With spring approaching we re-open this diary relaying activities on Farmers Weekly's Barometer farms with a self-penned piece from Andy Barr. He runs the 627ha East Lenham Farm near Maidstone, Kent.
Bloody pigeons!
Despite deploying 20 bird scaring devices (of varying technological advancement) on a 65ha block of oilseed rape, a flock of several hundred steadfastly refuses to leave for very long.
I'm sure it amuses people in nearby houses watching me vainly chasing them around the field, and I'm expecting a call soon about the noisier scarers.
My frustration was compounded at a TAG meeting when talking to a handful of farmers from Romney Marsh. "Pigeons?" one said. "No, no... I did put a banger out about 10 years ago but I haven't seen any since." Aaaargh!
Nitrogen has been going on round here for about a month, for which we were firmly rebuked by the TAG agronomist. We managed to hold off until the last week of February - probably only because we‘ve been drilling spring barley.
I was very happy with this crop's performance last year and it seems there will be a lot more going in this year, both here and in Europe. Presumably the dry spell will have only fuelled this increase but, of course, it's too dry now.
I took advice this week about when to apply our remaining Atlantis (iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium + mesosulfuron-methyl) after the delayed emergence of blackgrass last autumn.
I was told to hold on a while as the soil temperatures are not high enough yet. The trouble is no one has told the wheat that, and it's growing like mad and rapidly hiding the target.... Hmmm!
My Entry Level Stewardship agreement started before the cut off date for the latest EU revisions, but I am having to do another one anyway as the livestock enterprises go organic. Natural England has agreed that my old ELS and Countryside Stewardship schemes can be converted into one new Organic Entry Level Stewardship (incorporating some ELS) scheme. But unfortunately the schedule from our organic certification body doesn't match the details on my OELS application forms yet. Deep calming breaths required.
What about next year? Prices are undeniably healthy but nitrogen, P & K, seed and diesel prices also look rather plump. Any ideas?
Amongst other things I've been looking at various direct drilling methods, from discs to tines and deeper tines, but have yet to come to any firm conclusions on what might be best for our soil and economic conditions.
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More diary entries in our Barometers' Over the Hedge series