Archive Article: 2000/10/13
Stephen Bumstead
Stephen Bumstead farms
148ha (365 acre) from Ouse
Bank Farm, Great Barford,
Beds. He is a first
generation farmer and
council tenant, growing
combinable crops on three
blocks of land. He supports
LEAF and is the FWAG
county treasurer
AT last we have finished cutting Roundhill, a 12ha (30 acre) field of Charger wheat which I started on Sept 13 and finally cleared on Oct 4.
It was a case of snatch and run before the showers, often torrential downpours stopping us dead in our tracks. My patience was tested to almost breaking point with the combine header sometimes pushing a bow-wave of mud and pulling rather than cutting much of the crop.
However, we won this particular battle and achieved an average of 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre) including bad blackgrass patches. Now, we have the Scirocco beans to do. Hopefully, by the time this is read, we will be singing Harvest Home.
Between our attempts at harvesting, I have done a spot of ploughing as and when conditions allowed and, if I dare say it, the rain has helped that go well. I never do much cultivation before the dry weather breaks, which is living dangerously I know, but it helps keep the cost of metal down and the land runs much better without forcing.
Drilling will start the second week of October, weather permitting, with Malacca and Charger wheats at 250-275 seeds/sq m, then on to Pearl and Regina barleys. All seed is bought-in C2, but even after discounts there is too much of a mark-up on the end product price in my opinion.
Nobody can blame those who take from the heap to drill because it all grows. You only have look behind the combine for evidence of that. Yes, the plant-breeder is entitled to a royalty and should receive some payment from the home savers, but those who criticise this practice would do well to remember times are hard and the farmers working day long.
I have a total of 30 fields to drill, with an average size of 5ha (12 acres). It is a wonder I dont get dizzy with all those headlands. Roundhill is my third largest field and one of my heaviest. *
"Its a wonder I dont get dizzy with all these headlands," says Beds grower Stephen Bumstead.