This time of year always brings the excitement of LAMMA. I always write a list of the things I would like to see/investigate further.
This year it was incorporating liquid fertiliser placement at every coulter with a single disc drill, and straw rakes. Well the straw rakes were relatively easy, the main decision being whether a red or yellow one would better suit a green tractor. The fertiliser placement is still a bit of an impossible mystery, so any answers on a postcard.
It is with great excitement that the new drier is currently being installed, if only because it means I get the yard back from lots of pallets of shiny components. When purchasing the system there was the option of self installation, which I embarrassingly considered as a way of minimising costs, but in the end I opted for the professionals. From my lay observations, there does seem a little more complexity involved than the giant Meccano set I had envisaged.
With the rain steadily falling outside, I am not sure whether I would appreciate a wet or dry harvest more. A wet harvest would allow me to use my new toy, whereas a dry harvest will leave me feeling a little hollow after such a substantial investment. I think I may still lean towards a dry harvest though.
Looking forward to some warm weather, I recently went to our local medical centre to get some malaria tablets for our trip to the Gambia. Where upon I was told by the nurse that there were numerous diseases and viruses just waiting to kill me, so I needed a multitude of injections. Well from what I could make out, the only things that I wasn't now protected from was flea beetle and barley yellow dwarf virus. As I headed home with arms like a pincushion, and walking like an armadillo with a hip replacement, a "staycation" did seem a more painless option!
Farmer Focus: Will Howe
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