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How To Start Drilling For £8K
Clive Bailye’s seed drill of choice is his 6m John Deere 750A , which has been used exclusively for 3-4 seasons. Last year, with an increased acreage, the founder and publisher of this Direct Driller magazine thought a second seed drill was necessary. Having just the one machine was a risk and in a difficult season would mean drilling was delayed. He looked around and found a good condition Horsch CO6 tine drill advertised in Germany.
Words and pictures by Mike Donovan
After delivery he rebuilt the coulters to a narrow profile so as to reduce soil disturbance. He says the tine drill is very useful driling after straw crops such as osr and also through the straw on second crop cereals.
Buying the drill from a German farmer was not particularly complicated, and provided him with a higher spec machine than Horsh sell in the UK. The seed dart tyres are much wider, and the machine is fitted with blockage monitors as well as full width front packers and also a liquid fert application system.
A sheaf of photos were taken, and Clive then asked for some of specific parts to show wear. The deal was done at under £5,000 which Clive says is the market value of these machines which are too large for small farmers to buy. Original owners like to buy new and sell when the machine is still in good condition.
Narrow tines with wear tiles
@Clive knew he wanted to make changes, substituting the Horsch tines and coulters for something far narrower, and has ended up getting his own design of tine made, which has a wear tile made from Ferobide, far harder than tungsten. The drill is on the farm primarily for osr and 2nd crop cereals drilled into chopped straw and the 25cm spacing is okay for these crops.
Comments on Clive’s on-line forum, TFF, said the drill many not be so good with beans, as the slot is a mere 12mm wide. And in barley the spacing may well be too wide as it needs to be thick. Clive points out that the seed pipe can actually be a bit wider than 12mm as it is in the shadow of the point. It would be good to have the option of using it for beans.
Above left: The cheap CO6 is being calibrated ready for its first outing
Above right: The adapted Horsch is being filled by the home built drill logistics trailer with seed and liquid starter fert.
Getting around the German instructions
The Horsch came, of course, with a control box and instructions in German. More on-line discussion revealed that English instructions were available on the Horsch website, and another explained that Horsch was sourcing some of these parts from Agton in Canada anyway. Zealman from New Zealand explained that the button marked with callipers should be held down for around 5 seconds. The menu is where you adjust the tramline sequence, valve layout and row numbers.
Ball hitch is a continental standard and provides a positive connection between tractor and drill
The Stocks Wizard has a rotor modified for Avadex which otherwise leaks everywhere
A Stocks Wizard is on the back of the drill and used for Avadex. Here again the knowledge of actual farmers is helpful. Alistair Nelson warned that the rotor and the surrounding shroud need to be changed, and he got good advice “from Rick at Stocks”. Clive has the same setup on the 750A and says that the Avadex leaks everywhere unless the modification is made. The drill was acquired and modified in 2016 and the results have been excellent.
The machine went through the residue without many problems and having the second drill has meant more timely planting. Clive has shown that moving into No-Till is not the expensive exercise so many farmers think it might be. The total cost, after modifications which included replacing all tines and coulters, was under £8,000.
Author Mike Donovan writes: we have featured a number of home made direct drills in @Practical Farm Ideas, and are always interested in seeing more. Please contact mike editor@farmideas.co.uk or 07778877514.
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Farmer Focus – Andy Howard – July 23
As I sit here on the last day of May writing this article it is blowing a gale outside and has been for quite a long time now. Our soils have gone from drenched at the beginning of May to having the life sucked out of them at the end of the month. It really has been a difficult few months. Watching crops struggle in wet places to not being able to plant our spring crops until very late. If you had asked me at the beginning of March, I would have told you the farm looks fantastic, now it doesn’t!! Through these hard times we need to learn lessons and I will share mine.
On our heavy clay we need to do a lot of mole ploughing. The areas that have been moled twice and so the moles are only 1.5m apart looks great. Areas where it has only moled once to 3m width apart the crop looks wavy, good over the mole and poor in between. The areas that haven’t had any moling and were due to be done last autumn but weren’t as too dry, look poor. I’m hoping for some moisture this autumn as we have a lot of mole ploughing to do!!
We have also seen BYDV show up in some of our wheat. In the last 6 years since we stopped spraying insecticides, we have seen virtually none. There does seem to be a correlation between wet areas, spring SU usage and the variety Crusoe. I think the plant health has been compromised in these areas making them vulnerable to attack, mix that with high aphid pressure for months and the result isn’t good. There are people who have sprayed insecticides locally twice, once in the autumn and once in the spring and still have BYDV so not sure there was much I could do about it. A certain amount I think is spring infection as it has only tipped the flag leaves, also I have found wild oats, meadow brome and even blackgrass with BYDV and these wouldn’t have been there in the autumn.
Less of my mistakes and woes and onto some positive aspects of this year (I’ll try). By the end of tomorrow I will have finished spot spraying Blackgrass in my wheat and grass seed. For me this is vital to allow me to keep growing crops like second wheats and herbage seed. Hearing lots of horror stories of a black grass mess across the country so at least we aren’t too bad, and our seed return will be low.
My middle of May drilled Linseed (with oat companion) and our Lentil/Camelina intercrop are looking well. We have a strip of Chickpeas in our linseed to try again for Hodmedods. There seems to be demand and a good price for them which is unusual for this year! They will soon start to suffer though with this constant wind. The Spring OSR/ bean intercrop has been a struggle. It was planted on Easter Sunday and didn’t have the easiest month to start growing. Hopefully will get away now.
Linseed chickpea oat Fingers crossed by my next article my mood may have improved and we have started a new season with some enthusiasm. It was worrying to see Clive’s poll on Twitter where 60% of respondents would think or are thinking of quitting farming. Even though I don’t feel that despondent I do understand the frustration. There seems a perfect storm of falling markets, high input costs, disappearing subsidies and government/public disdain of farming. Those issues are frustrating but the one that annoys me the most is the weather; we don’t seem to be able to go a season without a major issue. Last year was 40 degrees during flowering of the spring crops, this year seems to be months of wet followed by very drying weather. I am trying to make our system resilient, but it is very difficult in these extremes. I guess I should be thankful that I’m not a fruit, vegetable, or pig farmer this year, there is always someone else worse off!!
Look forward to seeing you all at Groundswell, I will be there for the 2 days wandering around and on the Groundswell Agronomy stand.
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Foliar Nitrogen
As more growers use foliar nitrogen applications, Direct Driller picks out some practical tips about how to formulate mixtures for maximum efficacy from Joel Williams’ masterclass.
Written by MIke Abram
Foliar feeding potentially offers a more efficient and quicker route to get nitrogen into a crop, particularly later in the season, but it does come with some risk, such as scorching leaves and from inconsistent results.
Minimising those risks comes from paying close attention to formulating applications correctly, suggests Integrated Soils’ Joel Williams. Earlier this spring he put together a lecture series providing detailed information and advice about how to maximise foliar nitrogen applications.
Most foliar nitrogen applications are based on urea, which has a number of advantages, he says.
First, urea is much quicker to be absorbed into plants because of its neutral charge than ammonium or nitrate. That’s important to optimise the plant’s health and nutrient status compared with soil applications, which are generally slower to move into the plant.
“We can get foliars into the plant much quicker than soil-based applications,” Mr Williams says.
Amino acids are generally even quicker to get into a plant, but urea is attractive because of a lower cost / unit of nitrogen than amino acids.
“There’s also an interesting review that suggests urea is a good chelator – when you mix it with other nutrients it improves the uptake of those nutrients, especially trace elements, such as zinc and iron.”
If making your own foliar urea on farm by dissolving granular urea in water, remember this is an endothermic reaction – in other words in the process of dissolving pulls in heat dropping the temperature of the water significantly.
“As the temperature drops, it becomes harder to then solubilise the rest of the urea, so any strategies you can use to increase water temperature will be help.”
That’s probably not going to extend to paying energy costs to warm water, Mr Williams says, but if you’re using any kind of below ground water source, pumping it to the surface can help warm it. Likewise, storing water in a black tank in the sun for a couple of days before use will also help warm it up by a few degrees.
“That can make all the difference,” he says.
The other key thing when solubilising urea is keeping the water circulating, especially at the bottom of the tank, while feeding the urea in slowly. “I know some farmers are putting all the urea in at the same time and making it work, but slowly feeding it in minimises the risk of clumping and settling at the bottom of the tank.”
Optimising foliar urea applications is much more than just spraying dissolved urea, however, he stresses. He recommends a number of other additions to the tank.
“On top of foliar nitrogen, it’s also about all the other nutrients that work with nitrogen, particularly the trace nutrients and some of the macronutrients, like sulphur, potassium and magnesium that work with nitrogen to support its movement through the metabolic pathway and its role in growth and protein development.
“So in a nitrogen strategy, we have to think about the other nutrients.”
Nickel, for example, is critical for urease to break down urea, while molybdenum, sulphur and iron are important for the nitrite and nitrate reductase enzymes to break down nitrate into ammonium. Manganese and magnesium are crucial for amino acid production, while a whole range of minerals play a role in converting amino acids into proteins.
If there is a deficiency of any of these key minerals it potentially can cause a backlog of nitrate or ammonium to build up with consequences for plant health, Mr Williams explains.
A plant sap or tissue analysis can help determine whether these or other nutrients are required, he says.
Mixing the nutrients with a carbon source helps bind the nutrients. Carbon acts as a sponge for positively charged nutrients, enhancing uptake and improving the permeability of the plant cells.
“They will be less reactive, less likely to lock up with other nutrients in the tank, and in the case of urea, less likely to volatilise off the leaf surface.”
Humic and fulvic acid are the most common organic chelators. For foliar applications, Mr Williams prefers fulvic acid as it is a smaller molecule that will pass into the leaf more quickly.
Another reason is humic acid is only soluble under alkaline conditions, which with a target spray pH of 5 or 5.5 there is a risk of it jellifying in the tank, while fulvic acid remains in solution at all pHs.
Other potential carbon sources include molasses and do-it-yourself sources of amino acids, such as fish or other protein hydrolysates. Molasses is less effective at chelating nutrients, but has other beneficial properties, he says.
Studies have shown that applying molasses stimulates microbes to digest nutrients, converting them into a stabilised form in their bodies, which are then recycled over a slower time frame.
Amino acids, on the other hand, are a very efficient form of getting nitrogen into plants, as they are further along the pathway to being converted into proteins.
“It’s sometimes beneficial to use a diversity of carbon sources with different modes of action and roles,” Mr Williams suggests.
Other useful additives in the spray tank include wetters, stickers or spreaders that can beneficially modify the behaviour, activity or availability of the nutrients.
Water conditioners, such as ammonium sulphate or citric acid that help make sure the spray solution hits the target acidic pH for optimal absorption of nutrients should also be added where required, Mr Williams adds.
With multiple additives and nutrients in the tank, do a jar test to check compatibility, he advises. Soluble forms of calcium can be problematic, for example, especially with sulphur and phosphate as it can precipitate out, he concludes.
What causes scorch?
Scorching of leaves is a common problem with foliar urea applications, and the primary cause is either an excess of urea or ammonium in the leaf, Mr Williams says.
If the pathway which converts urea into ammonium or ammonium into amino acids is blocked that can lead to a build-up urea or ammonium in the leaf causing toxicity, he explains.
There can be various reasons behind this, from a lack of key nutrients to build the enzymes to convert urea or ammonium, over-applying of urea or ammonium, or environmental conditions slowing the enzyme activity.
Biuret, a contaminant in urea manufacture, can also contribute to scorch, albeit more in perennial crops where it can build up over time than annual crops, Mr Williams notes. “If it is 1% or less then it is a good source for foliar spraying.”
Additions of nickel, manganese and / or magnesium sulphate can help facilitate the conversion of urea to avoid scorch, as can applying foliar sprays in high humidity, and avoiding spraying on bright sunny days, in windy conditions or in low temperatures.
“Whenever we have a low metabolic rate in the plant, whether it is from environmental stress such as low temperatures, drought stress or herbicide injury, that is when urea or ammonium can build up and cause potential toxicity.”
[Box] 5 building blocks in a foliar urea application
- Nitrogen source(s)
- Urea @ 10-20 kg/ha
- UAS/UAN @10-20 L/ha
- Ammonium sulphate 5-7 kg/ha
- Use tissue / sap analysis
- To determine optimum combinations of synergistic nutrients to go with nitrogen
- Carbon source(s)
- Fulvic acid @ 1-2 L/ha
- Fish hydrolysate @ 2-5 L/ha
- pH adjustment
- Citric acid to pH 5-5.5
- Wetter / sticker / spreader
- Nitrogen source(s)
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Proving the value of Conservation Agriculture in the UK
Written by Joe Stanley from the Allerton Project
What it is to be ‘a good farmer’ in the UK is currently undergoing a transformation of grand proportions. Many will have spent much of their careers in the belief that farmed land was for one thing only – food production – and that soil health (to the extent that it was considered at all) consisted primarily of phosphate, potash and lime indices. To be complimented on a big yield and tidy field was perhaps the greatest accolade from one’s peers.
Today, much more is being asked of farmers – and the land we farm. Food production is now on an almost equal footing with ‘natural capital services’ such as clean water and climate mitigation strategies, while farmers are navigating a new world of organic soil and carbon, nature restoration and baselining.
Dale Drill at Allerton At the Allerton Project, we have been at the forefront of such work since we first opened our doors in 1992, and are fortunate to employ our own full time team of research scientists who carry out continuous investigation and development of nature-friendly farming techniques on our 320ha site. In recent years, much of our focus has been on soil health and productivity and how these may be able to contribute to national targets for ecosystem services and net zero.
As such, since 2017 we have been delighted to work alongside Syngenta on a long-term research project seeking to develop an understanding of a cereal cropping system based on Conservation Agriculture (CA) principles with the aim of promoting greater sustainability within the sector and making adoption of reduced intensity practices quicker and more reliable for growers and the wider industry.
CA rests on the following key, and widely appreciated, principles:
- Biological diversity (both within the rotation and the wider landscape)
- Retention of living roots in the soil through as much of the season as possible
- Maintaining soil cover to the greatest extent practical
- Reducing & optimising mechanical & chemical disturbance of the soil
This Syngenta-led pan-European project also involves NIAB in the UK and the European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF) on the Continent, among other partners.
