FARMER FOCUS
FEATURE
EDWIN TAYLOR Well, I am sitting here thinking of how the last eight months have been since my debut article back in April and I do not think there is any way to sugar coat it, it’s just been bloody moderate (in fact probably less than moderate) with all that is going on in the world but the focus does lie at what is going on, on the farm and again faced with weather patterns that are not always conducive with farming above the snow line. Let’s start with some positives: lock down, it did make me realise how lucky we are working in this industry. I cannot quite comprehend what it must have been like for those in large towns and cities as we all know there is a lot of advantages of being able to walk out your front door to your place of work. The schools closed which for our family life was fantastic coming as it did into a busy spring following the awful autumn of 2019. We spent more time with each other, with my son working with us and teaching my daughter to drill, and there was plenty of that ahead of us in the coming weeks. It was time spent together that is not always possible. With 80% of the farm to spring crops the weather was good
initially, conditions improving all the time and cereals emerging well. The prolonged dry did start to affect soil conditions especially when we started to drill our spring o-s-r after our failed winter rape. The surface had capped from the autumn’s drilling and was unable to create a good enough environment for the spring rape. I thought we still had plenty of moisture below the surface so I pulled the old Xpress out from the nettles and used that just to create that improved environment ahead of the drill. The rape emerged well and evenly on the whole but still no rain! The cereals and beans did not seem to be taking any hurt but the rape just seemed to sit there not
Unrivalled seed to soil contact Magnum 1240
The all-year implement for large-scale farming and contracting
Take a closer look at the Prisma® roller system with a cultural twist on; • Blackgrass chitting with volunteer cereal control • Straw spreading and incorporation • Trailed units from 6.4m - 12.4m • A wide range of paddle, tined units and options to fit seeders for cover crop seeding and small seeds • For non-inversion and plough-based systems.
AGRI SERVICES
To find out more call 01670 789 020 or visit www.woxagriservices.co.uk DIRECT DRILLER MAGAZINE
woxagriservices woxagri woxagri
www.directdriller.co.uk 35
