Farmer Focus: Why I chose to grow oats and drill early

Deciding what the right thing to do at this time of year is always hard.

The farming press is always full of good advice, but I’ve found myself pressured in the past to try and fit the industry narrative: fine seed-beds, late drilling, expensive varieties, fully loaded pre-ems and so on.

See also: Maize list overhaul helps variety choice for 2027

About the author

Anthony Becvar

Anthony Becvar is a third-generation farmer of an 80ha mixed farm in East Sussex on heavy Weald Clay. Crops include spring beans, winter wheat and spring barley, alongside diversification projects which include two breweries and an agricultural mechanic.

Read more articles by Anthony Becvar

This is all good until the weather starts punching below the belt.

Changing to a soil-first, more regenerative system often makes this decision making more complex when considering the compatibility of companions and covers, reducing chemistry, reducing cultivations, attention to nutrient cycling with fewer conventional additions, constantly increasing soil organic matter, reliance on more cultural solutions.

It all adds some extra sport to it all, but can often make the workload easier and more flexible. But to make bold decisions needs a focused mindset and that comes with aiming at achievable goals.

One goal of mine is to establish a crop I can feel confident of going toe to toe with Señor El Niño, the Beast from the East and lengthy blocking anti-cyclones.

To do this I wrote a list of all the punches these guys could throw and all the cropping options within my control that can mitigate them.

Then came the agronomic problems these might create, but followed by the number of cultural, or if needed, chemical solutions at hand. A key part of this process was always bearing in mind the context of my farm and my soil.

So I’ve decided to drill early and chosen oats again. Oats like our heavy soils, they get away quickly, don’t rely on a lot of inputs and yielded well this year.

The reasons for drilling early are two-fold. Firstly to get them away before the inevitable rain; and secondly because I’ve sown them with a companion crop of OSR.

Both at full rate, the oats drilled and the OSR broadcast over the top and all in by 5 September. Both are up and away and looking strong (so far).

Hopefully I’ll have two robust crops to cover the soil this winter to go the distance with whatever punches Señor El Niño and chums can throw, and another decision to make after Christmas as to which I decide to take to harvest!