Gasmet soil GHG analyser The basic concept of the trial has been to compare the economic and environmental metrics of three contrasting tillage systems across minimum 1ha plots in a five-field, five-year rotation at the Allerton Project (a heavy silty clay loam site) and across a four-field rotation at a light-land farm at Lenham in Kent. These three systems are:
- Continuous inversion tillage (with subsequent secondary tillage)
- Minimum tillage (low disturbance sub soiling / disc-based cultivation)
- Direct drilling with no additional soil movement
The planned rotation at Allerton was winter barley, OSR, wheat, spring beans (with a cover crop) and back to winter wheat. (The reality of the climate in the previous five seasons has, however, led to some ‘dynamic’ decision making on the ground!)
At Allerton, we have utilised a Dale EcoDrill across all three systems, with a Vaderstadt Carrier the prime implement in the minimum tillage system alongside a Sumo LDS where required. The ploughing was similarly worked down primarily with the Carrier, and occasionally a power harrow.
Cover crop vs over winter plough So, after five seasons, what did we discover across the rotation?
At Loddington, our crop establishment in the inversion vs DD plots has been reduced by 8%, reflected in a 7% drop in yield. However, big savings have been established in fuel use (44% down) and work rate (50% improved), while operational costs savings (11%) have been realised when reduced machinery, horsepower and depreciation requirements are taken into account. Thus, despite reduced gross output, net profitability in the DD system is 14% per hectare up on the inversion model. On the lighter land site in Kent, there has been no reduction in yield between systems, which has seen a resultant 16% increase in net profitability. The minimum cultivation regime sits solidly in the middle as a clear stepping-stone between the two.
On the environmental side, soil greenhouse gas emissions have seen an 8% reduction at Loddington (5% at Lenham) as a result of reduced soil organic matter oxidation in the DD system, while overall carbon footprint per tonne of production is down 4% (vs 9% at Lenham). In terms of soil structure, there has been a significant improvement (10%) in VESS scoring at Lenham, although we are yet to see any clear difference at Loddington on our heavy clay (following multiple very challenging years). However, our earthworm numbers are up by a respectable 13% (from an already very healthy level) whilst those at Lenham have improved by 112% over the five years, admittedly from a lower level engendered by the natural restrictions of their soil type.
Syngenta 5-year results Most dramatically perhaps, overwinter bird counts on the respective trial plots have demonstrated a 247% higher level of farmland bird sightings on the DD areas versus the ploughed plots at Lenham – and a 2800% increase at Loddington! To give context, numbers of foraging birds – particularly lapwing – are negligible on the ploughed ground, whilst both reduced tillage regimes seem to offer a far more attractive habitat, with spilt seed from harvest, higher invertebrate numbers, and more cover.
Thus what we can demonstrate from the first five years of our Conservation Agriculture trial is that – solely by adapting establishment technique, whilst all other inputs remain the same – significant cost savings can be accrued in both time and money, while profitability can be simultaneously increased – to the benefit of the natural environment and climate.
Clearly, from an agricultural perspective this offers multiple benefits. Increased work rates allow growers to make better use of increasingly narrow weather windows, or to cover more ground as consolidation potentially gathers pace in the coming years. It also allows for reduced size and cost of machinery in a situation where land areas remain the same. The reduced ‘carbon cost’ of operations is also one strand in what will become an element of increasing focus for farm operations, that of reducing operational emissions for farm carbon accounting to service both national net zero strategies and that of the wider supply chain – as well as, potentially, farm carbon trading. With the increasingly volatile cost of fuel, a 50% reduction in its use is also a saving worth generating in its own right.
From an environmental perspective, the potential for DD-driven systems to contribute to an enhancement in the farmed environment is clearly advantageous, again as one element of wider integration of integrated farm management across the farmed area alongside measures such as participation in agri-environment schemes. It also aligns with some of the requirements of the developing Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) tier of the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELM).
What we have tried to achieve with the CA trial is to put to the test much of the anecdotal evidence cited by many growers who have set out on the journey to reduced tillage over recent years. In so doing, we have collected some 80,000 data points so far which can hopefully be utilised in a way which is more compelling than abstract conceptualisation. Bar charts and data tables might not stir the soul, but they can be the basis for a hard-nosed change in business practice! As such, we certainly look forward to presenting this work at Groundswell this year on 28th June.
One point of note is that we have been conducting this work against an almost unprecedented backdrop of both financial and climatic volatility. On the challenging soils and steep slopes at Allerton, we have struggled to always establish crops in good conditions (or at all!) since 2018, with oilseed rape being a particular challenge due to the ongoing predations of cabbage stem flea beetle. The extreme market volatility arising from geopolitical upheavals in the past few years have also added an extra element of interest to the results: given the very high commodity prices available for harvest 2022 any loss of yield on the DD system was admittedly disadvantageous to the financial picture and did significantly reduce even more positive numbers achieved from the first four years. However, the financial picture must be taken over a full rotation, whilst from an environmental perspective ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option.
Going forward, we are pleased to be continuing this work with Syngenta as we progress to a second, more ‘regenerative’ phase over the coming years as we look to build on the solid data and foundations already built. Starting in autumn 2022, we have discontinued the ‘min-till’ plot in each of the fields, re-purposing it as a range of different ‘regen’ comparators to the main inversion/DD strips. In these areas, we will be assessing the impact of herbal leys, manure applications, the potential to optimise synthetic nitrogen and the future role of biostimulants. We’ll also be assessing how best to control problem grass weeds in a ‘regen’ rotation.
Our wider work at Allerton gives some clues as to what the future holds. Although we have yet to see significant benefits to a reduced tillage approach to soil structure or organic matter levels after five years in our CA trial, we are also conducting longer-term trials elsewhere at Loddington. After a decade under CA principles, other arable land has registered a 10% increase in soil organic matter and significant improvements in soil structure, worm numbers and soil microbial activity. Five years is in reality a short period of time when it comes to building soil health and carbon (especially in the absence of significant organic manure inputs). We hope to have laid the foundations of what should be an exciting second phase to the project, where we can perhaps do a small part to redefine what it is to be a ‘good’ farmer in the 21st century.
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High silt content soils make for a slow drilling transition
After five years of cover crops and reduced tillage cultivations, Kent farm manager Dom Hughes reviews his experience – and how good advice has been vital to not making a mess of it.
“Slowly, slowly catchee monkey” has become my mantra. This old English proverb, which is another way of saying ‘be patient’, is perhaps the most apt way of describing the transition to a less intensive cultivation regime. It also helps to inject a modicum of humour to a process that has at times being both stressful and frustrating.
Across 800 hectares of sandy loam over chalk in north Kent and silty and clay loams in East Sussex, M. C. Atwood & Partners follows a rotation of combinable crops that is typical of the lowland England. In most seasons this is winter wheat – winter wheat/spring barley – winter barley – winter oilseed rape/winter beans/spring linseed.
The intention is to have roughly half the farm in winter wheat as this is consistently the most profitable cash crop. None of the break crops are especially impressive, but with the alternatives even less worthwhile, we persevere.
My focus over the past five years has been to maintain output performance while simultaneously preparing the business for the withdrawal of direct payments and the introduction of a system geared towards environmental actions.
Until 2018 a Simba Solo performed most of the cultivations with some land ploughed. Crops were then sown using a Vaderstad Rapid drill. This regime worked well, but there was a recognition that it was not sustainable. The policies emerging from Defra at the time (and since) favoured a less intensive approach and within the business there was the view that our spend on crop establishment was too high.
Around the same time we took on a new agronomist in Neil Harper of Agrii. Neil has been central to our efforts to develop a new system. His understanding of the farm and the reasoning that is guiding our decisions has helped to ensure we make good progress. He also appreciates that this is not some form of pseudo religion that puts philosophy above profitability.
default Under the Ecological Focus Areas introduced as part of the greening measures, we began to experiment with cover crops. We noticed that in some situations this made the soil easier to work. This spurred our interest and through regular inspection digs to monitor changes, several visits to Agrii’s research farm at Stow Longa and follow-up discussions with Steve Corbett, Agrii trials manager, we began to take a more serious interest. We were made aware, however, that it is not all rainbows and unicorns; it can take many years to see the benefits, especially financially. This was sage advice and we have found our way both slowly and cautiously hence the idiom at the start of this article. Cover crops now form part of the rotation and are established in the autumn ahead of the spring barley. In some years this can be as much as 20% of the farmed area.
In the years since 2018 we have sold the Simba Solo and bought a less aggressive disc cultivator that wears less metal and requires less diesel to pull. The Vaderstad Rapid has been replaced by an Amazone Cayena.
Silt is the main component in most lowland mineral soils and it is the reason why our endeavours with direct drilling have yielded mixed results. It naturally settles out to form a solid layer that roots can’t penetrate. During periods of dry weather when crops can’t access moisture the consequence of this are clear for all to see. We’ve direct-drilled oilseed rape and some winter beans with success but found that it doesn’t suit linseed. There are some cost savings, but they are minor in the grand scheme. When the reduction in output eclipses the savings in costs, it’s time to ask the obvious questions. This was the situation we found ourselves in after direct-drilling wheat into linseed stubble. It drilled fantastically but yielded 1t/ha less than that sown into cultivated ground.
In contrast, we have found that drilling into a cover crop results in better performance [than sowing into stubble]. There are, of course, other considerations. Less surface run off into ditches or out of gateways are non-cash benefits, but as an employed farm manager, my first responsibility is to maximise profitability, albeit within the framework of good environmental practice.
This harvest we will trial a short season cover crop consisting of a legume mix for the eight to 10 weeks between harvest and autumn drilling. We will see how it goes, but it must not jeopardise the autumn drilling window. We have a 10-14-day window in October when we need to complete our autumn drilling; if we are not drilled up by late October, yields suffer.
Cover crops versus metal
My interest in cover crops extends to their soil conditioning properties. I am not so naïve to think they can replace metal, but there must be a happy middle ground. Based on what I and Neill have observed so far, a cover crop mix of phacelia, vetch, buck wheat and linseed looks to be the best for our situation. As for low disturbance sub-soiler cultivators, I’m leaning towards the He-Va Stealth from Opico.
I’ve also sought to recoup the cost of the seed by renting out the cover crop for winter grazing. I accept that sheep can have a place on an arable farm, but it is not an experience I wish to repeat. We found that they tread the ground a little too much, especially when its wet. This removed much of the soil conditioning benefits of the roots. We ran a split field comparison and after comparing establishment performance and scrutinising the costs to allow for different N Min values, the cover crop without sheep was the most viable option.
I’ve tried to be more analytical rather than anecdotal in my assessments. I’ve compared the soil analysis results from pre- and post-cover crop regimes; I’ve considered soil health indicators such as worm numbers and whether yields have shown less variation. On all points there are signs of encouragement, but it will take a few more years to confirm we are on the right path.
default A second drill
We have come to recognise that having a second drill would be to our benefit, but it needs to be economically justifiable and not just the ‘nice-to-have’ second machine for when we are up against it. This served as the motivation to host a demonstration day and it is to Agrii’s credit that it managed to arrange for 17 drills from 13 manufactures to attend. More than 200 farmers attended the day. It was therefore a shame that the wettest March for more than 40 years meant conditions on the day were so poor that no drilling took place. Fortunately, eight of the manufactures agreed to leave the machines with us for a week and once conditions improved, we got to work.
There is also the dreaded issue of black-grass. Our use of residual herbicides is now far more targeted than it was while the change in cultivation policy of recent years has done much to reduce the area to be sprayed with Pacifica Plus (amidosulfuron + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium + mesosulfuron-methyl) but the bank of dormant black-grass seed is considerable. This needs to be remembered when looking at drill design and configuration.
So which drill do I think will best suit our situation? At the moment there is little to separate them. In my opinion the Amazone Cayena was the best all-round machine – if only it was wider than 6 metres.
The Amazone Condor appealed because it followed the contours well, but I was disappointed with the soil closing behind the coulter. I was impressed with the John Deere 750A, but the conditions suited a disc drill. How do we recreate the mineralised nitrogen we get with a tine if we move to a disc drill? I don’t know.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the Kuhn Espro which has done what looks like a nice job albeit it has moved a lot of soil and we may yet see a flush of black-grass which we don’t have the means to control other than with glyphosate or by rogueing.
We arranged for a neighbour to come in with his Horsch Sprinter, but with Dutch openers it was a little different to the demo machine and also moved a lot of soil. The Simtech machine was a surprisingly easy drill to set up and has done a good job. It’s a simple machine with not too much to go wrong so I can see its appeal. This is where drill configuration becomes important to performance. There are different types of point, opener, closer and packer designs. Then there are front packers, leading discs and spreader plates to consider. It’s a minefield of considerations.
What is apparent, however, is how drill design and configuration has evolved. Choice largely comes down to how much cultivation you want? It’s not an exact science and we need to better understand the nuances of each system and the trade-offs that exist between different designs, before we can answer the question.
Nor should we fall into the trap of seeing transformations in performance as the result of one single management change. There are other factors to consider, not least the weather and the inevitable need to address compaction. There are certain practices we need to observe too, such as the need to incorporate sewage sludge, farm-yard manure and other organic soil amendments. It would be easy to think of direct drilling as the nirvana of systems, but in my experience, it’s about achieving a balance. For us this means a sub-soiler cultivator of some description though I accept a return to the Simba Solo is perhaps a little extreme.
