I spent an interesting couple of hours discussing Controlled Traffic Farming with Tim Chamen of CTF (Europe) for an article in this month's issue of Crops. To me, with the rather large caveat of some practicalities, it seems like a really obvious step forward, particularly for growers using pass-to-pass and min-tilling or direct drilling.

 Anyone thought about trying it, or for our overseas visitors, anyine using it?!

To me it seems a great idea for the people using 8-10 meter machines and are completely devoted to min till. Surely it must create ruts on even lows in the field going year in year out in the same place??

From my discussions, yes, ruts can be created using the system, particularly in year one, and there is some management of wheelings required. He said that fairly light levelling might be required. One of the problems they had found was trying to find the right machine to do this with!

 I'll see if I can get Tim to post replies to this and any other issues any of you might like to raise.

Regards

Mike

Yes, it can create ruts if you don't manage the wheelways, and primarily this means just filling over them with an appropriate cultivator as required. We still don't have exactly the right tool for this and have used a power harrow because there was on on the farm, but it's a bit like using a sledge hammer to crack a nut! We've had one field in CTF since 2004 and we've only carried out this operation once, but I think the tramlines in this field will need doing again next harvest. The intermediate tracks are no problem, in fact it's difficult to see them.

It's also right that the wider the machines the better, but we can get down to the low 20s in percentage area tracked with 6 m wide machines and with two different standard track widths. Compare that with a typical min till system that commonly tracks nearly 100% of the area every season, and some of that area is tracked several times.

Tim Chamen

Tim,

 Whatever became of the David Dowler gantry system? I know it had its limitations, especially regarding cultivations, but it didn't need GPS which I don't believe was even available in those days anyway.

Hi Flutefriend!

Regrettably the Dowler gantry did not succeed commercially when it was launched in 1989, but David Dowler did continue his work on it for many years and came up with improved designs before sadly he died in 2003. I continue to be convinced that the gantry remains the future for agricultural mechanisation - it is an elegant solution to many of the remaining constraints to our production systems, and as David always maintained, "it's only a matter of engineering" and he was absolutely right. It solves more problems than it creates and as you say, although GPS guidance is not necessary with a gantry, I do believe it could form an integral part of the system.

I don't think a modern version of the Dowler gantry would have any limitations as far as cultivations are concerned, in fact it would be quite capable of ploughing if this should ever be required (not the full width in one pass I should hasten to add!)

If you are interested in following further development of gantry systems, please keep an eye on the "Wide Span" page of the controlled traffic farming website (http://www.controlledtrafficfarming.com/content/widespan.aspx) where new material will soon be appearing, including I hope a short biography about David Dowler.

Tim

hi dose eany one think that ctf can work on an organic situation as we like meany farms suffer from compaction,using meany differant size tractors and implaments and as a forward thinking tractor driver i belive this can work its just persuadind the powers that be to depart with the cash. and the thinking of old school and new plz help would be great to hear your views.

ctf or no tiil is  no use for organic, as ploughing is essential for grass and grasss weeeds.

organic land shopuld have a bettter structure, so compaction should happen less often.

Hi Dickyg,

 I'm sure CTF can work on organic farms, in fact large scale vegetable growers in the Netherlands are using it right now. It's good to hear that you as a driver think it can work because you are the ones who are at the sharp end so to speak. The whole system relies on your enthusiasm and skill to keep get it working and keeping it going.

The machinery still needs some development, but even if you can only control traffic some of the time, there are great benefits. But, what we need is for organic farmers to join us and make their needs known so that we can help them achieve it. Many farmers across Europe are learning about CTF and getting it to work for them, but we have no organic farmers from the UK who have joined the CTF group! Anyone interested can sign up to CTF Europe for just £85 + VAT per annum at: http://www.controlledtrafficfarming.com/content/membership.aspx Perhaps Dick you can persuade the people you work with to sign up? We have a workshop in Yorkshire next week (a bit far from Hampshire I know!), but there's a lot to see and hear, including visits to farms, one of which has just converted to CTF. If you are interested, visit: http://www.controlledtrafficfarming.com/content/workshops.aspx

I hope this is helpful

Tim

I would dispute that any plough based system has a better structure than one based on non-inversion. Ploughs destroy structure and should be avoided unless on "structureless" sands and silts.

