Farmer Focus: Was early February drilling a bit too early?
John Pawsey © Jason Bye The recent dry and sunny weather in the Shimpling environs has drawn my neighbour’s sprayer and fertiliser machinery out of its winter sheds, whereas we had the sole job of getting some early spring crops into the ground.
I publicised our expeditious foray on social media and my judgement was questioned. Could winter come back to bite us? Would the dormant seed rot in the ground or be predated upon by rooks and slugs?
After unearthing a spring barley seed that chitted within 10 days of sowing, I feel that the decision was the right one. Spring oats will be next.
See also: Seaweed extract helps French grower cut costs and improve soils
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Although I suggested there is no sprayer on the farm, my neighbour did turn up on Saturday with a big red and white one to spray some magical new seaweed extract on one of our fields as a trial.
As usual, the bush telegraph sprang into action and a concerned villager rang me mid-application to ask what on earth I was doing.
Having assured the complainant that everything was in order, I was told that they loved the fact that we were organic and that if we ever went back to spraying chemicals they would be really upset.
I made assurances that there were no plans at present, and then boldly asked if they every bought any organic food? The answer was no. Another satisfied customer.
Talking of eating organic, the local deer population have been hugely enthusiastic about our agroforestry project that we planted in the winter of 2020.
Out of the 3,500 whips we planted, they have enjoyed just under 1,000 of them, which has meant some replanting was needed.
The Woodland Trust, our partner in the project, has come up trumps with the replacements but I am desisting from increasing the area until we have made a dent in deer numbers. Time to bring back the Deer Initiative?