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Cultivation will improve your soil structure
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 pan. Either a mechanical pan from smearing or trafficking. Or a sedimentation pan where the act of moving the soil puts the surface crumb beneath lumps from the previous year’s pan. It may not be immediately obvious but it’s always there. And it will always build to bite you back. Subsoiling is sometimes necessary to deal with structural damage – most often from previous soil working under the wrong conditions. But rotational subsoiling as a matter of course – regardless of whether or not it’s needed or where – is nonsensical. It becomes habit, once you start doing it you need to do it more to achieve the same result. Subsoiling eventually results in a soil that packs down tighter than it was before the subsoiling took place. So it completely defeats me why so many of us who want to achieve exactly the opposite – quite often with some fairly poorly-structured soils – continually turn to metal at depth. Maybe it’s not only our soils that are addicted?As well as hugely damaging to long-term soil structure, deep cultivation, is the enemy of organic matter. Every time we introduce air into the soil it oxidises carbon from our precious OM bank. The more air we inject the more carbon we lose. As if that’s not enough, cultivating soil decimates the worm populations. The deep burrowing worms which provide channels for drainage and air-aeration. It also disrupts the natural sub-soiling action of previous crop roots that provide preferred pathways for new root penetration & drainage for rainfall. Also not forgetting all the other important soil biology such as fungi & bacteria. Fungi, in particular, do not like being disturbed. If you are on a regenerative path and still insisting on doing some cultivation the soil biota are never going to be in a position to provide the ecosystem services you are searching for, drainage; aeration; fertility; carbon sequestration; crop health and most importantly for you, output. All of these will be compromised with the introduction of steel.
Whilst on the subject of cultivation I notice that there is a move towards light cultivation in front of spring cropping in the belief that this improves yield. The question I ask is what does the cultivation bring that increases output? Answer, it’s releasing fertility. Part of a cover crop’s function is to cycle nutrient and prevent the loss of mobile nitrogen. Unfortunately this fertility will be not be instantly released to the following crop, therefore to overcome this we need to be more considered with our fertiliser applications in the spring to ensure that we do not restrict the nutrition to the following crop. Cultivation works against everything that makes the greatest natural contribution to soil structuring – organic matter, earthworms and old root runs. And the sheer amount of horsepower, and the weight of the machine to transfer the horsepower needed doesn’t do most soils any favours either.
So, the most sustainable way of improving soil structure is less, not more, where tillage is concerned. We need to allow the sort of carbon-fuelled biology we see under permanent pastures to work its magic; not least letting the glomalin and vast array of other organic compounds produced by soil flora and fauna develop the tilth and stable soil particles we need without continual disruption and disturbance. Our preference is for cultivating only the relatively small amount of ground around the seed as part of a no-till (do not confuse with strip till) approach. This gives us the best of all possible worlds. We achieve a nice tilth where the seed really needs it for germination and establishment while maintaining the best, undisturbed soil structure everywhere else.We get rapid and effective root proliferation to depth, just the right conditions for nutrient and water uptake and the least crop vulnerability to drought or flood. We also get ground with a greater ability to tolerate traffic, fewer weed problems, lower cultivation costs and higher establishment work rates.
Of course, this sort of natural structural improvement doesn’t offer the quick fix of sub-soiling. It can take many years of determined action to bring a soil round and overcome the problems created by over-cultivation. This is where the choice of system is of paramount importance; rotation; diversity; cover crop
The difference a cover crop can make to soil quality, soil dug from the same field a few years apart, left no cover crop, right cover crop.
Equally, we can’t just move into direct drilling overnight and expect everything to improve. Choosing the right point in the rotation to make the switch is a useful consideration. Looking at crop performance should also give an indication of the soil functionality. While we are doing this we need to accept that we’re in a transition that may mean we have to accept some short-term pain for the long-term gain we’re after. Not only this, but we should also reconsider a number of other things we always done – like incorporating straw, grass in the rotation, muck, etc.
Appreciating the complex physical, chemical and biological characteristics of our greatest asset – the soil – and working with it to make the most of them is a better way forward than continually trying to rely on cold hard steel and plenty of horsepower. This will never give us the sustainable soil structure we need.
So, as we move towards cultivation season once again ask yourself which cultivations are really necessary? Could a cover crop do the work for you? What cover crop species could offer the best investment?
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Companion cropping in OSR appears to reduce herbicide losses to water
Affinity Water has been working with local farmer, Rob Fox, to investigate the role of companion cropping on improving water quality, soil health and crop protection. Direct Driller, delves into what they’ve found from the ongoing trials.
Catchment areas in the UK are largely dominated by agricultural land, which makes collaboration between water companies like Affinity Water and farmers essential to protecting essential natural resources – water and soil.
Cover crops play an important role in building soil health and are a key part of Affinity Water’s strategy to help make catchments more resilient to the weather extremes experienced in recent years, reduce soil erosion and fix excess nitrate in soils which can potentially impact groundwater quality.
The Affinity Water catchment team has been working with farmers in their catchments to fund cover crops and so far, have funded over 3700 hectares since 2020.To take this further, the company has been trialling the use of companion crops with home counties based farmer, Rob Fox.
Companion cropping trialsRob Fox, farm manager at Woodhall estate in Hertfordshire, has been working with Affinity Water and Alan Dewar at Dewar Crop Protection to look at how companion cropping in oilseed rape (OSR) could protect nearby watercourses from herbicides losses and help benefit crop production.
The first trial in 2021/22 focused on sections of an OSR field, where selected companion crops, buckwheat, fenugreek and berseem clover were planted in with the OSR and compared against a control area of just OSR.
The results from the first trial showed benefits for water and the crop also experienced less flea beetle damage in the OSR which had companions compared to area with no companion crops planted.
“It was clear from these results that companion cropping was delivering for the crop as well as the watercourses,” says Mr Fox.
A year on, they have carried out a replicated trial to measure the true impact of companion cropping on a larger scale.
“This year we’re carrying out a replicated trial in OSR that’s under-sown with both berseem clover and buckwheat. The trial spans 23 tramlines across a 30-hectare area, along with a control area which has no companion crops planted,” he says.
“Having such a large area of replicated trials allows us to make meaningful comparisons, including with crops that have had no companion crop planted,” he says.
Mr Fox explains that flea beetle control and the promotion of soil health are most important from the farm business perspective.
He says: “From the farm’s point of view, we’re trying to reduce the flea beetle burden on OSR at establishment, improve soil health and promote more sustainable pesticide use to protect nearby watercourses.”
“We’re already seeing some promising results from the ongoing trials, especially when it comes to flea beetle damage. When comparing the two areas it’s clear that there is much less damage in the companion cropping area,” he says.
Dewar Crop Protection carried out cabbage stem flea beetle assessments which showed the positive effect of the companion cropped plots of OSR. More of these trial results will be revealed at Groundswell in June. Growers are encouraged to visit the Affinity Water stand to learn more.
Danny Coffey from Affinity Water
The benefits for soil and water
Danny Coffey, agricultural advisor at Affinity Water, explains that companion cropping in OSR could have huge benefits that farmers can reap, not only for water quality but soil and crop health.“Firstly, companion crops in OSR such as berseem clover appear to reduce soil water concentrations of herbicides, such as propyzamide, due to additional vegetative cover they provide over winter,” he says.
“While growing, the additional protection companion crops provide, may help reduce herbicides being lost from fields and protect the environment and water supplies. r. The trials run at Mr Fox’s farm have been very interesting and really helpful for us as we develop the funding on offer to farmers in target catchments”.
“Companion crops also have the potential to help improve soil health. Once they’re incorporated into the soil that is additional organic matter which is added and if a legume, such as clover, has been used – like in this trial – their nitrogen-fixing characteristics serve to increase soil fertility.”
“The results so far have been really encouraging and we have learnt a lot from working with the Woodhall Estate about the practicalities of companion cropping and how we can best support farmers.”
Longer term, Affinity Water will continue to work with the farming community who are helping to improve soil health across catchments, protect water quality and the safeguard the environment, as well as produce food for the nation.
“There’s a lot of interest in the results of these companion cropping trials so far and we look forward to sharing them with farmers at this year’s Groundswell,” he says.
OSR field Affinity Water at Groundswell
Affinity Water is the largest ‘water only’ company in the UK, serving over 3.8 million people in the south-east of England.
Affinity Water will, once again, be the headline sponsor of Groundswell, demonstrating healthy soils, cleaner water and a sustainable future can all be delivered on-farm, by showcasing the results from their recent companion and cover cropping trials .
Companion cropping is one of the initiatives Affinity Water’s catchment team has been supporting farmers in their catchments to implement to help reduce losses of the herbicides such as propyzamide to watercourses, rather than relying on expensive end of pipe treatment solutions.
Mr Coffey adds: “Groundswell allows us to learn more about regenerative agriculture, highlight the journeys which many farmers are on to improve their soil health.
“Healthy soils buffer extreme weather events, the water that falls onto soils rich in organic matter is filtered as it drains into water courses and infiltrates down into aquifers – soil and water are intrinsically linked and well-functioning soils across catchments, is the most sustainable form of water treatment there is.
“There are so many pressures on farmers today to not only make land management decisions which sustainably produce our food, but expectations to enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon and protect our water.
“As a water company, we benefit from this way of farming across our supply area, the insight farmers share with us and it is only right that we support farmers in this journey.”
Delegates are encouraged to come along to the stand to talk to the Affinity Water catchment team about their catchment management schemes and ongoing trial results.Farm Facts:
Woodhall Estate, Hertford, England
- Farming: 3,500 ha mixed farm, with 2,000ha arable crops
- Primarily producing wheat as well as barley, oilseed rape (OSR), oats and beans.
- Over 9% of farm is in stewardship
Affinity Water at Groundswell
- Stand FY1: Affinity Water Catchment Hub
- Rainfall simulator video – at the Affinity Water Catchment Hub
- Free souvenir Groundswell re-usable water bottles
- Catchment hub area representatives include; Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, University of Reading, Cranfield University and Affinity Water’s biodiversity team
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The Regen/Organic Conundrum from a Farmer’s viewpoint
By Wilfred Mole, Lower Pertwood Farm, Wiltshire.
The debate continues between arable farmers worldwide who feel that they should remain conventional, in the traditional sense, and a growing number of farmers who are convinced that Regenerative (“Regen”) is the way forward. The small Organic arable sector is also questioning their role, due to the fact that “Regenerative” in principle has the same objectives, i.e., to be much kinder to one’s Soil and to farm with Nature where possible.
The sound principles of Regen farming resonate very strongly with most farmers for two reasons:
1) They realise that something needs to be done urgently to mitigate the negative implications of climate change as they are directly affected.
2) They also realise that the farming practices of the past utilized overzealous ground engagement practices which can now be reversed.
A change in the climate itself has created different farming conditions. While ice melts at the poles and deserts spread nearest the equator, the UK has largely benefitted from prevailing weather conditions. One only has to travel around the English countryside to see how robust the pastures appear to be and how well everything is growing, particularly in undisturbed wilding areas where no one is actually interfering with the process.
As arable farmers, our unofficial guideline to Regenerative practices is as follows:
1) Don’t disturb the soil.
2) Keep the soil surface covered.
3) Keep living roots in the soil.
4) Grow a diverse range of crops.
5) Bring grazing animals back to the land.
Central to these priorities is soil. Everything we do on the land affects the soil and a farmer who has the best interests of his soils at heart will prioritize this issue and place it at the center of the farms’ ongoing arable strategy.
This is where the Organic / Regenerative conundrum emerges. Unfortunately, a fundamental and often unavoidable practice in organic arable farming is to plough. It has been that way for over 150 years with both animal drawn and manual soil disturbance being practiced for centuries. It continues to be the primary method used by Organic arable farmers to control weeds. In so doing, it flies directly in the face of one of the most important aspects of the Regenerative farming model. Any farmer wanting to improve soil health would not want to plough, and added to this the dramatic increase in diesel prices and the wear and tear on the machinery has made ploughing a costly exercise.
Having an organic farm in the Southwest of England provides us with an opportunity to understand what it is like to produce organic crops against the background of the regulations that govern the organic sector. We also acquired a neighboring farm a few years ago that was conventional, and we decided to leave it that way because it provided us with an opportunity to experiment outside of the Organic regulations. In short, it is our Regenerative farming laboratory.
Having been Organic since 1987 we are in a unique position to understand how Organic works because we have followed the rules for decades. Much of what we do in the organic arable sense is already regenerative. The absence of any form of artificial fertiliser, pesticides, weed killers, glyphosate etc. is the bedrock of the organic system and has resulted in an array of ecological improvements and has allowed the farm to recover its vitality over the years. We have not had many practical solutions to the challenges we face in an Organic arable environment.
However, by taking a leaf out of the regenerative book, we are beginning to find ways of adapting to the challenges that exist, some of which often happen incidentally. The heavy rains of the last few months meant that our arable programme was delayed. One particular 120 acre ley was still untouched at the end of April. It has been in grass and clover for a number of years and was in a very good state to be converted back into a fertile arable field. However, for that to happen, in theory it had to be ploughed.
We estimated it would take 5 days to plough it, but conditions were too wet to drill an arable crop before the end of May. Our team, supported by our agronomist, responded proactively to the challenge and came up with an innovative idea. They suggested we top it, leaving the organic material on the surface. Then, using our Horsch Avatar planter, we were able in one non-stop session to direct drill Organic own grown barley in 16cm rows directly into the topped grass/clover ley.
Wet Field North after topping.
Gerwyn Hughes (left) and Dan Davies ready to drill.
Warm weather encouraged germination and now after 2 weeks the race is on.
Some disturbance of the soil remains appropriate in some circumstances unfortunately if crops are to be grown. If ploughing is necessary then it should be shallow (5 inches or less). There are many advantages to be gained from minimising tillage and keeping “trash” on the surface, all the while encouraging soil flora to develop their capacity to incorporate organic matter as much as possible.
Glyphosate which is a potential tool of Regen is a useful and beguiling tool but it is also a carcinogen, and counterproductive because it kills the very bugs that one is trying to encourage. Likewise, soluble fertilisers. In addition a core issue with regards to sustainability is the carbon/nitrogen balance. If one wishes to increase carbon in the soil, then this tends to lock up the nitrogen.
A Regenerative Farmer up to now is not governed by any regulatory body nor priced at a set premium. Regen is a concept encompassed by a word and there are no rules, no precise definition, no legal framework, no regulatory structure, no clear point of difference and no established market.
Thus, the practices that are being adopted are left entirely at the farmer’s discretion. They have their conscience and the best interests of their soil to motivate them going forward. The Organic Farmer on the other hand, if ploughing can be avoided as per the example above, may achieve an excellent income per Ha due to low input costs with reasonable yields and an a significant price premium.
