Jon Parker starts work on a new grain store
At last some good news. England beat the All Blacks at Twickenham. Whatever next, single farm payment paid on time? One miracle out of two isn’t bad.
We have now started work in preparation for our new 3,000t on-floor grain store going up next year. It is being built on the site of our old silage clamps and so we are in the process of breaking up the old concrete ready for the footings to go in after Christmas. If all goes to plan this will be ready for harvest 2013, not that there will be a great deal to put in it at the moment.
Now that we are getting some frosts and some drier weather we will attempt to get Kerb (propyzamide) applied to the oilseed rape that is big enough to take it along with a second fungicide for phoma control.
I would like to thank Bayer for the invitation to their trials result meeting. This was the culmination of the “Judge for Yourself” fungicide trials this year with an excellent day held at the Williams F1 headquarters. A lot of work is put in by the growers to run these trials on farm and Bayer’s appreciation of this work was clearly evident by the day that was provided for us.
We have just one more pre-Christmas treat in store and that is our annual TB test. We have been clear for nearly two years now, but these few days of testing fill me with dread. Some of our sheep flock have now been moved indoors so that means it’s less than six weeks until we start lambing. Where on earth has this year gone?
One final note is to wish everyone a merry Christmas, say good riddance to 2012 and hope that 2013 brings better prospects for all sectors of the industry.
Jon Parker manages 1,500ha, near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, on a medium to heavy land, for Ragley Home Farms, predominantly arable growing wheat, oilseed rape, and salad onions. There is also a beef fattening unit and sheep flock.
