 0.5 litres/ha of Prosaro (tebuconazole + prothioconazole) to see it through the winter.
The last of the wheat and the spring barley is trickling through our old corn dryer with loads of wheat leaving the farm monthly on our “little and often” sales policy. The spring barley is ending up on the same heap as the winter barley and will be heading for feed. With prices where they are and high nitrogen levels, it didn’t add up to take a risk sending it for malting and risking penalties, possibly making it worth less than the feed prices on offer.
It’s times like this when you are left constantly scratching your head about when you should sell, not only the grain in the barn, but that which is in the ground for next autumn. If you lock into a price now you could find its value has risen by autumn. The grain trade is truly becoming a lottery.
Alas, after three years the time has come to hand my pen over as I finish this last article. I have really enjoyed writing these monthly jottings. The feedback via email has been most appreciated. For the future of Ruston Farm, who knows, hopefully one day, one of my own children will want to join the farm. We can, but give them the opportunity.