The Organic sector receives a premium on organic products because they are correctly perceived by the marketplace to have been produced in a healthier way than similar products from conventional farms. However, there is growing awareness of the benefits of Regenerative farming to our soils and potentially to consumers. This is beginning to be recognised by industry, as demonstrated by the example of Carlsberg Breweries who are now insisting that Malting Barley for their major breweries across Europe are grown within a Regenerative system. A comment by one of the farmers interviewed said “Carlsberg are actively rewarding those farmers who use these techniques.” We may be seeing the dawn of a new premium to reward Regenerative farmers in much the same way as Organic farmers are being rewarded.
Overall, we believe that Regen is at the moment a mid way station, a halfway house on the path to “regenerative organic” promoted as the holy grail by respected organizations like The Rodale Institute in the US. Regen as it stands is still immature and undeveloped as a food production system. The principles of Regen and Organic are certainly aligned. However we cannot see Regen replicating the Organic model by introducing all the bureaucracy and auditing that Organic farmers are subjected to.
Realistically, a farmer can be Regenerative without converting fully to organic, and that makes it easier to get going. In our case, if our experiment succeeds, we have removed a major cost factor in terms of land preparation by not having to plough, and it also relieves us of a moral burden because we are convinced that disturbing the soil by ploughing is an unacceptable practice.
What is obvious is the fact that more and more farmers are recognising that if they think outside the box, and if they have confidence that it might have a good outcome, then they must take risks and go for it. We could also ask the question as to why mainstream agriculture of our and our parents’ generation did not do more to move in a Regenerative direction earlier. The fact is that the technology did not exist for them to do what we can do today and they simply farmed with the tools and knowledge they had. In the modern world, one can now do things differently, but it requires a bold approach by the Regen-minded farmer who is in many cases still operating in uncharted territory.
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The Transformative Power of Soil Carbon: A Case Study with Agricarbon
Written by Harry Kamilaris from Agricarbon
Soil carbon has emerged as a transformative force in agriculture, offering a solution to combat climate change while improving soil health and productivity. Agricarbon is at the forefront of soil carbon measurement, providing farmers with an accurate and easy-to-use service to measure and monitor their soil carbon stocks at scale. In this article, we will explore the significance of soil carbon, Agricarbon’s approach, and a compelling case study showcasing the impact of their work.
Increasing the amount of carbon in the soil plays a pivotal role in enhancing overall soil health, boosting agricultural productivity, and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The benefits extend beyond improved soil structure, nutrient cycling, and water retention. They also include supporting thriving microbial activity and fostering biological diversity, which contribute to positive environmental impacts and bolster farm economics.
Soil carbon is a leading indicator of soil health, and regenerative farming practices can help increase soil carbon stocks. Small increases of Soil Organic Carbon over very large areas in agricultural land will significantly reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. Some studies suggest that for every 0.1% increase in soil organic matter per hectare, nine tonnes of CO2 could be removed through sequestration. Additionally, it is suggested that the same increase in soil organic matter allows the soil to hold an extra 28,000 litres of water per hectare, reducing flood risk, run-off, and providing drought resilience.
Agricarbon, a leading company specializing in soil carbon measurement and monitoring. The data gives you control of the soil; enabling you to make informed decisions about land management and you can choose whether to monetize your carbon. Agricarbon is entirely independent from any trader or purchaser, providing a trusted, unbiased, and scientifically rigorous service.
All that is required from farmers like yourself, is to be there to open your farm gate, and Agricarbon will take care of the rest. Whatever farming system you manage, we can deliver our service. It doesn’t matter whether you are an arable or livestock farmer, now is the time to establish a soil carbon baseline. Especially for arable farmers looking ahead post-harvest. But why should you baseline now?
First Milk, a pioneering dairy cooperative, quickly recognized the long-term value of baselining a significant portion of their farms. They chose to partner with Agricarbon to ensure integrity along their sustainability journey. Agricarbon conducted comprehensive soil carbon sampling and analysis, baselining soil carbon stocks across various landscapes and management practices. Supported with this information, First Milk has implemented strategies that target enhanced soil health and increased carbon sequestration through regenerative farming techniques.
Mark Brooking, Sustainability Director at First Milk, explained, “We’ve committed to sequestering an additional 100,000t of CO2-e in soil each year by 2025. To prove we are achieving this, it is important that we establish the baseline position, and then continue sampling in the future to demonstrate the change that’s been delivered via our regenerative actions.”
Through their collaboration with Agricarbon, First Milk successfully leverages accurate soil carbon data to drive their sustainability initiatives. The partnership allows them to monitor and measure their progress, providing a robust foundation for their sustainability goals. By embracing data-driven practices and showcasing the positive impact of sustainable farming, First Milk has positioned themselves as pioneers in the dairy industry. The case study of First Milk exemplifies the transformative power of accurate soil carbon data.
In short, farmers like you will always make the difference, and Agricarbon measures it.
To learn more about the benefits of measuring and increasing your soil carbon, reach out to one of Agricarbon’s friendly team members. We will also be exhibiting at Groundswell this June, where we welcome any questions that you may have.
Alternatively, you can contact me directly at hkamilaris@agricarbon.co.uk
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Testing season highlights the need for well managed cultural controls
If ever there was a year to highlight the need for flexibility and the adoption of as many cultural controls as possible to manage weeds and diseases in winter wheat crops, this is it!
The relatively mild and dry early winter led to comparatively forward stands in February. This was followed by an excessively wet spring, combined with cool, damp and often waterlogged soils and lack of sunshine until the second half of May. Little wonder that crop management has been particularly challenging.
Hopefully the weather took a turn for the better just in time for most crops to perform well. But it has been a real challenge all season for growers and agronomists alike to try to maximise this potential.
When put under extreme pressure, often linked to early drilling, even the most robust synthetic herbicide and fungicide programmes have struggled to cope. Grassweeds are now poking out of the top of many fields and Septoria tritici lesions can be easily found throughout the crop canopy.
Years like this really highlight the golden rules for successful direct drilling, namely maintaining good drainage and a flexible diverse rotation. In some fields you can clearly see that crops are significantly greener and taller over the drains than in the rest of the field.
It must be remembered that drainage starts from the soil surface downwards. Following the recent extreme weather, many natural drainage channels have been impeded and will need attention before the next crop.
There is a saying that ‘you get the weeds you deserve’, and again this couldn’t be truer than this season. Just like with herbicides, weeds will become resistant to our cultivation strategies if we continue to do the same thing every year.
With the open autumn last year and promising commodity prices at the time, it was tempting for some growers to try to direct drill a second winter cereal crop and, in some cases, even a third, putting in winter barley after two winter wheats. However, the dry autumn and keenness to establish crops early following the experience of recent wet autumns meant stale seedbeds were not particularly effective. Sterile brome in particular has thrived in these situations.
Testing the fungi:bacteria ratio in soils is a useful tool to at least create a welcoming environment for arable crops. Earlier succession plants such as bromes and blackgrass tend to prefer bacteria- and nitrate-dominated soils, with a fungi:bacteria ratio circa 0.3:1.
Such environments are often created by traditional industrial farming, with intensive cultivations destroying fungi and nitrate fertilisers encouraging bacterial blooms. In other words, through industrial farming, we have created the ideal environment for some of our biggest enemies.
The arable crops we are trying to grow prefer a more even fungi:bacteria ratio, for example 0.7-1:1, and more ammonium. Whilst this can’t be changed overnight, comprehensive soil testing can provide a useful indicator as to where soils are today, to help growers make informed management decisions, accelerating the journey to regenerative agriculture.
Some of the key tools to improve beneficial soil fungi levels include some of the following: reducing cultivation intensity, lessening reliance on nitrate-based fertilisers, chopping straw, adding compost, applying mycorrhizal fungi, particularly after non-mycorrhizal-associated crops such as brassicas, and using specific fungal feed such as humic and fulvic acids.
Disease control has also been an issue this season. Later-drilled crops and variety blends are noticeably cleaner, but even these are dirtier than we would like when sown early. There are lots of mixed reports with growers trying various biological compost tea-type products, with some claiming good results.
However, in most crops that have been under unprecedented Septoria pressure throughout April and early May, growers have resigned themselves to applying robust rates of the best synthetic chemistry such as fenpicoxamid or mefentrifluconazole for reliable disease control.
When using such synthetic fungicides it is very important to consider application technique and nozzle choice, ensuring as much of the herbicide hits its target and as little hits the ground as possible, thereby minimising collateral damage.
This becomes increasingly important with wider coulter spaces often found with larger direct drills. As a general rule, more chemical tends to penetrate through the crop canopy and hit the soil when using a coarser spray droplet, which many of us now use as standard to minimise drift.
Crop nutrition has been another area which has been difficult to get right this season. The excessively wet early spring increased the risk of leaching of several nutrients, including nitrates and sulphates. In addition, the lack of application opportunities and the wet, cold, often anaerobic soils reduced soil biological activity, which slowed recycling rates of nutrients in the soil.
As a result, many crops have been hungry at some point during the season. Regular sap testing or growth-stage-related tissue sampling once again have proved their worth, highlighting key deficiencies and enabling timely correction.
Heavy rain in the early spring can cause significant soil damage, so the number one priority before establishing next season’s crop is to go out with a spade to identify and correct any soil issues. Where cover crops are being used, deeper-rooting species such as tillage radish or berseem clover could be considered in these situations to help restructure soil.
Cover crops can also be used as a tool to identify areas where nature may need a little help. Areas where plants are struggling to cope with compaction will become apparent, and can be targeted with a low-disturbance loosener while the cover crop is in place.
This will help ‘release’ the roots and restructure the soil without the expense and damage to natural soil structure from having to cultivate the whole field.
“Years like this really highlight the golden rules for successful direct drilling”
Groundswell provides a great opportunity to explore the techniques outlined in this article, where you can hear about the theory and investigate the practical applications to improve your soil health and the resilience of your farming system.
Above all, choosing the right partner who can deliver the right advice based on sound knowledge and experience is a great first step to take. We at Agrovista are here to help you succeed.
Whether you are mildly curious or have already embarked on the journey, please do come along to our stand at Groundswell for a friendly chat and to see whether we can help you make the right choices to deliver your goals.
* Agrovista’s Regenerative Agriculture Guide isavailable at www.agrovista.co.uk/agrovista-downloads. Other Agrovista guides including Cover Crops Guide 2021, Soil Health Guide 2020 and Guide to Cultivations and Drills for Combinable Cropping are also available to help growers explore sustainable farming principles.
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Farmer Focus – Tom Sewell – July 2023
Well, it’s always interesting sitting down to write an article and thinking of things to wax lyrical about. Quite often, the farmer contributions are all about success stories! Like how to grow 12 tons per hectare of 13% milling wheat on 20 kilos of N and an application of home-brewed compost tea, how a 15-way multi-species cover crop can save the planet, or the latest piece of life-changing machinery that will transform your business! Of course, I’m slightly exaggerating, but I do find myself continually searching for positive things to say every six months!
So, given that not everything is rosy all of the time, this update will be more glass-half-empty than full! There is a saying that goes along the lines of “two steps forward and one step back,” and this year seems like the “one step”!Before I delve into that remark, it’s important to give some background to my claims. 2022 was actually a great year for our business. Crops grew remarkably well in very dry and hot conditions. Harvest was very easy, with every ton harvested dry, and yields were pleasing with very high bushel weights. To top it off, wheat prices were at record levels, and although I missed the highest prices, I did sell a fair chunk above £300 per ton. However, the last load to clear the shed this month was only sold at £200 per ton. So financially, the harvest has been a success. We have also managed a major clear-out of surplus machinery, including a 3m power harrow drill which first made an appearance on the farm in 1985! This has given us the opportunity to add the 12m Horsch Avatar drill, another 1200 tons of on-floor grain storage, and a bigger 3-ton grain bucket!
I also have a bee in my bonnet about the use and safety of bulk seed bags! When you have 2 tons of seed hanging above your head with the telehandler boom at full extension on a windy October evening, safety definitely comes into focus! With that said, we are looking closely at building a drill filling trailer that handles bulk seed straight into the drill. With the appetite of our 12m drill, we really need a hopper to hold 12-15 tons for a good day’s drilling. So something along the lines of an ex-gritter body paired up with a folding hydraulic auger looks to be what we’re thinking at the moment. That’s for next winter, though!
So back to my “one step back”! This spring, my independent agronomist has decided to move on, and he has been replaced by a friend of mine and one of the “Nutters.” Tom Reynolds is a farm manager and contractor in East Kent but will now split his time between his farming business and some agronomy for Edaphos, whose services we employ for all things agronomy, soils, and nutrition.
On his first visit, he recommended that we spray off quite a few fields of very patchy winter beans, which had unacceptable levels of black grass. This was a painful but correct decision and earned him the nickname “Roundup Reynolds”! On his second visit, we had just planted our spring oats, which were emerging beautifully. However, the blackgrass was emerging just as quickly, despite 3 or 4 flushes since last harvest! I even sprayed glyphosate the day before drilling! So, Tom’s second job was to recommend spraying off another large chunk. “It’s the right decision long term,” he told me, but that doesn’t take away the pain of spraying out a beautifully even crop and the impending embarrassment of golden fields dying off, which can be seen for miles! It seems from talking to others that I’m not alone in my ability to grow an incredible crop of problematic grass?!
I’m sure every blackgrass seed in Kent has grown legs and marched ant-like to my farm with an ability to spot the sprayer entering the field. At this point, they all go and hide under a stone, then decide to grow. This zero-tolerance approach to blackgrass seems to be the only option. Selective herbicides seem to have become utterly useless this year. We are also seeing a fair bit of septoria on wheat crops and BYDV in odd patches.
On the whole, though, wheat crops look full of potential. 150 kg of N has been applied in 2 or 3 splits in liquid form, and a foliar AF Nitrogen will be applied at the T3 stage. We will then assess whether we push for 13% protein, based on tissue tests and advice from Edaphos.
