Arable Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Hybrid rye exceeds harvest expectationsHarvest has started with the whole cropping of hybrid rye for the local anaerobic digestion plant. This seems to have gone well, exceeding our fresh weight budget. Samples have been… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Barley returns worse than the 1980sFarming is a much easier and pleasant occupation when the weather is being co-operative. For the second year in a row, I have saved some good hay. It is unusual… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Crops protected with wider firebreakIt is winter in South Africa and where I farm, winter is characterised by absolutely no rain, very cold frosty nights and warm sunny days. Winters here would be quite… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: First Open Farm Sunday attracts 719 visitorsCrops responded well to the recent moisture, which arrived just in time. Craft winter barley could well be cut by the time you read this and the oilseed rape will… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Sticking with OSR for nowDefra minister Michael Gove won a few more friends up in North Yorkshire when he made a recent whistle-stop visit to the Fera facilities near York. The secretary of state… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Mind-blowing visit to organic Norfolk estateThey say every day is a school day. Well, they don’t come more educational than a day I had last week. A friend and I were fortunate enough to visit… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Chocolate spot ravages neighbour's beansEven though we have not had the frightening amount of rain that was experienced the day before the Cereals event in Lincolnshire, we have now had 80mm in June. This… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Runner-up at the Silver Lapwing AwardsAll inputs have been applied and the stage is set for another harvest. A return to wetter weather came not a moment too soon and has allayed fears of a… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Constant showers increase fungicide spendAlthough it seems like ages since I last wrote, it also feels as though the season has not changed. With weeks of cool, overcast and unsettled weather, it feels more… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Will a hand-held N-tester prove useful?My annual long weekend cycling with old Writtle College friends took place in beautiful Suffolk this year. We saw cracking crops and fine-looking cattle and enjoyed great food and drink,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: A month of country shows and farm walksWhat a difference a month makes. At the end of May, I was getting quite concerned by the lack of rain and the effect on crops. Now, a month later,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: BYDV-tolerant barley looks appealingWe have certainly had a month of rollercoaster weather. We have been lucky and not experienced the volume that others have, but it has been enough to make some crops… More articles
