Once again I am delighted to be involved with the production of this issue, Direct Driller #12. These pages are filled with facts and figures that have the power to direct arable farmers towards more profitable and long term goals which will stand the test of time. They very much fulfil the original purpose of …
Welcome to another 100 pages of Direct Driller magazine. Pages that tell farmers so much about the mysteries of soil and the ways ingenious engineers and scientists have devised to handle it. This story has only recently become news. In recent years the world of media, politics and education have begun to grasp the story, …
We, the readers of Direct Driller, need to give a huge round of applause to Clive and Chris, the energy behind this magazine, together with all the contributors to this issue. The contents is truly awe-inspiring, and the knowledge it contains colossal. It’s impossible to pick individual articles because that relegates the others, and it …
Editor Mike Donovan recalls the talk on soil at the 2015 Oxford Real Farming Conference by Bruce Bell of the Scottish Agricultural College. Delegates were asked to bring soil samples so Dr Bruce might analyse them, and the event proved so popular the room in the Town Hall was packed. Unfortunately many farmers thought it …
Soil Workshops At The Oxford Real Farming Conference 2015 Read More »
No-till farmers are increasingly seeing grass as a useful arable break crop. The mat of grass roots created by No-till provides a fertile top layer of soil for the cash crop, which also benefits from the deep rooting pasture species. Grass builds soil structure and fertility, and also provides a useful income. Hence our cover …
Have you heard the news? It’s amazing how no-till has captured the imagination of people far removed from farming. Even farmers whose ploughshares still shine with use are beginning to think they need to get better informed. The news is giving no-till the attention it needs. As can be see by the numerous soil events, …
Editor Mike Donovan interprets a vital study on soil run-off from Finland Nutrient and soil run-off to water courses is a major concern in Finland, with land in the southwest of major concern. For more than 20 years farmers in the region have been involved in many efforts to reduce the problem. These have included …
Gypsum Trials Show Major Benefits On Soil And Phosphate Run-Off Read More »
A very warm welcome to this new issue of Direct Driller. There’s much to get your teeth into, including topics that are new but highly relevant. A glimpse into the future shows new crops on the cusp of becoming commercial. Why, for example, have we yet to realise the potential of rye? And in the …
A wheat crop from plants which yield year after year has huge attractions for both the farmer and the environment. There’s no yearly crop establishment. Plants develop strength and get deep rooting. Carbon capture is enhanced. Creating a commercially viable perennial wheat has been a fundamental challenge that has been taken up by The Land …
Solid Progress Made In Perennial Wheat Research Read More »
Welcome to this sixth issue of Direct Driller. We guarantee you will discover new facts and information on many aspects of no-till crop management. You’ll be aware the ‘soil’ topic has moved rapidly from being a quirky idea to something of which all farmers have become aware. This leads me to think of all those …