We have been busy bringing more compost onto the farm from a neighbouring soft-fruit grower. Strawberry compost is finer and looks like coffee grounds. Raspberry compost is far coarser and really needs a year before it’s ready to spread. We will try to turn this a few times and produce something that really improves the land it’s applied to. With show season about to start, I’m still undecided as to which ones I’ll attend. I’ve always been reluctant to spend money to attend an event where people spend all day trying to sell me things, be that machinery, services, or their latest book! With a grain store floor to lay and 240m of mastic sealant to apply, my time may be better spent getting everything ready for harvest! Let’s hope June brings us plenty of sunshine with an occasional shower, but not just after I’ve rowed up all my hay!! Have a safe and bountiful harvest, everyone.
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What a difference a year makes!
Coping with the ups and downs of the farming industry necessitates being as efficient as possible, says Jeff Claydon, Suffolk arable crop producer and inventor of the Claydon Opti-Till® direct strip seeding system.
The contrast between this season and last is dramatic, not just in terms of the weather but also the finances of farming. They are making for a real rollercoaster ride, and I’ll admit that being on this fast-moving ‘big dipper’, unable to work out where or when it will end, is somewhat scary right now. It’s a white-knuckle experience that is not for the faint hearted, nor those wanting a predictable, risk-free life, but as farmers we must keep on growing.
Last spring was very dry on the Claydon farm. From 1 January until harvest finished during the first week of August, we recorded just 244mm of rain, while September remained very dry. At the time of writing, we’ve already had 306mm this year, 58mm of that between 1 January and 15 February, while temperatures have been significantly lower. Whatever happened to spring?
When I sat down to write my article for the last issue of Direct Driller on 15 February fields earmarked for spring oats were in excellent condition and ideal for drilling, but for one thing. Temperatures were fluctuating between – 2°C at night and +13°C in the day, the soil remained cold and resisting the temptation to rush out with our new 6m Claydon Evolution drill required great restraint. Even though spring oats favour early sowing it was too cold to establish the 77ha of Elsoms Lion, so we held off for a few more days, but when the weather forecast showed rain, we decided to drill and I’m very glad we did. It was one of the best decisions made this season.
The Claydon TerraBlade did a really good job of removing blackgrass. Last year’s very dry spring quickly became a distant memory as the weather turned very wet for an extended period, creating serious challenges on many farms. Just after we finished drilling the spring oats at 120kg/ha down came the rain which, given the excellent condition of the soil, meant that there was no need to roll. Almost every day in March and April was wet and with almost 250mm of rain in just a few weeks, more than the first eight months of 2022, we were unable to do anything on the land, so I was pleased we drilled when we did.
It has been interesting to note that the more passes we carried out with the Claydon Straw Harrow last autumn the better the control of weeds and volunteers in the following crops. After four or five passes with this fast, cheap-to-operate implement, far fewer weeds remained than where we did just two. Given the almost toxic effect which over-wintering blackgrass seems to have on the soil and subsequent crops it’s very important to take them out while still small, because once established they become much more difficult to remove. All the evidence points to the fact that you cannot do too many passes with the Straw Harrow, something, even as its designer, I tend to forget.
OSR IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Oilseed rape is a very different story to that of the spring oats. Of the 61ha of DK Excited we drilled, about 5ha was severely affected by cabbage stem flea beetle and slugs before the year-end. In mid-January Astrokerb® herbicide was applied to take out grass weeds, except on the small area we had decided to redrill with spring oats. At the beginning of February we went on with 200l/ha of Chafer Nuram 35 + S (35%N + 7SO3), but the seven days of frosty weather after application hit the crop hard.
It was painful to watch what in November had looked to be a potentially excellent crop going backwards at a rapid rate rather than growing strongly. In a few places pigeons and slugs had been an issue over the winter, but were of no real concern, then the cabbage stem flea beetle came in, followed by stem weevil, which completely massacred the stems. From losing small areas we ended up having to write off 30 per cent.
Returning from a holiday in Corfu last week I looked out of the plane windows on the approach to Stansted Airport and was amazed at how little oilseed rape is being grown. Only a few years ago around a third of the land in this key arable area would have been glowing bright yellow at this time of year, but instead I saw only the odd glimpse of it in the patchwork quilt of fields below. The high up-front costs of establishing oilseed rape, pest problems and uncertain returns have put a big question mark over its future, so one wonders how long it will be viable to grow the crop, especially at a time when farmers are trying to reduce inputs and risk.
The crop is strong and very clean, with few weeds between the rows. WHEATS ARE FULL OF POTENTIAL
On a cheerier note, our wheats look fantastic and full of potential, but again the differences between this season and last are considerable. During the very dry weather in 2022 they were very clean, but this season the combination of a wet spring and our very healthy soils made everything grow, including grassweeds and broadleaved weeds.
Autumn herbicides did a fantastic job up until Christmas, but the wet, cold weather from January onwards seemed to put the brakes on their effectiveness. Our ‘dirtiest’ wheats are following oilseed rape, which could be due to a lack of persistence from the autumn herbicide, combined with the fact that the low seed rates for hybrid varieties result in a low plant density, allowing light to reach the soil and encouraging blackgrass to grow.
That said, the importance of herbicides is evident, particularly in conjunction with the Claydon TerraBlade inter-row hoe, and that shows up very well in one field where Agrii are running a blackgrass trial. In the untreated control strip the high level of blackgrass makes it difficult to see the crop, but where certain treatments have been applied it is much reduced. Where herbicides were supported by the TerraBlade, albeit used in far from ideal conditions and too late to be most effective, the results are even better, proving the value of this fast, low-cost technique.
As the weather warms up, we are seeing a strong flush of blackgrass in the spring oats, which is somewhat disappointing in a crop we’d hoped would help to clean them up. The plan was to take out later germinating weeds with multiple passes of our 6m TerraBlade, but wet weather delayed its use. Most crops were at GS32 before we were able to use the TerraBlade, but at least we were able to go through the spring oats at the end of April when they were at GS30. It did a really good job of removing blackgrass, but I was frustrated knowing that the results could have been so much better had the soil been a little drier.
Last year’s very dry weather significantly improved the condition of our soils, but so far this season they have taken a battering. Heavy rain has undone much of the good work, causing the soil to settle and pores to constrict, reducing water movement, forcing oxygen out and encouraging weeds to grow. Hopefully we can now look forward to a period of warm, dry weather through to harvest to help fissure and restructure our soils, then the Claydon Opti-Till® System will help to freshen up them up before we drill in the autumn.
WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?
This field was drilled with oilseed rape in August 2022, but due to pest issues had to be redrilled with spring oats. Declining crop prices are a huge challenge for the farming sector and represent a very worrying trend. This time last year feed wheat was over £300/t and oilseed rape north of £800/t. It was painful to watch prices fall sharply over the winter and like many I thought that they would bounce back, but that hasn’t happened; both are currently trading at just over half what they were then. I sold some of this season’s anticipated tonnage forward last autumn, but with the benefit of hindsight clearly it wasn’t enough. The big question is ‘when will the drop stop’?
Given continuing low prices it will be interesting to see how much UK farmers cut back on fungicides and fertilisers this season. Whilst it is tempting to reduce expenditure on these inputs, experience has taught me that this would be a false economy because the benefits of using them still significantly outweigh the costs.
Wheats on the Claydon farm look fantastic and exhibit excellent potential. I don’t need reminding that farming is a risky business, but the key to remaining profitable is to minimise production costs without compromising output. This is critical at a time when BPS payments are on a downward path towards being phased out entirely by 2027. This key component of farm incomes is being eroded by design, yet each time I look at the alternatives it strikes me that their complexity, time and cost leave little reward for participating. I feel that my time is better spent doing other things.
With the agricultural sector facing numerous and increasing risks, the Claydon farm’s ethos is to keep things as simple as possible, operating as efficiently and effectively as possible whilst maintaining yields. The Opti-Till® System enables us to establish crops at very low cost using just 15 litres of diesel per hectare and we fine-tune inputs to maintain consistent, above-average yields, with significant additional benefits to soil structure and health.
The strip seeded rows are largely clear of weeds where the TerraBlade was used. Looking at the current situation it is difficult to understand what those in government are thinking. At a time when more food is needed to feed a growing population, these here-one-minute, gone-the-next politicians at national and international level appear to be intent on introducing additional, more complex schemes which will reduce the amount of food produced by those of us who are in the business of farming for the long haul.
This year’s wet conditions encouraged crops to grow strongly but significantly increased the potential for septoria. Nothing is more important than an adequate supply of food at prices which are affordable to consumers but yield a realistic return to compensate farmers for the high level of investment and risk involved in producing it. It begs the question, what are they thinking playing this very dangerous game, akin to Russian roulette, at a time of increasing global uncertainty and instability? We’ll probably never know, but as farmers have no alternative other than to keep growing crops despite the challenges.
The Claydon website (claydondrill.com) galleries contain numerous videos on soil health and resilience, as well as showing the Claydon Opti-Till® System being used to establish all types of crops, in all situations, both in the UK and overseas. You can also keep up with the latest posts, photographs, and videos from Claydon and its customers through the Claydon Facebook page www.facebook.com/Claydondrill
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Fish Hydrolysate: A new way to add traditional support to your crops
As margins are ever more squeezed on farm, over the last twelve months we have seen a significant increase in farmers looking for a more sustainable and cost-effective way of applying nitrogen to their land while reducing farm inputs. Fish hydrolysates are now playing a key role in that search for solutions and are proven to stimulate soil life and supply nitrogen without the negative impacts attributed to synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.
What is a fish hydrolysate?
Hydrolysation is the process of breaking complex proteins into their component amino acids. These can then be utilised by both the soil microbiome and the plant directly. Fish hydrolysates contains a full range of naturally balanced amino acids and fatty acids. Rich in essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, they also provide important micronutrients like calcium, magnesium and trace elements in a bioavailable formulation establishing a sound basis for any crop nutritional plan. Fish hydrolysate is also considered more environmentally friendly than synthetic fertilisers, as it is a by-product of the fish industry produced from the transformation of materials that would otherwise go to waste.
How does fish hydrolysate benefit your soil and crops?
Plants are basically factories taking in CO2 from the atmosphere and converting it into oxygen and sugars. However, they can’t do this efficientlywithout the assistance of the soil bacteria and fungi. Fish hydrolysate benefits that cycle of conversion by providing a highly nutritious food source for those microorganisms which further convert nutrients into a form that is readily available to the plant. Using fish hydrolysates as an organic soil improver helps to boost and replenish the nutrient content in the soil, promoting plant health and optimal growth.
The key benefits to using fish hydrolysates include:
- Organic matter and soil conditioning: Fish hydrolysate promotes a biologically active soil fostering beneficial microorganisms and earth worms. With the creation of a biologically active substrate, the soil exhibits better aeration, can retain moisture and releases nutrients in a biologically available form to the plants, contributing to increased stress tolerance in plants. Promoting better health and growth of the plants.
- Enhances nutrient availability: The nutrients in fish hydrolysates are readily available for plants and are easily absorbed through both foliar and root uptake. This results in improved nutrient uptake efficiency and enhanced plant nutrition.
- Stimulates plant growth and development: Fish hydrolysates contains natural growth-promoting substances, including amino acids and other beneficial compounds like chelated minerals. These biological active compounds can stimulate root development, enhance vegetation growth, encourage flowering and fruiting and improve overall plant vigour.
What is the importance of amino acids?
Over millennia the soil ecosystem has evolved to recognise decaying organic material, break it down into its constituent components and feed it back to the living plants in what we know today as the nitrogen cycle. In the last century and with the advent of farming with synthetic fertilisers and sprays, this delicate nitrogen cycle is disrupted because a lot of these fertilisers are applied as nitrates. Fish hydrolysate provides a nutrient source from which the soil ecosystem can reduce higher forms of nitrogen in its own time and when needed, rather than being bombarded with high levels of nitrate, the excess of which will ultimately end up in our ground water and rivers.
Each amino acid has specific functions and roles in plant metabolism, growth, and stress response. A balanced supply of essential amino acids is crucial for optimal plant growth and development. While plants can synthesize some amino acids on their own, they often require a supply of essential amino acids from external sources. One advantage fish hydrolysate has is that it contains all 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis, which are key metabolites in the process of vegetal tissue formation and chlorophyll synthesis. They also play important roles in nitrogen transport and storage, and the regulation of plant growth and development.
Amino acid naturally occur in two forms L- and D-, fish hydrolysates contain both forms playing a key role in soil and plant health. L- amino acids can be taken up by the plant directly and are used for protein synthesis, whereas the D- amino acids are used in the building of cell walls by soil bacteria, which are crucial to soil health.
Over the last three years Sea2soil has been conducting various farms trials, with the participating farmers reporting an increase in biological activity in their soils, improved carbon capture and a decrease in the amount of synthetic nitrogen and other chemicals they need to apply. Also reported is that farmers are seeing an overall improvement in their return on investment. Sea2Soils Technical Sales Manager, Liz Brown says that, “Sea2Soil can play a key role in a farms total crop nutritional plan, as it provides a nutritional package which is complementary to a soils natural self-regulating activities. Sea2Soil can be incorporated into any farming system wanting to reduce their reliance on synthetic chemical and reducing input costs.”
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My Nuffield Journey
By Toby Simpson NSch @tjsimpson
Cast your mind back to January 2021, that particularly cold, dark, and dreary month made infinitely worse by the fact we were in a third lockdown with no end in sight. For me this was the background to an epiphany, while sat by the fire reading through old Nuffield papers, and perhaps after one whisky too many, I concluded that 8 weeks of travelling abroad might be just the tonic I needed to remedy this dark chapter.
I had been contemplating what cover crops to grow in our second year of trying them out. We had recently moved into more of a direct drilling system following 20 years of scratch till during which Dad had consistently improved our predominantly clay loam soils. I had long suspected that cover crops should also have a place on the farm, but I needed to prove it first.
The idea of travelling the world chatting to people about cover crops and soil seemed too good to be true. I first had to clear it with my family who have been incredibly supportive throughout. After that I really didn’t know what it involved. Luckily my friend Teresa Meadows had started hers the year before and kindly explained how it all worked; I completed the online application, which is like filling out a CV, and if shortlisted I would be interviewed in London. Simple enough so it seemed, though the addition of a 30 second self-video was completely new to me, and I cringe now watching my first attempts. I settled on the title ‘Catch and cover cropping opportunities in UK arable agriculture’.