CTF looks really only useful for spuds and veg. Direct drilling and low compaction machinery will suit us much better. Growing a mix of lower yielding but higher value crops like linseed, direct drilling into solid ground, floatation tyres and good management better for our farm. Not moving much soil has greatly reduced and grassweed pressure over 5 years.

wow wat a responce my belife has been confirmed, im in the proses of writing a report on this matter to give to my boss and as we are large organic forward thinking farm that has an in house soil lab and agronamist both of whitch are in agreance with me over this matter ,all the product broshires claim great savings in time ie overlap ect but the anicial cost is a big factor as a spray opperator i spray compost tea and BDP products brewed on farm at two differant widths 24-36mtrs and another chap from the old school of thought spreads compost 10t/ha his spreading pattern depnds on getting from one end of the field to the other before he`s empty nd has the attatude of going out full and reterning empty.so the two other members of staff are half my age again ive got a hard job on my hands but if the figures are thier in black and white surely they cant  be ignored. rich

Good luck Rich! 

I think CTF is a really interesting concept but there are some practical difficulties in making it work, so I would really encourage you to give Tim a call to discuss how his group could help you and the farm, and maybe give you more ammunition for your report to your boss!

Regards

Mike

organic land usually has a better structure, not because it is ploughed, but because it is NOT ploughed for 2-3 yrs when it is in clover/grass.

slug pellets are not used, and copious manure, so worm numbers are very high, leading to better structure.

The last time this farm was soil sampled, the samplers said they had never seen so many worms. And we get a milion seagulls crapping all over the plough tractor.

winter beans ploughed in leave the soil in fantastic condition.

my no till neighbour has ploughed everything this year.

I cant see that ctf has any application in these parts.

Controlled traffic farming has been practised here for millenia.Its quite simple really.Keep off the land when its wet.Use the widest tyres possible at the lowest pressure possible.When ploughing,essential in any rotation including potatoes,the aim is to achieve the kind of job our forefathers made with a pair of horse.The thing which would benefit my land more than anything would be an on-land ploughing setup.If I farmed in an area where stale seed beds are practical and where I wasnt growing potatoes I would possibly take the min-till approach.

Hi I have been a member of CTF for a couple of years now and been to various meetings and I can wholeheartedly say its right and we all need to be doing it. However its very hard to actually implement it. Tim is aware of our situation as has come up with some ideas but it is difficult actually doing it without running into serious costs. Our problems at the moment:

1. Equipment working widths from 24m, 10m, 6m, 5m, 3m. If we could rationalise that it would be a start but equipment widths need to match working areas, hp and be affordable. For example we need a 10m combine header but only need a 6m drill. We could not get away with a 6m combine header and we cant afford a 10m drill.

2. Current fertiliser prices have moved us towards sewage cake and compost which have to be applied by muck spreaders. Generally these only spread narrow widths and are always contractors that do not have ideal tyre equipment and have to work in less than ideal conditions due to their workload. Adding our own spreader is not an option because its another man and tractor + loader.

3. Road regulations in the UK state a max of 2.55m width. All CTF wheel bases need to ideally be 3m. We do a massive amount of road work so again this poses a problem. 

4. Personally with our high yielding crops in the UK I feel cultivating in the same direction as drilling does not mix the trash around enough so we tend to work our cultivations are 45 degree's to the tramlines. Mixing in 2+t/ac of straw is not easy and if you dont do it properly then slugs and toxins are a problem.

5. CTF does lead you into Direct Drilling which opens another can of worms - see the DD forum on the British Farming Forum

So whilst I know its right and would love to be fully CTF its very hard to make it work. We've ended up with our 'own' halfway house which is not ideal but better than what we were doing before. The only items of equipment that leave the tramlines is the combine which is fitted with tracks and the cultivating tractor which is shod on large tyres. We run a chaser bin to empty off the combine which will only leave the tramline if it has to - things like one wheel in the tramline is better than no wheels in the tramline. Again this is shod on flotation tyres as is the tractor that pulls it around. The drill puts the tramlines back in the same place every year so being 6m is only off the tramline for the fill in runs - again not ideal but the tractor on the front is shod on large flotation tyres. All cart tractors remain within the 12m headland by the field gateway - this area is then subsoiled.

 So we are trying but if you are ringfenced and can start from sratch with kit then go for it because it is the right thing to do!

Sorry, I’ve been out of the loop for a bit – spreading the CTF word “up north”!

well my report is almost complete but im worried that it hasnt got eany WOW factor its got lots of figures and plain facts that knowing my luck he,l think its just another ecxuse foe new kit .but the point that trying to put across is that i do belive ctf is the way forward if eanyone can help me realy stick it to him plz reply.because im sure that all the negative sides to this would be put back at me just to make me look stupid after all im just a tractor driver and what do i know.............. rich