Isn't lucerne very expensive and slow to get going at the start?Have you tried crimping lucerne in the field using light discs rather than grazing it for 12 months? picture attached with crimped 3 weeks ago vs left alone?
Isn't lucerne very expensive and slow to get going at the start?Have you tried crimping lucerne in the field using light discs rather than grazing it for 12 months? picture attached with crimped 3 weeks ago vs left alone?
yes it is but once it goes it pays back for 4 years hence cost of seed vs return.. this year it was mega slow to establish in springIsn't lucerne very expensive and slow to get going at the start?
Have tried lucerne on small areas, I can't get it to grow at all well until 2nd year, which is when we are looking to pull it out again. Might revisit it in a few years if we stretch the rotation to 3/4 1/4. Too long a rotation in my mind... for here at least. Ryegrass/clover 2yr ley we used to graze, having gone to clover only we are doing 16 months, topping it 4-6" when any weeds are flowering. Just in from drilling, when I get a minute I will take photos. Really pleased with how its doneHave you tried crimping lucerne in the field using light discs rather than grazing it for 12 months? picture attached with crimped 3 weeks ago vs left alone?
What's going in that field next then? Do you have any blackgrass in your area?Glad to get chance of a photo of what the prolander can do. @Bokey this was a job on neighbours yesterday, conventional farm, reduced herbicides. Corner of the field rape didn't do well on. Sweep wings are dearer to run on it as no tungsten alternative, but at home we get a tilth on straight 60mm tungsten points and then rip through with sweeps which have total ground coverage. It does immense good at pulling whole docks and thistles, root intact to the surface. Little late in the year now, success for total kill needs a dry warm week ideally.
Extaise I believe. Blackgrass, oh yes! Folk seem to be controlling it better but it's still present and a burden. We have it on the farm, normally more prevalent in rye, but doest compete, never in spring crops, appears from nowhere in grass/clover leys, but thankfully very easy to control then. Although present it hasn't given any trouble, damned sight better than when we were conventionalWhat's going in that field next then? Do you have any blackgrass in your area?
Glad I'm not the only one, got to yr2 of mid tier and thought "what the hell have we gone and done?" We do have a small family shoot here, I'll post a photo at some point of our own "bird mixture" which does AHL3 proud, alive with bird species too, invertebrates etc, does not require replanting nor destroying, amazing self regenerative habitatGreat thread, and totally agree with @L P about organic wild birdseed mixes. Absolute disaster for creeping thistles and relieved to be giving them up after 5 years of stewardship.
Feed barley market is depressing.. the whole organic grain market seems suppressed this year IMHO. We aim for malting on spring barley, Westminster seems to be the only wb for malting, not grown it but apparently makes a beautiful looking crop with very little grain in the shed after. Reckon you'll do well on legume fallow on stockless basis, in theory it should put more n into following crop than mob grazing, I'd not wish to put money on real life results!@L P have you found the market for spring barley is holding up. Gave it up here as couldn't sell for feed. We grow all winter cereals where we can help it. Seem to compete with weeds better than spring cereals in our experience and yield better too for us. Quite like pea/barley though for the fertility boost.
Trialling a one year legume fallow this time to be funded through SFI, will be interesting to see how the fertility of that compares with a 3 year herbal ley mob grazed with cattle which is what we normally do.
I agree winter cereals compete more BTW. Financially though, sb year on year comes leagues ahead here, followed by winter milling oats. Wb we grew this last year yielded well for the season we had and came to harvest early enough that any thistle hadn't set. Laureate however, nearly matched its yield and commanded a £50/t premium@L P have you found the market for spring barley is holding up. Gave it up here as couldn't sell for feed. We grow all winter cereals where we can help it. Seem to compete with weeds better than spring cereals in our experience and yield better too for us. Quite like pea/barley though for the fertility boost.
Trialling a one year legume fallow this time to be funded through SFI, will be interesting to see how the fertility of that compares with a 3 year herbal ley mob grazed with cattle which is what we normally do.
would love to see which mixture you have choosen for AHL3 because as others have confirmed keeping a wild bird mix clean either during 1 or 2 years without ploughing or glyphosate and to organic standards without hand weeding is certainly a massive challenge?Glad I'm not the only one, got to yr2 of mid tier and thought "what the hell have we gone and done?" We do have a small family shoot here, I'll post a photo at some point of our own "bird mixture" which does AHL3 proud, alive with bird species too, invertebrates etc, does not require replanting nor destroying, amazing self regenerative habitat
Growing organic spring crops is getting harder with the extremes in weather we are seeing these days.. totally agree that winter sowing far less risky as at least the roots have established before flood or freeze or drought or heat which are more common now. The only down side is winter weeds and loss of nitrogen from leaching especially over chalk.. I am also certain that Laureate is genetically very poorly suited to low nitrogen inputs and that oats or triticale work much better as a spring cereal option in organics because if they fail as a cash crop they will crimp as a wholecrop giving you options... never pre sell organic spring crops and wait until they are weighed and dry and in the barnI agree winter cereals compete more BTW. Financially though, sb year on year comes leagues ahead here, followed by winter milling oats. Wb we grew this last year yielded well for the season we had and came to harvest early enough that any thistle hadn't set. Laureate however, nearly matched its yield and commanded a £50/t premium
You seem damning of any approach that's not your approach Huno. What works for one farm may prove unviable for another, I have not criticised your system, it obviously works for you and could be constructive input for many. Keep it constructive...Growing organic spring crops is getting harder with the extremes in weather we are seeing these days.. totally agree that winter sowing far less risky as at least the roots have established before flood or freeze or drought or heat which are more common now. The only down side is winter weeds and loss of nitrogen from leaching especially over chalk.. I am also certain that Laureate is genetically very poorly suited to low nitrogen inputs and that oats or triticale work much better as a spring cereal option in organics because if they fail as a cash crop they will crimp as a wholecrop giving you options... never pre sell organic spring crops and wait until they are weighed and dry and in the barn
I am not criticising your system! That is a rediculous over reaction... i am not going to post on this thread anymore if that is how you interpret my experience... this forum is just crap... you dont even know my approach!! byeYou seem damning of any approach that's not your approach Huno. What works for one farm may prove unviable for another, I have not criticised your system, it obviously works for you and could be constructive input for many. Keep it constructive...
Any form of spring wheat, be it ancient or not, grown here would do at best 1.5t, but more likely 1t/acre, add in risk of ergot and hagberg and a 1t feed crop @£270 does not compare to a 2t crop of Laureate @£320... genetically poor, maybe but it's not proving so. Spring oats have hated the long dry April/mays we keep getting. Wholecropping has bob hope of a return in a stockless system
Crikey Huno, no need to be like that, your comment over Laureate vs alternative spring crops and wholecropping isn't valid for here. Like I said in reasonable depth.I am not criticising your system! That is a rediculous over reaction... i am not going to post on this thread anymore if that is how you interpret my experience... this forum is just crap... you dont even know my approach!! bye