No sooner had I started to fill out the application that Charlotte Merson, Nuffield’s Alumni Officer, was in touch with some helpful tips and ensured I was able to join in with the Chair and Regional Chair on an informative Zoom chat (still a novelty at this point). I continued to feel welcomed and supported throughout the application process.
In September 2021, I attended a regional mock interview during which Tom Chapman, Andrew Scoley and Teresa Meadows questioned me on my subject and motives, while Matt Swain, who later would become my Nuffield mentor, provided first class advice in the waiting room. All of this meant that by the time I reached my London interview in October I was feeling nervous but well prepared, and that the Nuffield community was most certainly something I wanted to be a part of.
Luckily the selection panel seemed to agree. Something I had realised by that point was that it really doesn’t matter where you come from or what academic and business credentials you possess, if you are passionate about something and are in the mindset to learn, then Nuffield is for you. This was further confirmed when I met the rest of the 2022 Scholars at the annual conference training day in November 2021. Pulled from right across the industry, the range of experiences and backgrounds was vast. I felt instantly inadequate as a humble arable farmer having never really done much in the industry before and yet I had never met such a bunch of kind-hearted, brilliantly funny and interesting people – instantly friends for life.
My resounding memory from that first conference was walking into the bar on the first evening as the rest of the delegates were arriving. I couldn’t make it two meters before I was engaged in a deep conversation with a complete stranger. Everyone in that room was there to learn and share knowledge, Nuffield Scholars and guests alike. I felt instantly part of a global network of forward thinking and inspiring people, and it was humbling. In the spring of 2022, all the ’21 and ’22 scholars from around the world attended a first-class Contemporary Scholars Conference in Norfolk hosted by Nuffield UK. Alongside our pre-CSC week in London, it was an amazing opportunity to get to meet everyone undertaking this adventure.
I set out on my Nuffield travels wanting to look at the practicalities of cover cropping and the subsequent opportunities around them, such as integrating livestock, public engagement, and access to private and public funding. I had decided to break my 8 weeks of travel down to manage the work and family life balance, and due to cost only planned to visit places in the northern hemisphere. That gave me a period from post-harvest ‘22 to spring ‘23 to see cover crop practices in action.
I headed to Scandinavia in September 2022 and – being famously expensive – I had bought a roof tent for the family Discovery Sport and planned to camp along the way. The excitement and nerves I felt on the first morning I set off from home in Cambridgeshire was akin to the first day of university or Sandhurst, but with wellies in my car boot and not an ironing board in sight. I crossed to Hook on the ferry from Harwich then headed to Norway via Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. It was an incredible drive through some stunning scenery. A highlight was camping on the water’s edge in Sweden after 10 hours in the car: I jumped straight in and felt the long journey being washed away by the icy water and late summer sun.
The next day I met Else Villadsen and her colleague Maren who had visited my farm before Groundswell with some of their farmers. So, after being questioned by the Norwegian boarder guard about why on earth I was visiting Norway to look at cover crops (it’s so absurd it must be true), I was given the grand tour of some incredibly progressive and innovative farms. Given the short growing season and challenging soil it was the perfect place to see what could be achieved with the right mindset.
Not for the last time on my travels, the wheels metaphorically, and almost physically, came off my plan. The famously reliable Land Rover Discovery Sport decided to blow its turbo on my first evening in Norway. Who could have predicted that…
And so, I was on to plan B, or was it C? Relying on the kindness of my hosts and using hotels, hire cars, and flights, I managed to complete the rest of my trip. From there I flew to Copenhagen and visited some incredible farmers, seed breeders, and industry experts in Northern Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. I fell in love with Scandinavia and the kind people there, and I came back home buzzing with ideas and even more questions.
My second trip was to France, taking the Eurostar this time and hiring a car as the ill-fated Discovery was still being ‘repatriated’. I drove to Brittany and met Pierre-Yves Donval who proved that being on heavy clay over clay with 1200mm of rain a year on average is no barrier to no-till and cover cropping.
Following the advice of John Miles, I was kindly hosted and put up by the Agrii soils group along with fellow Nuffield 2022 Scholar Chris Taylor. Steve Corbett and a group of Agrii agronomists and farmers from across the UK were in Northern France for a few days to look at trials and presentations from the French seed breeders Cerience. It was a great couple of days meeting other farmers and advisors, and we were incredibly well looked after by Jerome Vasseur. Before I got the train home, I was able to squeeze another visit in to see Frederic Remy and a quick culture tour of the Louvre!
As I wanted to make the most of the Nuffield opportunity, I had also been visiting some brilliant farmers in the UK whenever I got a chance. Jake Freestone, Martin Lines, Steven Briggs and Ed Horton had all kindly hosted me at some point in the spring of 2022. I put out a tweet in the autumn asking for anyone in the UK who might be happy to show me around and I was inundated with dozens of kind offers, so put a plan together to see as many of them as physically possible.
Over a few weeks in the autumn, I set to and bounced from farm to farm mostly around East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. There were so many inspiring and generous farmers who I was able to spend time with and I felt really privileged to have been able to meet them. I wish I could have seen everyone who had offered but I think I would still be going at this point if I had. It proved to me that it certainly isn’t strange for farmers to talk about improving soil health and that many had been doing so for years. It is these farmers who are leading the change, the pioneers implementing and experimenting with new things that have forced the rest of the ag industry’s research and government policy to follow.
My final trip was to North America in the spring of 2023. By this point I had come across many fascinating ideas and concepts, and we had been trialling integrated livestock grazing and many other things on our farm. But I really needed to add some clarity to all this to bring my Nuffield to a conclusion and make sense of some of the things that had been ever so slightly scrambling my brain.
By now I was well practiced in hiring a car and driving farm to farm meeting fascinating people, I really enjoyed that freedom, being able to follow my nose and recommendations, nothing too fixed in stone. The time driving gave me the opportunity to process my thoughts and catch up on a multitude of audiobooks and podcasts. I travelled from NYC to Cornell University first, then on to western New York state, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada, before heading back to where I started to fly home.
I experienced incredible generosity from everyone I met, including the famous Nuffield hospitality from Canada Chair and cover cropping legend Blake Vince. Again, I met so many inspiring and pioneering farmers including Donn Branton and his son Chad.
The highlight was meeting David Brandt, a no-till and cover cropping godfather with over 50 years of experience. For me this was where everything came together and made sense. I could see what happens when you look after your soil for so long and have that right mindset of always wanting to learn and try things. Sadly, as I write this, I have learned that David passed away today, only three weeks after visiting him. Having spoken to many others who knew him well I can only begin to imagine how many people he has mentored and inspired, and his legacy will undoubtedly continue to do so.
As I reflect on the journey I have been on over the last two years, I cannot overstate just how incredible the experience has been for me. I have met the most inspiring and kind people while spending time in breath-taking landscapes, and it has given me the chance to step away from my business with an open mind to learn and challenge ideas. I come back home now with huge enthusiasm and a hunger to keep learning and sharing ideas with people. I have the small task now of writing up my Nuffield report, creating a three-minute video of my travels, then presenting it all at the November ‘Super Conference’ in Exeter.
I certainly have come back with more questions than answers, but I also am looking at the farm and our soils in a completely different way than when I first set out. For anyone interested in more detail about my Nuffield and findings the report will be out later this year.
I would like to encourage anyone thinking of applying for a Nuffield Scholarship to just do it. There is never a good time, and it has been hard to get the balance between work, family, and travels right. But anything worth doing never came easy. I would also highly recommend anyone who is after a great couple of days out and enjoys sharing ideas with strangers to attend the Nuffield conference in November. Tickets are open to everyone regardless of who or what you know, and there are always brilliant speakers, Nuffield presentations, and incredible hospitality.
I would like to thank my generous sponsor McDonald’s UK & Ireland, my family, and friends for being the support network that has allowed me to step out of my life and do this, as well as everyone I have met and chatted to along the way, even briefly, for being so generous with their time and knowledge.
Applications for 2024 Nuffield Scholarships are open until 31st July – for more details, please visit www.nuffieldscholar.org.
Toby will present his findings alongside nearly 40 other Scholars at the 2023 Nuffield Farming ‘Super Conference’ held 14-16th November at Sandy Park in Exeter. The event includes two days of Scholar presentations and a pre-conference visit to nearby Wastenage Farms, and tickets are not exclusive to Nuffield Scholars – ALL are welcome and encouraged to attend. Ticketing details, a full conference programme and a full list of presenting Scholars can be found on www.nuffieldscholar.org
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New model Novag T-ForcePlus 250
No-till with low initial weight and the flexible ballasting
Novag is expanding its product portfolio of modern no-till machines from 1 to 10m working width in the lower size segment: the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250 offers variable working widths between 2 and 3m, up to 12 coulters and closes the gap between the Novag T-ForcePlus 150 (1 to 2m, maximum 8 coulters) and Novag T-ForcePlus 350 (3m, maximum 18 coulters) models.
Focus on Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Whilst the smaller model (Novag T-ForcePlus 150) is used in viticulture (especially by contractors working with grape harvesters, and for the insert of plots in trials) and the larger model (Novag T-ForcePlus 350) is used on farms with 100 to 400ha of arable land, Novag has developed the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250, a compact machine especially geared to small-structured farms in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is just as suitable for self-mechanisation as it is for machinery cooperatives.
“We are experiencing an increasing interest in no-till and conservation agriculture on the part of these family farms – whether for arable farming or grassland. They are mainly concerned about high yield fluctuations and acknowledge the connection between soil, and animal health,” explains Cedric Köster, Customer Success Manager, Novag GmbH, Germany.
The shedding of ballast
In addition to small fields and slopes, the challenges there are the heavy soils that are usually hard during dry periods in the spring, and wet in the autumn with a low load-bearing capacity. Here, compact no-till technology is needed that does not put too much weight on the soil in autumn but provides sufficient coulter pressure in spring.
“At the heart of our no-till technology is our unique Novag T-SlotPlus sowing coulter system, the benefits of which we are now making available to these family farms with the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250. This is only possible by allowing us to shed ballast on steep surfaces in wet conditions”, says Ramzi Frikha, CEO and Export Manager at Novag. He is the creative head of the company and developer of the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250.
Novag develops and builds no-till technology for the Conservation Agriculture (CA) farming concept, which is based on the renunciation of mechanical tillage, permanent soil cover and crop diversity of at least three species in the crop rotation. The technology must therefore be able to cope with dense mulch layers and sometimes hard soils. Accordingly, it is robustly built and is equipped with a unique coulter system that works trouble-free at 12 km/h, even with heavy crop residues.
Novag T-SlotPlus coulter system
The T-SlotPlus coulter system consists of a large vertically operating cutting disc (576 mm) with two separate sowing boots. The cutting disc cuts the green material or stubble to “open up” the soil. The sowing boot clears the seed furrows and places either seed or fertiliser to the right and left of the cutting disc and above its working depth. This creates the image of an inverted T in the soil cross-section. The cutting disc pulls overlying straw residues into the soil below the seed horizon and thus prevents the negative effects of hairpinning. The seed is transported by the air flow of the pneumatic distribution system into the horizontal pocket of the sowing coulters, where it has optimum contact with the soil but does not come into contact with straw residues. Two trailing V-shaped pressure rollers close the seed slot. The Novag T-SlotPlus system interferes only minimally with the soil. 90 % of the ground cover remains undisturbed during sowing. This protects it from drying out and significantly reduces weed pressure, but, depending on the hardness of the soil and the intensity of the biomass growth, requires high coulter pressures of up to 500 kg and a high machine ballast weight.
Weight adjustments desired
For the markets of southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Ramzi Frikha has therefore designed the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250 to be more compact, with a low initial weight and flexible ballasting. The previous Novag T-ForcePlus 350 offered no flexibility in terms of its weight (6.5t empty with 12 coulters) and working width (3m) and, with its dimensions of 6.5m in length, 2.9m in height and 4200l tank volume, is oversized for these farms.
The new Novag T-ForcePlus 250, on the other hand, in its largest version, also with a working width of 3 m and the maximum number of 12 coulters when empty, weighs just over half (3.6t) of the Novag T-ForcePlus 350 and can therefore sow even in wet, autumnal conditions. In hard ground conditions in summer, the axle can be ballasted with up to 1.95t as required. A total of 39 weight plates of 50kg each are available for this purpose, which can be stacked and bolted directly on the axle and above the tyres.
The Novag T-ForcePlus 250 has a smaller tank (800l seed + 300l fertiliser) and smaller tyres. It is 1.2m shorter, more manoeuvrable and requires a tractor power of 70-120hp. Its reduced overall height (2,35m) with a lower centre of gravity is particularly advantageous on sloping ground, which is why Novag also sees it for intercrop sowing in orchards or fruit plantations. The smallest version with 2m, is also suited for viticulture, depending on the distance between vine rows. All these customers are ultimately concerned with the health of their soils – erosion control, improved rainfall infiltration and bearing capacity.
Possibility of customised configurations
Novag manufactures each machine to order and allows individual configurations. With the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250, the customer can choose a working width between 2 and 3m, and the number of coulters, up to a maximum of 12. As with all other models, row spacings of 16.67cm, 18.75cm and 25cm are available from factory and the sowing depth can be individually adjusted from 0cm to 10cm. All Novag models are equipped as standard with the IntelliForcePlus automatic coulter pressure control system, which can be controlled via a 7-inch monitor and joystick. It hydraulically regulates the contact pressure on the coulters from 100 to 500kg. For simultaneous metering of seed and fertiliser, all Novag no-tillers are equipped with a two-part main hopper. On the new Novag T-ForcePlus 250, two additional 50l tanks are available as an option, for example, for slug pellets, fine seeds or special micronutrients. They either dose into the air flow of the main tanks or distribute over a wide area in front of or behind the machine. All four tanks are controlled from the monitor and are each equipped with a hydraulic metering unit, capacitive sensors and individual calibration. All Novag units offer the option of site-specific seeding. The first Novag T-ForcePlus 250 with 12 coulters and a working width of 3 m will go to an arable farm with hilly and uneven terrain in Tuscany, which is switching to no-till conservation agriculture due to intense erosion problems.
