Over the Hedge - Arable Barometer farmers' diary

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• Andrew Blenkiron
• andy barr
• barley
• Beans
• beetroot
• blossom midge
• Chris Moore
• Clive Patrick
• Countryside Stewardship
• Dorset
• Drilling
• East
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• Gordon Brown
• Grain store
• haircut
• Ian Bird
• James Wray
• Midlands
• Mike Eagers
• N Ireland
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• NVZ
• Oilseed rape
• OSR
• Peter Snell
• rhizobium
• Scotland
• south
• South-west
• spraying
• Sugar beet
• Timber
• Tipple
• Tony Reynolds
• west
• Wheat

• Cereals 2008 gives Andy Barr plenty to think about

  A noisy night in a Travelodge only 10m from the A1 on the way to Cereals 2008 further confirmed to me how lucky I am to live in a rural setting - well rural for Kent anyway. At the event I was fascinated by a visit to the Soil Solutions stand. Here they... Posted Jun 24 2008, 03:46 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: andy barr, Barometer, south

• Blossom midge watch underway in Dorset

  I've just been out again looking for orange blossom midge, writes Peter Snell from North Farm, Horton, Dorset. It was a calm, dry and cool evening and there were a few about but nowhere near the one in three threshold our feed wheats require to justify... Posted Jun 05 2008, 09:53 AM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: barley, Barometer, blossom midge, Peter Snell, South-west, Timber, Tipple, Wheat

• T1 spraying tricky for Peter Snell

  T0 treatments at North Farm, Horton, Dorset all went on within five days and in good spraying conditions, writes Peter Snell. In contrast T1 sprays have been sporadic. The weather has been against us and the difference between the growth stages of Timber... Posted Apr 30 2008, 12:33 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, Gordon Brown, Peter Snell, South-west, spraying

• Fertiliser meeting figues worry Andy Barr

  We're progressing with T1 wheat and mid-flowering oilseed rape sprays, writes Andy Barr from East Lenham Farm near Maidstone, Kent. It's finally getting warmer and allowing the spring rape and spring barley to grow, and the latter will hopefully... Posted Apr 28 2008, 07:17 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: andy barr, Barometer, Fertiliser, rhizobium, south

• Beetroot sowing delay in Lincs

  Drilling of beetroot, the key crop at Fleet Farm, West Butterwick near Scunthorpe, Lincs started only yesterday - a fortnight later than Chris Moore had hoped. But he remains hopeful that his 80ha (200 acres) of Pablo will achieve their 50t/ha (20t/acre... Posted Apr 25 2008, 10:01 AM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, beetroot, Chris Moore, East, Sugar beet

• Spring sprung in Scotland

  Spring is here - I think, says Mike Eagers from Trinlaymire Farm, Threemiletown just to the west of Edinburgh. Up to now the weather has been showery and in generally cold with a recent east wind. All the spring bean ( Fuego ) and barley ( Optic and Oxbridge... Posted Apr 22 2008, 07:09 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: barley, Barometer, Mike Eagers, Oilseed rape, Scotland, Wheat

• Cold and wet hampers progress in Lincs

  Wet soils mean Clive Patrick (left) and Tony Reynolds' recent spring sowing has required drill modification. "In common with everybody we have the coldest and wettest spring we can remember," writes Tony Reynolds from Thurlby Grange, Thurlby... Posted Apr 18 2008, 11:58 AM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, Beans, Drilling, Midlands, Tony Reynolds

• All behind up North

  Ian Bird (left) and Paul Summerbell have had few chances to get on the land recently. Field work at Catchgate Farm, Castle Eden, County Durham has ground to a halt since Easter. "I'm really not sure whether it's April or January," said... Posted Apr 17 2008, 04:09 PM by flutefriend with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Barometer, Ian Bird, North

• Still wet in the west

  Andrew Blenkiron with some of his green waste compost. Ground conditions at Chillington Farm, Codsall Wood, near Wolverhampton are very wet after 50mm of rain and 125mm of snow over the past two weeks, writes Andrew Blenkiron. Very cold winds and night... Posted Apr 09 2008, 07:49 AM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Andrew Blenkiron, barley, Barometer, Countryside Stewardship, Oilseed rape, west

• N dressing on Dorset OSR finished just in time

  It's all go at North Farm, Horton in Dorset , writes Peter Snell. The Castille winter oilseed rape has had all its nitrogen now - just in time as the variety is coming in to flower and the crop height would impede the spread pattern if we had gone... Posted Apr 02 2008, 10:55 PM by flutefriend with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Barometer, Dorset, Grain store, OSR, Peter Snell, South-west

• Wet thwarts progress in Kent

  I don't know if I dare I say it, but with the oilseed rape extending rapidly the pigeon wars seem to be abating slightly, writes Andy Barr from East Lenham Farm, near Maidstone. Mind you I spoke recently to someone farming several thousand acres who... Posted Mar 31 2008, 03:35 PM by flutefriend with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: andy barr, Barometer, NVZ, OSR, south, spraying

• Longing for weather window in Northern Ireland

  Although the clocks go forward tomorrow morning, spring still seems a long way off for James Wray in Northern Ireland, who urgently needs a lengthy spell of dry weather. "We've had a very, very wet winter and the rain is far from over,"... Posted Mar 29 2008, 07:19 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, James Wray, N Ireland

• Winter still reigns in Scotland

  Cold windy weather devoid of snow has put winter crops at Trinlaymire Farm just to the west of Edinburgh back into a state of near dormancy, according to Mike Eagers. "They're looking a bit barren right now," he said earlier today. "We're... Posted Mar 27 2008, 04:58 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, Mike Eagers, Scotland

• Haircut is main event in East

  Chris Moore's land has dried out well since this picture was taken at the end of January - and he's had a haircut! For Chris Moore, who runs the 486ha (1200 acre) Fleet Farm, at West Butterwick, near Scunthorpe, Lincs with his brother David, the... Posted Mar 12 2008, 10:44 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, Chris Moore, East, haircut

• Gales halt fieldwork in midlands

  Tony Reynolds with the "business end" of the Bertini drill After a "great week" of direct drilling, with over 80ha (200 acres) of Syncro beans, 65ha (160 acres) of spring barley, Quench and Westminster , and 37ha (92 acres) of Firth... Posted Mar 12 2008, 05:46 PM by flutefriend with | with no comments Filed under: Barometer, Clive Patrick, Midlands, Tony Reynolds