FARMERFOCUS
FARMERFOCUS
Stewart Hayllor
Stewart Hayllor farms
400ha (1000 acres) as a
family partnership from
Blackler Barton,
Landscove, Devon.
Combinable arable crops
are complemented by 32ha
(80 acres) or organic
vegetables, 180 dairy cows and contracting work
LAST months requested weather change came just four hours after writing my report and we had both the sprayer and fertiliser spreader working that afternoon.
All conventional wheats, oats and oilseed rape received ammonium sulphate at 120-200kg/ha (1-1.6cwt/acre). Pronto and Gemini oilseed rape has also been sprayed with 0.5 litres/ha of Folicur (tebuconazole) ahead of topping up nitrogen to its 240kg/ha (192 units/acre) total. The crop is now in full flower and a local bee keeper has brought in some hives. I can expect a few pots of honey as resnt.
Early drilling into a good seed-bed seems to be the answer with winter lupins. This years crop is now in flower and looking good. If it yields to expectations, at least 4t/ha (1.6t/acre), then it will certainly feature in next years cropping.
Dry weather allowed us to prepare good seed-beds for organic potatoes. This year we destoned for the first time and as I write we have just 4ha (10 acres) left to plant. When planting we try to create shallow ridges which will be built up later when weeding mechanically.
Part of our organic carrot area is drilled and has emerged quite well along with a few weeds. Inter-row cultivations and hand weeding will follow shortly. Germination of our last drilling of carrots will benefit from recent showers as the surface of the ground was quite dry.
However, on lettuces the rain arrived after our patience ran out and we had put the first irrigation from our new reservoir on.
House prices and wheat prices seem to be accelerating away from each other at warp speed. Ten years ago a good four-bedroom house in our village was worth the equivalent of 700t of wheat. Last year, for a new four-bedroom house you would have had to sell 3570t. This year, that same house would take 5230t.
Apart from the obvious implications on farm profitability, the price of rural housing will make it ever more difficult to attract and keep staff if they cant afford to buy or rent a house. *