FARMERFOCUS
FARMERFOCUS
Kevin Littleboy
Kevin Littleboy farms
243ha (600 acres) as
Howe Estates at Howe,
Thirsk, North Yorks. The
medium sandy loam in
the Vale of York supports
potatoes, winter wheat,
rape and barley, plus
grass for sheep
HOW this area of Yorkshire can have so much bad luck three years running I simply do not know.
At 4.15pm, Tue, July 30, a mini-hurricane hit us delivering one and half inches of water, hail, and slithers of ice in just 40 minutes. My house windows and office door were left open and I even had a covering of hail and ice on my bed. I thought better of informing my insurance company.
In the space of 10 days we received over a third of our annual rainfall. Flooding cut off the village which must be a first for that time of year. Stubble fields look as if they have been very neatly direct drilled due to shedding in the storms. Hence early August drilled second wheat will be next years agronomy challenge. Seed distributors – dont even bother calling to sell your wares – the fields are already drilled!
In a lull in our wheat harvest while waiting for my milling wheat to ripen I was despatched with the combine to help a neighbour complete his harvest. Having the larger of the two machines in the field I was promptly advised to go first around the headland. Now I now know what contractors have to put up with; I built up an Aladdins cave of posts, railings, logs, branches, wheel trims, car parts, cobbles and clothing. To my foremans despair I missed seeing a hidden tree root. Unfortunately the combine steps hit it and they came off much the worse from the collision.
Recently, I was sent to cut my own wheat during a meal break, my foreman having made sure it was a field without obstacles. But within 100 yards I had blocked up the combine rake feed which took three men 45 minutes to clear. To do less damage I was sent forth to drive a tractor and trailer corn carting. On tipping the first load a hydraulic pipe blew apart covering the tractor and trailer in oil. I am now banished to the office. *