Author name: Jeff Clayon

TIME TO CHECK YOUR SOILS TO SEE WHERE IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE. Spring is the ideal time to take stock of your soils, test how good they are, look for signs of compaction and check that drainage is operating correctly, says Jeff Claydon. In this article the Suffolk farmer and inventor of the Opti-Till® direct …

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CHALLENGING AUTUMN WEATHER UNDERLINES THE NEED TO TAILOR CROP ESTABLISHMENTAPPROACH TO PREVAILING CONDITIONS Despite a stop-start harvest and the very changeable weather which followed, Suffolk farmer Jeff Claydon was able to establish all the planned area of winter crops. But, he says, this autumn highlighted the necessity of having a flexible approach and the ability …

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INDEPENDENT CROP ESTABLISHMENT TRIALS YIELD EXCITING RESULTS Suffolk farmer Jeff Claydon highlights the results of independent crop establishment trials and discusses theprogress of harvest on the Claydon farm.26 AUGUST 2021 In my last article for Direct Driller (Issue 14, July 2021) I promised to bring you some interesting information on the benefits of optimising crop …

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AUTUMN DRILLING GOES TO PLAN ON THE CLAYDON FARM DESPITE THE WETTEST OCTOBER ON RECORD As part of his series detailing the farming year on E. T. Claydon & Sons’ arable enterprise in Suffolk, Jeff Claydon, who invented the Opti-Till® direct strip seeding system, talks about establishing winter crops during the very challenging autumn and …

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WHAT WILL THE NEW SEASON HOLD IN STORE? As part of his ongoing series chronicling events on E. T. Claydon & Sons’ farm in West Suffolk, Jeff Claydon, who invented the Opti-Till® System of direct strip seeding, reflects on last season’s challenges and outcomes, together with how he is approaching the season ahead. The article …

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CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS AND EXTREME CONDITIONS HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF SOIL HEALTH This season’s weather extremes highlight the importance of good soil health, says direct strip seeding pioneer and Suffolk farmer Jeff Claydon, who designed the Opti-Till® System. In the last issue I highlighted the importance of operating a crop establishment system which can cope …

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COST PER TONNE OF PRODUCTION MUST BE THE KEY DRIVER The 2019 harvest yielded excellent results on the Claydon farm, resulting in a cost per tonne of production which provided a good margin, says direct strip seeding pioneer Jeff Claydon, who designed the Claydon Opti-Till® System. In Issue 6 of Direct Driller magazine I discussed …

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MAKE SOIL HEALTH YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY The importance of good soil health cannot be overstated, but the key is to achieve it. Strip seeding pioneer Jeff Claydon, who farms in Suffolk and designed the Claydon Opti-Till® System, explains how In my last article for Direct Driller I mentioned briefly the importance of good soil …

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CORRECT ESTABLISHMENT IS VITAL TO GET THE BEST FROM SPRING-SOWN CROPS Spring crops have become an increasingly important component in many arable rotations, but to deliver best performance they must be established correctly, writes Jeff Claydon, who farms in Suffolk and designed the Claydon OptiTill® System In the last issue of Direct Driller magazine, I …

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