Archive Article: 2000/06/30
John Yeomans
John Yeomans farms 89ha
(220 acres) of mixed hill
and upland near Newtown in
mid-Wales. The farm is split
between hill and upland,
with the hill land in two
blocks running up to 426m
(1400ft). It is stocked
with 70 suckler cows,
including some Limousins
and 540 breeding sheep,
mostly Beulahs
IN mid to late June we harvested silage for young cattle and sheep. This is the first time we have used an additive – Powerstart, which the IGER boys tell me could increase growth rates by about one-third. The bulk cut will be taken in July for cows, without using an additive.
We are considering a small second cut to try to increase winter fodder stocks. We have managed to cut a few extra acres by sending cows and calves to the hill, but the wet weather has slowed hill grass growth and we will have to see how this affects calf growth weights.
Creep has been offered to single crossbred lambs since they went out to the hill. Although they are only eating 0.1kg/day/head it is obviously helping them through the monsoon conditions, as they seem to be doing well. I hope to have a few batches away before weaning – a first for us off the hill.
We have decided to try for Tir Gofal – the Welsh whole-farm environment scheme. Like many farms, we have many environmental jobs, such as hedgerow renovation that need doing, but cannot be justified in the current economic climate.
Even so, we arent holding out too much hope of being admitted into the scheme. We hear the politicians bragging about its success because it was over subscribed by about three times, but my idea of success would be if all those wishing to join the scheme could do so.
I feel there is still an important place for a part-farm scheme which would reach many more farmers and provide more wildlife corridors throughout the countryside.
Going back to jobs on the farm, one of our poorest fields has been sprayed with one litre/ha of fluroxypyr, and the aftermath will be sprayed with glyphosate before ploughing for a high yielding three to five-year ryegrass ley.
Two of the fields for later cutting have been split with a small control area untreated and the halves sprayed with two and four litres/ha of clopyralid. Some fields will have to be sprayed again as aftermaths due to heavy rain.
Weve thought of a use for two of our weeds. Chase people through the fields of nettles and then sell them dock leaves at the other end to rub the stings better. *
Deep in thought… John Yeomans has decided to try for Tir Gofal, the Welsh farm environment scheme.