Cambridgeshire-based Philip Bradshawgrows cereals, sugar beet
and potatoes on about 300ha (740 acres) fenland and other soil
types from Flegcroft Farm, Whittlesey
We are pleased with the results from our first sugar beet
lifting. About half the crop was lifted on a rainy mid-November
morning and temporarily clamped. Much has been delivered and with
sugar contents averaging 19.5%, the yield should be around
60t/ha.
Given the poor establishment following an over-wintered stubble,
it is better than we dared hope for. I will have to be vigilant
with wheat bulb fly next year which may have enjoyed the areas of
bare soil for egg-laying over this summer.
Unfortunately, the rain made the top of the soil very wet, and
the plough had to be used to bring some dry soil up, which then
needed further cultivation and consolidation before drilling the
following wheat crop.
Storms and winds have been commonplace, holding up a few
outstanding lime/fertiliser spreading and spraying jobs.
Lack of weed germination in stale seedbeds means some Atlantis
spraying is now needed on wheat, and some OSR is awaiting a further
fungicide.
I was fortunate to attend the
NFU tenants' conference at
Chatsworth House recently. I normally have a short attention span
at such events, but this was a useful meeting, with interesting
speakers and plenty of debate in the question-and-answer
sessions.
It was clear from listening to other delegates that the wider
issues of new entrants and retirement/succession are important. But
there are still problems with poor profitability and legislative
pressures that need to be addressed.
I was very pleased to see the event was inclusive, with, among
others, representations from the CLA and TFA. It has long been my
belief that farmer organisations have too much overlap which wastes
precious resources.
It is essential that the current spirit of collaboration between
them is encouraged and developed.
