Arable Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Sewage leak in field and nothing is being doneHarvest is done and dusted for 2024. Spring oats out-yielded winter oats. It’s just a shame I still have no idea how much the spring oats are worth 12 months… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Farming nostalgia and an archaeological digFresh from slugs invading my patio, nature has found another way of reminding me that it’s definitely wet with a generous sprinkling of mushrooms now thriving in my lawn. It… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Gene editing is certainly not for meIt saddens me to see gene editing in this country. I am a firm believer in epigenetics, which is why I keep my own farm-saved seed, so I can return… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Not expecting much from root crop harvestFarmers are nothing if not resilient and versatile – and both qualities have never been more required than in the past few months. Late-sown spring crops did not break performance… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: I'll be pleased to turn the speed dial downI watch the difficult harvest many of you are having in the UK and you have my best wishes in what is a very tough season. I really feel for… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Biblical rainfall leaves re-seeds in a messI’m under the impression that in the east of the country farmers are patiently waiting for some rain. However, I can assure you that here in the west this is… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Farming meets football at son's universityOn Sunday 15 September, I relinquished a semi-harvesting day (as well as accepting the loss of my combine and main tractor-driver) to embark on the 170 mile, three-and-a-half hour journey… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: No chance to take a breath since harvestSeptember has nearly concluded and, like most of you, we haven’t had a chance to take a breath since harvest. In the past few weeks, we have established 380ha of… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Maize chopping and autumn drilling has begunWe finished cutting the spring wheat on 1 September, and it seems to have rained most days since. We have completed secondary cultivations on the land destined for rye, and… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: We still have 280ha-plus of crop to cutI have three words to describe Harvest 2024: frustrating, dreich and ongoing. We still have more than 280ha of crop to cut. Yields have been a mixed bag, but the… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Worst harvest in 35 years of farm managementAlthough harvest 2024 isn’t quite complete, I can safely say its been one of the worst in my 35 years of farm management. Yield maps quite simply could be drainage… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Answers found in changing my approach to soilMy first Farmers Weekly column... How exciting! Hopefully, this opportunity will provide some informative food for thought; or at least give you confidence that someone else out there is making… More articles