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It’s all about the Soil
Written by Dick Neale from Hutchinsons
It’s all about the soil – this is now a well understand driver of sustainable farming systems. Being in a position to reduce inputs, change cultivation techniques or understand how cover or catch crops might benefit the soil, has to start with the soil, its condition and improvements required.
Whether you’re a farmer that has already moved to a more resilient farming model, or are just starting out, the most important question is to ask yourself is why?
“Many growers will know what they want to achieve or where they want to get to, but unless they know where they are starting from, it is difficult to know which direction to go and the consequences of action taken. Understanding the soil in order to establish a starting point is key and will enable an action plan,” says Dick Neale technical manager at at crop production specialists Hutchinsons.
“I always say the machine is irrelevant, it is what the soil needs that should drive the decision – for example a change in cultivation strategy.”
“Everyone is farming with different soils, skill sets and objectives – and that’s what makes baseline measurements so important, he believes. “It’s important to avoid trying to do everything at once.”
“Baselining means looking at the three pillars of soils – physical, chemical and biological – and understanding what those mean in terms of the growing crop. It helps every decision you will make on the farm – for example, about cultivation and establishment; rotations; soil and crop strategy; catch and cover crops; livestock integration and manures; and machinery requirements.”
“Guessing these won’t lead to optimum economic outcomes,” he says.
“It’s also worth remembering that knowing your baseline provides a good opportunity to engage with the SFI Soils Standard, currently worth upto £44/ha.. “
“Physics, chemistry, and biology – they all work together, you can’t separate them. But as an industry, we have separated them.
“Focussing on all three elements gives clues as to how the soil is functioning and cycling nutrients, and these clues can be followed and lead to solutions to improve all aspects and make potentially unavailable nutrients in the soil available to plants for example.”
“We’ve been focusing on physics and chemistry because they’re easy. For example, the field is green and when I spray it with glyphosate, it goes brown or a cultivation input gives an instant result.”
Biology is far more difficult to engage with, he highlights. “I think the reason we’ve not done a lot with biology is that it has slower impact and takes longer to fully demonstrate the benefits . But biology is fundamental to all soil functions.”
For a clearer picture of the levels of biology in the soil, Mr Neale suggests the Soil Life Monitor (PLFA) test which is a lab test measuring the levels of bacterial, fungi and protozoa in the soil, as well as the quantity of microbial biomass.
“This is a very useful test to see how diverse your soil biology really is, the more diverse, the better the soil performs, but this test allows us to monitor that changes made are actually improving the biological profile over time .”
“It is possible to create a soils benchmark using a Healthy Soils assessment and a soil type focussed Hutchinson Gold soil test. If soils are variable this base approach can be build on further using the unique data from TerraMap,” he says. “These technologies and services have really come along way into giving us an understanding of the soil that we would not previously been able to do.”
Creating a soil benchmark will allow you to pinpoint where high impact outcomes will come from:
- Understand the difference between pH and buffer pH- allows for an understanding of soil base functions
- Know the cation exchange capacity – how big is your soil
- Bulk density and texture – what is your soils structure chocolate sponge cake or brownie
- Organic matter – different layers from LOI OM, dumas carbon, active carbon, carbon to clay layer and C:N ratio
- Extractable nutrients – what are your reserves, focus on “cycle rather than more-on”, how are other soil parameters affecting this?
- VESS physical soil structure test, water infiltration, worm count
“Once a baseline of all these factors has been established, create a report or action plan that all of the teams across the business are fully engaged with . “
Understanding where using the various different soil tests and technologies to best effect is important, says Mr Neale. “For example If you’ve got variable soils, Terramap allows you to understand where those variations are and make some really impactful decisions. If soils are pretty consistent across the field or farm there is less significant benefit to be gained from Terramap.
“For those who want an even deeper understanding of the soils dynamics, the launch of Hutchinsons Terramap Gold service earlier this year marks a step forward in the ability to analyse and map soils with even greater precision, “he adds.
“Terramap Gold provides a thorough insight into the soil’s building blocks and why it behaves in a certain way. That performance may be good, or bad, but knowing exactly what is happening beneath the surface is the starting point for more effective decisions around cultivation strategy, organic matter applications, liming, primary objective of cover crops or the amount and type fertiliser to apply.”
Ed Brown Having created a baseline measurement, then comes the what next question. Ed Brown, Head of Agroecology, believes that any transition or journey into Agroecology should encompass six principles of soil management.
“These should guide every decision on the farm,” he says. “It’s about being flexible depending on the season and soil type- don’t be dogged in your decision making.”
- Minisimising disturbance – the underlying premise of this is to move soils as little as possible but as much as necessary. Some soils may be able to cope with direct drilling straight away, but more often than not, there are several steps to get to this stage thoughout the rotation. It is important to understand that this does not always require buying new kit! Existing kit can be adapted or simply used in a different way, or working with neighbors or contractors to bring in the right machinery for the job at the time. Minimising and targetting use of chemicals is a key part of this, and should be achievable once the soils have improved enough to cope with reducing overall inputs.
- Retaining soil cover -never leave any soil bare, this overlaps with keeping living roots in the soil all year around, there should always be something growing in and on the soil. In doing so, residues are available for worms to feed on for example, and the cover protects the soil from heavy rain and temperatures fluctuations
- Maintaining living roots – these help to stabilise, structure and aerate the soil while providing drainage channels. They also feed soil organisms with carbon rich exudates and are fundamental to building microbial biomass in the soil.
- Maximise diversity by using a varied rotation and avoiding monocultures, this can include intercropping, companion cropping, variety blends, catch and cover crops.
- Integrating livestock – this is not always essential and requires further thoughts about how to do this. It must work for your situation. If it does fit, then having livestock does mean that goals can usually be achieved faster and to a greater extent. For example reducing fertiliser and increasing OM. It’s a form of enterprise stacking, getting more from the same land.
- Finally, keep an open mind! Be prepared to challenge conventional thinking and practices and trial new ideas and techniques to work out which is best for your farm.
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Easing the Transition
Written by Mark Shaw from Gaiago
While financial and environmental pressures mount, so does our dependency on our soil. For those stepping away from conventional approaches, it can be a hard journey. Mark Shaw, UK manager at Gaïago, explains how microbes and natural substances can ease the transition, maintaining yields and building structure.
Transitioning soils to new, more sustainable, production systems can be a long and sometimes, difficult process. It can take years to rebuild a high functioning soil biome.
The reason is fairly straight forward; the food web beneath our feet is complex. Cultivations and synthetic inputs, directly and indirectly, damage the network of interconnected relationships and the organisms themselves. Tillage, for example, disrupts the habitat of macro-organisms like earthworms.
While we’re squaring the circle regarding tillage, and integrated pest management is making strides in protecting crops from weeds, pests and disease, crop nutrition is largely unresolved.
In natural ecosystems, the network of fungi is well established. Their hyphae extend into nearly every crack and pore in the soil’s structure, unhindered by cultivations and compaction. Some extend into plant roots, exchanging water, dissolved nutrients, enzymes and hormones for carbon-rich root exudates.
Living alongside them, in the soil and in plant roots, are bacteria and a wide range of other micro- and macro-organisms. Together, they maintain a rough equilibrium where plants thrive, in no small part, due to the water and nutrients the micro-organisms supply. This soil biome has taken many years to develop; the relationships are well established and the populations of different species finely balanced.
In fields that have farmed with extensive use of tillage, crop protection products and artificial nutrients, the soil’s ecosystem has been largely destroyed. It, therefore, takes time and the right conditions for populations at each trophic level to rebuild and relationships to reform.
Mark Shaw – Country Manager UK & Ireland Soil revitalisation
Fortunately, there are solutions that can ease the transition. Gaïago, a company specialising in innovative soil revitalisation solutions, was co-founded by Francis Bucaille, and Samuel Marquet who are both experienced soil specialists and farmers. They have dedicated years of research and development to understanding soil and developing solutions that protect yields, supporting growers that are reducing synthetic inputs.
FreePK, for example, is a root probiotic based on Bacillus mucilaginosus – a bacteriathat produces organic acids which solubilises mineral nutrients, making them available to plants. Its synergistic relationship with plants influences growth hormones and promotes the development of strong and healthy roots.
In trials in Northern France, Free PK has been shown to increase the absorption of potassium, phosphorous and magnesium in potatoes, resulting in a 2t/ha increase in yield. Likewise, European maize trials have demonstrated 0.7t/ha yield increases.
But it’s not just the nutrients locked-up minerals which can be harnessed by plants via microbes. Azobacter Chrocoocum is a free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, capable of capturing nitrogen from the atmosphere, transforming into an assimilable form.
Just as in those natural ecosystems, it’s the plant-microbe relationship that regulates the supply of nitrogen throughout the growth cycle and ensures there’s neither a famine nor a feast.
In contrast to artificial fertiliser, applying microbes like Azobacter Chrocoocum in Gaiago’s Free N100, can’t leach and therefore isn’t counted in fertiliser plans, yet is proven to deliver the equivalent of 30kg N /ha, when the crop needs it. From wheat and barley, through rape and maize, to sunflower and sugar beet, trials have shown that Free N100 can help growers maintain yield while reducing nitrogen fertiliser.
As well as adding beneficial microbes, it’s possible to stimulate those that are already present. Nutrigeo is a soil prebiotic that contains organic acids, polysaccharides and complex trace elements. Its formulation activates humifying flora, increasing fungi production of mycelial hyphae and the secretion of fungal mucilage which helps with microaggregation of soil particles, creating and maintaining microporosity.
The fungi are part of the basal layer, decomposing crop residues and manure. They mineralise nutrients as well as stabilising organic matter and increasing the cation exchange capacity of soils.
It’s a useful tool where growers are seeking to support the agroecological transition process.
With climate change already influencing our weather patterns, it’s essential that we make the most of soils’ ability to capture atmospheric carbon and stimulate biodiversity. It’s also proving beneficial for the bottom line. As Gaïago’s saying goes “mankind thrives, when soil thrives”.
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Farmer Focus – Thomas Gent – July 2023
Completing my last ever BPS application last month really got me thinking about the financial future of our farm. We all know the era of the Basic Payment Scheme and money for simply owning land is drawing to a close. So, what does the future look like and how can we ensure that our businesses are financially stable because of course we cannot hope to be environmentally sustainable if we are in the red.
The first area to look at for all good businesses is that of controlling cost. For us on our 800 ha farm in South Lincolnshire this was the sole reason we made the transition to direct drilling around 15 years ago. At that time our traditional machinery was coming to the end of its useful life and we had a decision to either invest in new very expensive machinery or try this new thing Grandad had seen in Argentina called Direct Drilling. 15 years on and doing some recent benchmarking it has been amazing to see just how cost effective this form of farming can be compared to the more traditional heavy cultivation way of operating.
Over a 3 year average looking at winter wheat our yield and income was almost identical to that of our conventional farming neighbours. However, the cost is where things get interesting. Our variable costs were around 17% below the average and our fixed costs were around 40% below the average. Of course, this is no scientific study and weather etc make a huge difference. But it does give me encouragement that we are moving in the right direction. The question Dad and I ponder now is how can we knock off the next 10%+ of costs? (while maintaining our yields). Like with many things the taking away the first costs was the easier bit for example our nitrogen application has come down from approximately 200 KG/N per ha to more like 160 KG/N per ha (in winter wheat) whilst maintaining our 9-10 tonne average yield. But how do we get below the 100 mark? It is clear to me the next stages are going to require more radical thinking, probably with the use of legume leys or ideally a permanent understorey. In summary though I think we are getting to a point where cost control is becoming more and more tricky.
So the next question is how can we tackle the other side of the equation and how can we increase the income side. We know money for owning land payments are disappearing and whilst I do think there are some great options now coming through countryside stewardship and SFI they generally all come with cost as well. There will be an increase in payments for delivering environmental goods either through private or public funding techniques. But the lion’s share of the money I earn will continue to come from the food I produce as it should. I am a commodity grain grower. I grow a range of different crops in my rotation now: Wheat, Oats, OSR (decreasingly) and Field Beans. To shorten my supply chain and diversify my rotation I have also started growing for the British Quinoa company as well as forage rye and grass for a local AD plant.
However, I recently came across an interesting report by Sustain (“Unpicking food prices: Where does your food pound go, and why do farmers get so little?”). To pull out an interesting statement in this report “the cereal farmer spends 9.03p yet receives an almost negligible profit (0.09p) on a selling price of £1.14” and “For 4 beefburgers the processor gains ten times the profit of the beef farmer. A carrot grower spending 14p per bag and selling to the supermarket supply chain gets almost negligible returns.”
Whilst there are reasons for this such as the amount of cost required to process and market a product to a consumer and I am sure many will argue around the specific numbers it does beg the question in my head, would it be easier to improve the income side of the equation rather than push down the cost side even further? Many will pipe up to say that I could build a farm shop and sell directly. However, this is not something I would be able to do given the area of the country I am situated in and really I am interested in scale. How can I shift thousands of tonnes through a farm shop? No, the real question is can I leverage my regenerative farming techniques to gain premiums in the market? YES is the answer! But we need to do something we have traditionally not been great at “Marketing”. So, I have started down this journey. I have created my own little brand for my farm called Gentle Farming – www.gentle-farming.co.uk. I have been hosting farm tours with some of the biggest food companies in the country all in the hope of finding a way to shortcut the supply chain and sell more directly at scale. It has been hugely interesting to help educate them on regenerative farming techniques and to hear their thoughts on how the market is developing. I am making progress, slowly. I am looking forward to the day sometime soon when I can walk into a restaurant knowing my crop which I grew is being sold at scale to real people.
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Simtech becomes Fentech Agri
Fentech Agri Ltd was established to incorporate the Simtech direct drill company into a more comprehensive systems approach to regenerative and sustainable agriculture. The core of the business model revolves around enhancing soil health and reducing input requirements. The goal is to achieve maximum yields with minimal input costs, ensuring a solid bottom line profit while simultaneously improving soil quality for future generations.
