A dry, mild winter has resulted in ideal conditions for drilling on some soils and arable farmers are not wasting the opportunity get their beans and barley in the ground as well as some early fertiliser.

Yesterday (21 February) saw the warmest February day ever in Scotland with a temperature of 18.3C in Aberdeenshire.

It is a far cry from last year when drills were still locked firmly in the shed as the Beast from the East arrived on this day (22 February) last year.

See also: A round-up of enhanced urea fertilisers and additives

Agronomist Eddie Pissarro who looks after crops Essex/Suffolk can’t believe it is February, given the dry conditions.

https://twitter.com/EddiePisso/status/1098660134694387718

Likewise, Phil Burrell says it is “almost unreal conditions for spring barley drilling on marsh land in February”.

Almost unreal conditions for spring barley drilling on marsh land in February pic.twitter.com/ljj9Qh03K5

— Phil Burrell (@cricketandcrops) February 21, 2019

Spring barley drilling is also underway for Michael Balls in Suffolk who is hoping for a kind March.

Spring barley going in well, let’s hope early March is kind to us pic.twitter.com/syZQhA6yGu

— Michael Balls (@Michaelballs77) February 21, 2019

David Walston is applying liquid fertiliser to spring barley in Cambridgeshire that is looking great in the sun (if you ignore the hare coursing tracks).

Spring barley looking great in the sun (if you ignore hare coursing tracks). @HORSCHUK Leeb performing flawlessly at 25kph, 200l/ha at 2bar, 60ha/hr. Time to spare for Twitter. pic.twitter.com/h7Buo8hWhG

— David Walston (@OOOfarmer) February 21, 2019

Somerset farmer Richard Payne is drilling beans and says they are sitting in a lovely crumb 3in down, following cover crop grazed off by sheep.

In for a penny, in for a pound. Zero-ish till beans going in at Heathfield. A touch sticky on top, but the beans are sitting in a lovely crumb, 3” down. This is following four different cover crops, all grazed off by sheep. @AHDB_Cereals @BourgaultVos @agronomyjohn @AgriiUK pic.twitter.com/PflJKjAMWg

— Richard Payne (@richardpayne94) February 21, 2019

Further north near Stokesley, North Yorkshire, beans are being variably drilled into perfect seed-beds.

Drilling variable rate #beans in perfect conditions today + @CLAAS_Eastern @Amazone at Stokesley, North Yorkshire. #precisionagriculture #precisionag pic.twitter.com/bjWWZdIQLe

— SOYL precision (@SOYLprecision) February 21, 2019

Over in Wiltshire, Roger Wilson is applying the first split of nitrogen to his winter barley.

First N on our winter barley. 46 days sooner than spring (did we have one?) 2028. No rutted tramlines just a little sticky on heavier soils😎#ahdb#monitorfarm #cffertilisers pic.twitter.com/FvGXvbFHs4

— Roger Wilson (@loweroddfarm) February 20, 2019

And finally, the mild weather brings the inevitable fog and autosteer is proving to be valuable for James Alexander drilling spring barley in Oxfordshire while being unable to see the other end of the field.

I’m glad we save all our ab lines!!! #fog #springdrilling pic.twitter.com/lkTFxZZPuz

— James Alexander (@FarmerJamesPA) February 22, 2019