Arable Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Year-end reflections on boom or bust rainfallAs I draft my last article for the year, I thought I would digest the past few years. The main influence in that time has been the weather. Our five-year… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: First Christmas tractor run won't be my lastI recently went on my first tractor run. The Ringmer Christmas tractor charity run has been going for a few years, but I'd simply never joined in. However, having been… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lobbying brings positive NZ legislation changeThere has been a hectic five months of lobbying to help achieve positive legislative change in New Zealand. The environment is managed in this country by the Resource Management Act,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: All goes smoothly with three farm auditsHow on earth is it December already? I love December for many different reasons. Not only is it because of Christmas, the delicious turkey and the festive gatherings, but it… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Machinery running costs are only going one wayWith all field work now long complete, the sprayer and drill are back in the shed and in need of some TLC, much like a lot of our older machinery.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Business review reveals surprising resultsThis time last year, my Farmers Weekly submission was centred on my plans post Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax Budget. I said in that winter article that I would spend next… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Hard to tell if liquid gypsum improved soilThe weather has got cold enough to put the propyzamide on the oilseed rape, which eventually should have a welcome effect on the blackgrass. Is it me or does propyzamide… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: More land needed to maximise machinery useNovember has been a typically slow month. We lifted more sugar beet when conditions allowed, and store lambs continued to arrive on our farms to graze cover crops. The machinery… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Soils looking healthier than farmer sentimentIt is so nice to finally have some frost to slow the crops down. Wheats had been flying along and were getting too far advanced from my point of view.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Herbicide trial reveals shows blackgrass controlAll land work and spraying is now complete until February, leaving hedgetrimming and general estate maintenance as the remaining tasks for the season. Both wheat and oilseed rape crops are… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Umpteen jobs and a recycled shedSince it’s now distinctly “back end”, and for a change we’re pretty much worked up, focus here has turned towards winter jobs. Alongside the usual machinery and shed maintenance, we… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: The problems caused by a hungry squirrelWe’re in the very fortunate position of having full fibre broadband connection at the farm. This means that day-to-day administrative tasks that were once painfully slow online can be done… More articles
