Riband shown the exit door
Riband shown the exit door
ABOUT 95% of this autumns crops are from farm-saved seed, cleaned and dressed by long-time visitor Steven Wade of Fife-based SAS.
Consort is steadily replacing Riband, even though it means having to pay a farm-saved royalty.
"Consort has a slightly better specific weight, though it is swings and roundabouts on yield. I am glad we have the option to pay the royalty on an area basis because up here we would be penalised more than southern growers on a tonnage basis."
With few varieties offering a significant step up in yield in SAC/Scottish Agronomy trials, the only newcomer for his feed wheat outlet this year is Tanker.
Winter barley choice, two-row Intro for Conservation Grade and six-row Manitou and Siberia, remains the same. "I tried to get my hands on some six-row Pict, which has a better bushel weight, but was too late."
Likewise late ordering means Royal, as intended, is missing from the main oilseed rape line-up of Fortress, Pronto and Inca, the latter in its last season.
No min-till here… Les Anderson (right) says it must prove itself better than the plough and power-harrow/drill combination over at least three years.