Farmer Focus: Glad to own machinery in wet drilling season

The clocks have gone back and the dark nights are here – but let’s be honest, it’s felt like winter for a while now.

This drilling season has been one of those where having your own equipment pays off.

Chasing the plough with the drill in between showers resulted in us slowly but surely getting through the work.

See also: NFU campaign demands political action on farm flooding

About the author

Tom Stable

Tom Stable and family, Ulverston, Cumbria, milk 300 Holsteins twice a day, producing milk for Arla and ice cream for their Cumbrian Cow brand. The 215ha operation, of which half is rented, grows grass, maize, and winter wheat. Cows average 10,800 litres.

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We have managed to drill 90% of the planned winter cereals. It’s all through and looking well.

We also snatched fifth cut on 17 October. About 20ha (49 acres) was still too wet to get to and will have to wait.

What we did chop wasn’t pretty, and neither were the fields afterwards. However, what’s done is done and there haven’t been any better opportunities since.

I’m glad we got the maize when we did, as ground conditions have been terrible since.

Our building project is nearing completion. It began in May when we knocked down the original concrete-framed cubicle building that had been standing for more than 50 years. 

Renewing the building was the final part of our conversion to sand cubicles, which began in 2018 and has seen us build a concrete slurry store and three new cubicle sheds.

We have also taken advantage of a Mid Tier grant to help cover the cost of the main cattle handling yard, which has allowed us to rejig the parlour exit and handling systems.

Having this under cover will be much better for man and beast – it ties all housing to the parlour and collecting yard.

All of these have been completed by J Thacker and Sons, who have been brilliant from start to finish.

This latest project has largely been completed by Rob and Andrew, who have been here for nearly six months now.

Their attention to detail and hard work has been much appreciated.

The cows have settled into their new home well. They went out for what I hope will be the last time on 28 September.

If forage stocks allow, I do not plan on grazing the milkers again.

I love seeing cows out at grass, but we have always struggled to maintain production and body condition while efficiently grazing the pasture we have available with our type of cows.