FARMERFOCUS
FARMERFOCUS
Andrew Kerr
Andrew Kerr farms 344ha
(850 acres) in partnership
with his parents and brother
at Wyldingtree Farm, North
Weald, Essex. Cropping is
potatoes, including some
on rented ground, plus
cereals, herbage seed and
oilseed rape
FARMERS are a funny old lot. It is either too wet or too dry, too warm or too cold. Today, it is too dry. I havent had occasion to say this for a while, but a good rain wouldnt go amiss. We have only had 5mm (0.2in) in the past five weeks.
That has allowed good progress with all work. Spud planting and spring oilseed rape drilling is finished with fertiliser and spray applications also up-to-date. Claire first wheats are getting a relatively cheap T1 mix of Opus (epoxiconazole) plus Bravo (chlorothalonil) due to extremely low disease pressure.
Second wheat Tanker will have a measure of Amistar (azoxystrobin) added, mainly for its noted alleviating effect on take-all. Hopefully the gate is shut on winter oilseed rape crops. No pgr or fungicide has been deemed necessary due to the dry spell.
The potato planting season started in bottom gear and ended barely any faster. Soil conditions were reasonable but very slow to dry out, necessitating a pre-cultivation pass with the bed tiller.
This is a pass too many and my brother David and I would prefer to go straight in with the destoner. With that in mind we took a look at two new star-type machines from Reekie and Pearson. Both of them put in commendable performances, trouncing our old Megastar in terms of forward speed and tilth achieved.
Our local machinery dealers have recently completed a bout of mergers and acquisitions, resulting in several invitations to what can only be described as free booze functions with an agricultural theme.
Farmers, by nature, enjoy these occasional corporate indulgences and attendance at both the green and the red tractor events was extremely good. I am never quite sure whether the salesmen are thanking us for past business or hoping to cement a new deal. Given the current state of farming, who cares? A good time was had by all. Thanks. *