Photo of the Week: Sunflower season in County Tyrone
© Photography by Gabrielle Thank you to Lynsey Evans for this shot of sunflowers thriving in Newtownstewart, County Tyrone.
The farm has been planting sunflowers since 2020 for the family to enjoy and for the benefit of the wildlife, insects and bees on the farm.
See more: Could sunflowers be grown on more UK farms?
“Two years ago, we grew them for charity to help raise funds for a friend’s cancer treatment,” Lynsey explains.
“The sunflowers have been great for everyone, bringing a smile to everyone who sees them.”
The arable enterprise encompasses winter barley, oilseed rape and spring barley this year.
The winter barley and oilseed rape is all harvested and baled but, like everyone it has been a constant battle with the weather.
“Our spring barley harvest hasn’t started yet, the very wet spring has left the crop even later than usual,” Lynsey adds, but is hopeful the crop will be harvested in early September.
“We’re also waiting on weather to get next year’s oilseed rape planted but that is proving difficult also, with the constant rain.
“If it doesn’t improve we may have to change our rotation.
“On the upside yields have been respectable with oilseed rape doing around 1.6t/acre and winter barley doing 3t/acre.”
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