Julian Ellis had a good year for growing grass

Apparently we share 35% of our genes with daffodils. Sadly I think our Welsh bull also shares a lot of genes with the daffodil, as opposed to the fiery Welsh dragon, and his days are looking numbered.

Harvest was the usual stop-start affair, mainly due to the weather and also the odd minor breakdown. There were also a few fraught moments which this year included the moment when I realised that if I had been watching the unloading auger instead of seizing a quick mouthful of dinner I would have noticed the tail board of the trailer wasn’t latched!

The yields have been varied – some average and some not so great. But at least now it’s all in the barn, even if the blowers are going flat out to keep it cool.

Something that was highlighted this year is that we tend to grow crops that seem addicted to chemicals – a small area in the short ground of one field that didn’t get any disease spray was about as productive as our bull.

It has been a summer of cursing the weather, but we did have a good year for growing grass. Testament to this is the fact that we have only now started to buffer feed and are about to make some fourth cut red clover silage that circumstances didn’t allow us to graze.

Summer seems to have suited the toads, as I have seen a lot more than usual, and Sam’s bees have even managed to produce some honey.

Julian Ellis milks 150 Guernsey cows on 158ha (390 acres) at Lands End, Cornwall, in partnership with his father and two part-time staff. The farm rears followers and store cattle, with 36ha (90 acres) used for growing spring barley, 12ha (30 acres) for spring cabbage and several acres for fodder beat and kale.

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