Unmoved stubbles can often be the driest land on the farm after heavy rainfall. Yet we are told that cultivation helps to dry land out. What are the factors that allow stubbles to move water downwards faster than cultivated ground? It’s now apparent that many cultivated soils are not draining recent deluges fast enough. Crops …
Slender Foxtail has put in its annual appearance with great vengeance this year. It’s that time of year where we all can see the results of each other labour’s. With wheat now out in ear, fields that are normally clean are showing the effects of the long & wet winter. Grass weeds are out in force, particularly Slender Foxtail AKA Blackgrass. The lack of herbicide activity and lack of conditions to get the applications on in a timely manner are showing. No doubt the mild wet autumn also played a part in reducing the longevity of herbicides.
As the daylength increases we are all now waking up from what feels like the mildest ‘winter’ and longest wet spell ever experienced (since the last one anyhow!). It feels like it started raining in July and we haven’t really had a respite since. Soils in most parts of the country have been permanently wet …
It is clear that the term ‘Regen ag’ is now becoming as confused and meaningless as ‘min-till’. The question of ‘what is Regen’ now happens with regular occurrence. Worryingly there now seems to be, in the UK at least, organisations who are keen to control the narrative and take ownership of the term regen for …
Written by James Warne from Soil First Farming As we look around at the landscape in the early autumn we can see that some early drilled cover crops are now coming into flower. Those planted in late July after the first harvests of OSR or Barley will now have been in the ground for 6-8 …
Written by James Warne from Soil First Farming Many years of looking at soil proves to me that cultivations never improve soil structure. They may help to overcome an immediate problem – like compaction. But they are only ever a short-term fix; and not a very good one, either. Cultivations always leave some sort of …
Written by James Warne from Soil First Farming It seems everyone is doing ‘regen’ these days. There is a lot of confusion and miscommunication around what it means. I was at a meeting recently where I heard someone proclaim that their arable business was carbon neutral even though they were still ploughing, combi-drilling and using …
What an extraordinary growing season we seem to have had. In a nutshell, very low rainfall, low temperatures untilJune and good levels of solar radiation (sunshine) resulting in generally good yields with good specific weight andmoderate protein. Especially so as most crops senesced approximately 2 weeks earlier than normal.Written by James Warne from Soil First …
Written by James Warne from Soil First Farming What an extraordinary growing season we seem to have had. In a nutshell, very low rainfall, low temperatures until June and good levels of solar radiation (sunshine) resulting in generally good yields with good specific weight and moderate protein. Especially so as most crops senesced approximately 2 …
With three trade shows coming in quick succession this year, LAMMA, Cereals and Groundswell, the question ofwhich colour you like your steel painted comes into focus once again. Written by James Warne from Soil First Farming Along with the rise of the Conservation Agriculture techniques being adopted on more and more farms across the UK, …
