Dr Tom Dykstra is an American agriculturalist who specialises in entomology. Many farmers see pollination as the mainbenefit of the insect population, but as he describes, there are many more. Insect damage is often an indication of anunhealthy crop, and this is caused by crop stress which results from heavy applications of N, pesticide damage …
It’s perhaps not so important whether Einstein said “ insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results” or not. The powerful phrase initiates progress and of course has considerable relevance in farming, where doing the same thing can be a bit of a habit. That is, of course, if you …
Growing different plants next to each other, in the same field or plot, is alien to many farmers but less so for ‘growers’. Farmers who talk to their neighbours with gardens may well find they have been growing combinations of crops for decades. The world of horticulture knows that marigolds create natural pesticides that keep …
MIKE DONOVAN Homo sapiens are hard-wired to be critical and suspicious of the unknown. We apply the maxim ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ where we can, and look for excuses to maintain the status quo. It applies to farming methods. The big gaps in no-till knowledge slow the progress of those who are …
Mike Donovan writes… Joel Williams is a familiar face to many with an interest in soil health and biology, and first spoke to a UK farming audience in 2010. The Australian plant and soil health educator has a global audience and Direct Driller magazine caught him at the Overbury Estate in Worcestershire where he joined …
There are many and varied reasons why UK farmers avoid making the change to No-till. They know it won’t work on their land. They tried in the 1970s, drilling into the ash left after stubble and straw was burnt off, and yields soon declined. If these aren’t enough the next argument against making change is …
In future years compost will become mainstream in farming, and compost heaps will become a regular sight on farms. This homemade turner which was first published five years ago has been a popular workshop project due to low cost and simplicity. It makes a great introduction for composters who are looking for a machine which …