Direct drilling serves as a key component of the system, but it must be complemented by additional products. The systems are easy to understand and implement, and the machinery is designed to be user-friendly and low-maintenance. In addition to the established product line of Simtech Direct drills, which feature proven T-slot tines, Fentech Agri also offers ultra-low disturbance subsoiling products utilising Tillso tine technology. These products facilitate shallow annual or bi-annual restructuring by lifting and dropping the soil over a wing, creating vertical fissures for improved root establishment.
The tines have been developed to cause minimal surface disturbance, reducing the need for subsequent cultivations, preventing weed seeds from dispersing throughout the soil profile, and keeping fine soil particles on the surface. The “Advantage” product range is available in mounted and trailed formats, ranging from 3m to 6m. Optional extras include row cleaner discs, vertical tillage leading discs, opti-openers for cost-effective drilling of small seeds such as OSR and cover crops, as well as various roller types including the DD diamond packer and flexi-till rubber roller, depending on soil type and conditions.
Auto reset options are also available in addition to the standard shear bolt system. Another essential tool in Fentech Agri’s lineup is the “Commander,” a shallow tine cultivator that promotes the creation of stale seedbeds. The tines resemble those of a straw rake but are designed to run at a more aggressive angle with the forward speed generating vibrations that create a fine top tilth, disturb weed seeds, and facilitate seed-to-soil contact, moisture retention, and weed germination.
The machine effectively moves and uniformly distributes chopped straw across the field while disrupting slug development. The Commander is used immediately after harvest up until drilling, with intermediate applications of spray to desiccate weeds. It is primarily used behind the drill to promote seed germination, moisture retention, and achieve a level finish. The machine is offered in widths of 6m, 8m, 10m, and 12m, allowing for rapid coverage within a short operating window. Additionally, vertical tillage discs can be incorporated into the machine to provide a more aggressive tillage option that remains non-inversion.
All the products featured in the Fentech catalogue revolve around direct drilling, particularly the utilisation of the T-slot tine in Simtech machinery. The drill range spans from 2.4m grass drills to 6m folding arable drills. Several new products are planned for release in 2023, including two new front-mounted hopper models that enable wider drilling using less horsepower and provide more balanced loading of the tractor. These drills will continue to utilise the reliable Sulky metering systems. A four-toolbar frame will be available for users operating in high trash conditions or for drilling into cover crops.
A trailed kit is being introduced as an intermediate step from a fully mounted machine to a trailed machine, with fully trailed machines set to undergo extensive development and testing before their release in 2024. Machines up to 3m are offered with two tine spacings, a narrow spacing at 150mm and the more common arable spacing at 187.5mm. All drills exceeding 3m operate on the wider spacing. Another upcoming machine currently in development is a lightweight folding drill. This machine is designed to cater to both grassland and arable customers, allowing for increased daily acreage coverage while still utilising the more flexible 25mm, less aggressive tine.
The hopper capacity will be similar to that of the arable folding drills, with 1700L, but the lightweight frame and absence of a rear spring flex roller make the machine suitable for lower horsepower tractors. Fentech Agri is enthusiastic about the opportunities presented by transitioning farming practices away from conventional heavy cultivation. The company is keen to demonstrate that with the right tools, input costs can be reduced while maintaining high yields and improving profitability. The benefits for farmers and the soil from adopting the complete Fentech system can be quickly realised.
While it’s important to consider the influence of weather conditions in determining the most appropriate approach, a move toward a no-till system can preemptively address many of these challenges. Improved drainage, enhanced vertical support for machinery, increased organic matter levels, and improved worm populations are just a few of the many advantages observed, in addition to the financial benefits. Fentech Agri is open to discussing current farming practices with prospective customers and providing guidance on transitioning toward a more sustainable system in the future.
The company looks forward to engaging with visitors at the Cereals show this year and will be conducting demonstrations of their drills at Groundswell at the end of June for those interested in observing their machines in action.
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Light Stimulation Boosts Seed Germination
By Dan Crummett from No Till Farmer USA Magazine
Light-energy treatment developed to kill weed seeds without chemicals also stimulates seed germination.
What began as a method to control the spread of tumbleweed plants in the desert is now showing promise for stimulating agricultural crop seed germination to potentially increase crop yields. Jon Jackson, president of Global Neighbor, an Ohio-based small business with deep roots in spectral physics research for chemical-free weed control, says his company developed technology for the U.S. Air Force to fight the spread of tumbleweeds on 22 million acres of Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, Calif.
The work, which required weed control without herbicides or disturbance of the desert floor, was funded through a Small Business Investment Research (SBIR) grant administered through the Department of Defense. “After news of the weed control success at Edwards circulated, we got a bag of marestail seed in the mail from an Iowa farmer and a note attached which read: ‘If you can kill tumbleweed seeds, you can kill the marestail seed in my soybeans. Merry Christmas!’” Jackson recalls. “We’re not farmers, and until then, we hadn’t considered agricul-tural applications for the technology.”
After conferring with many farmers, Global Neighbors began adapting the light-treatment technology to the tough, chemical-resistant weeds faced by the nation’s growers. In 2023, the company plans to run a demonstration combine equipped with an on-board light-treatment system to process weed seeds passing through the harvester on their way to the chaff spreader. “A researcher told us the plants resulting from the treatment were growing like crazy…” “We found light energy from the bluish-purple segments of the visible light spectrum, along with mid-range infrared rays, damages cells near the seed’s surface responsible for root development,” Jackson says. “The treated seed is still healthy, but it is inca-pable of physical germination and the production of a radicle.
The seed cannot establish itself in the field.” Jackson says the plant response caught agricultural researchers off guard, so the company built a number of 1/12th scale pilot systems and supplied them to various universities. Researchers could conduct their own studies and replicate Global Neighbor’s find-ings, which led to another surprise for scientists working with the system. “We got a call from a researcher who told us the system wasn’t killing the seeds, but the plants resulting from the treatment were growing like crazy,” he says.
“We determined one of the LED light tubes in the machine was malfunctioning, and the seeds were only getting about half the energy required to damage them for weed-control purposes.” That led to the realization that the same light energy waves used at lower rates stimulate seed germination and development. Global Neighbors took that knowledge to the field and discovered the results have promising implications. “We tested our system in a 100-acre Iowa soybean field using 20 acres of light-stimulated seed and 80 acres of untreated seed,” Jackson says. “The 20-acre plot emerged more quickly and showed more robust plant growth and development throughout the season than the surrounding acres.
The stimulated seed plot also produced an average of 1.1-1.2 more bushels per acre of yield.” In another on-farm experiment, Jackson says an Ohio alfalfa producer faced with delayed planting was eager to try the light-stimulated seed. “He planted half his hay meadow with treated seed and the other half with seed directly out of the bag,” Jackson says. “By November, the treated acres were up and green, while the untreated acres were still mainly the color of brown soil. The demarcation line between the treatments was obvious.” The options of light-stimulation seed treatment open a number of applications for no-tillers faced with delayed planting or wet, cool planting conditions, as well as improved timing for high-value organic crop producers farming in areas with short growing seasons.
Jackson says Global Neighbor is working on another SBIR project with USDA to build and demonstrate a soybean planter equipped with light-stimulation technology. Such a system could easily become a permanent part of planting season across much of the nation in coming years.
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Farmer Focus – David Aglen – July 2023
Written 1st June 2023
Trials and learnings of livestock integration at BHF.
So, calving happened, with a few more issues than we expected. Through our breeding choices we have managed to significantly reduce the level of human intervention at calving over the last 5 years. However, we hit a small bump in the road this year with a handful of caesarians required for larger calves out of heifers. As we breed our own replacements, we perhaps need to look a bit further back in the cow’s genetics to weed out these niggles. The same bulls produced many more calves that were small and calved without issue.
We managed to turn calved cows out onto cover crops of rye within a few days of calving. This massively reduced our silage requirement as well as reducing the potential unhealthy issues that build up in a calving shed pre turn out. As well as saving money, the cows milk well on the rye, and this allows the use of the field up until work for the next crop is required, another part of our livestock/arable integration. We plan to calve outside next year, slightly later than we have done inside. When successful, we should no longer have the need to house cattle at all. This has been a goal for a few years now, so fingers crossed.
Spring sowing was completed, eventually. We seemed to wait through the eternity that was the wet month of March. I find lots of rain nerve-wracking at that time of the year, we know the clock is ticking on spring crop yield potential, and we know that every wet day requires a few more dry days before sowing will start. As ever though, the rain did take a break, we managed to start sowing barley on the 4th of April. This was followed by a few stops and starts until conditions settled about a week later, allowing rapid progress to be made. We had to be more patient with cultivated land than with no tilled ground. The improving soil structure allowed sowing to progress at a faster pace. This is the first time we have seen this happen, demonstrating clearly that soil structure improvements take time and patience.
Myself ‘discussing’ the grazing strategy with Hazel. One of the challenges we have been trying to overcome has been the fickleness of no-till spring barley. We have had many issues over the years with this scenario. Indeed, this challenge forms one of the trials that we are conducting as part of the AHDB Strategic Farm project. We hope to succeed in this respect after 6 years of trials. Whilst not directly part of the trial at the moment, this will change for next year, I have always thought that sheep might be a solution to this tricky no-till crop. So last winter we made a point of grazing down all the cover crops prior to barley that was due to be direct drilled. We grazed the covers down leaving varying degrees of residue behind. As crops look currently, this appears to have helped hugely. Barley sown into fields where the cover crops were eaten right down have established very strongly and will give any conventionally established crop a run for its money in my view. Where we left even a small amount of residue, crop vigour after emergence has not been too good. More residue tended to be left behind the store lambs as they required a higher plain of nutrition for growth, so were moved over fields faster to maintain growth. The ewes on the other can still thrive when left to eat covers right down. So, I think we will prioritise the use of breeding ewes to recycle the cover crop before spring barley in the future. It is amazing just how little residue can upset the growth of a young spring barley plant.
We have had time to digest and analyse the findings from grazing winter cereals with sheep. In mid-May we had a rather colourful outbreak of yellow rust in the only wheat field that we did not graze over the winter. All the surrounding fields were grazed and remained unaffected. Whilst not scientific, or validated by statistically significant plot trials, this observation alone is enough to make winter cereal grazing a planned part of the system every year. I think we can be a bit bolder too, eating the cereals down more in a short period, they will still bounce back quickly with fresh clean growth.
A crop of rye and vetch cut and ready for baling. Cattle are all busily munching through grass that is up to their bellies. Grass growth was steady and manageable until mid-May, the weather warmed up over a weekend and everything has gone into overdrive since. The power of nature to catch up amazes me every season. However, conditions are drying rapidly now, and we are starting to think that grass growth is slowing in some fields already. As the dry spell continues, we will have to consider how much residue we leave behind the cows in order to keep some ground cover for moisture preservation reasons.
We are moving the mobs daily at the moment, under the principle that fast grass growth requires a fast-grazing rotation, 21 to 30 days. As the growth slows, we will lengthen the rotation, by grazing smaller areas each day to increase the rest period between grazings, this should allow full recovery of the pasture prior to the next grazing. The difficulty I find is confidently deciding when the growth has actually slowed down. This normally takes the form of a week of thinking about slowing the grazing down, before realising that we need to slow down now, or actually, a week ago. Alternatively, I can go and consult our tame cow, Hazel, to see what she thinks. Whilst she won’t give me the answer, she does serve as a calming influence on a really stressful day. Five minutes with her, and you’re ready to tackle the world again. Even the children enjoy her company.
Whilst we are pondering over our current grass growth, thoughts and actions are moving ahead to this coming winter. I mentioned in my last article that we grow kale for winter grazing. The kale crop dovetails neatly onto the back of an over wintered cover crop of rye and vetch. We let the cover crop grow until a suitable weather window in May (other technical timing descriptions do exist!). We mow the mixture for baling and wrapping. The bales are then lined up across the field to accompany the kale crop that is strip grazed. The kale is then direct drilled into the stubble, and all bar some fertilizer, weed control and a fair amount of pigeon patrol for the first few weeks, that’s the winter feed all set up. This provides a diet that the cows are content and thrive on. The aim is to grow all the winter feed on the fields where it will be eaten. This has reduced the costs hugely, particularly the machinery costs associated with harvesting, carting and feeding the cows during the winter months.
Post and pre-grazing grass covers, dog for scale. We have had issues with weaned calves not being keen to eat the rye silage and have stepped back to giving them grass silage with the kale. Last winter, we decided to leave the calves on their mothers for 8 weeks more than usual. This meant the calves were on kale with cows eating rye before weaning. The result was the calves learning to eat the rye silage. After weaning, they happily ate the same diet for the remainder of the winter. In hindsight, it is obvious that a calf should learn such things from its mother.
Our next challenge is to sort out cover crop establishment this autumn. Last year we were blessed with an easy, early harvest, meaning that most crops could be established in August with the seeder. I doubt we are going to get that same opportunity this year, as is more normal up here. With this in mind, we will be revisiting the idea of broadcasting the seed into the standing cereals. We have done this successfully in the past; however we have since stepped up the tramline width to 36m. Broadcasting all the seed evenly to this width will take a little more tinkering in the workshop.
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SFI and Regenerative Farming
Written by Ian Gould and Ethan Powell from Oakbank Game and Conservation
As we inch ever closer to knowing more detail regarding the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and the new government portal for applications (possibly in September), many farmers are trying to make sense of what we do know. So far there has been little financial incentive to change practices on farm substantially, the original payments simply rewarded farmers for what many were already doing. That may be about to change but farmers should always work out the finances of what they are being asked to do compared to the possible downsides of any choices. The Government also needs to better understand that farming is highly volatile and well-intended plans can sometimes require change because of external forces like the weather. Farmers and advisors need to accept a lot of responsibility for using the opportunity to deliver the intended benefits, rather than exploiting any loopholes for pure financial gain, if that happens we can expect more regulation and potentially less money!
Many of the priorities for farmers that are trying to improve their soils and biodiversity are well catered for in the published SFI options, with more to follow I am sure. It is clear that we need to value the longer term benefits that will be delivered by these management changes, rather than focus on the immediate financial offering.
Alison Day image The one area that we do need more clarity on soon is how SFI and Stewardship will sit alongside other potential funding opportunities, such as water company schemes, carbon credits, etc. This “Stacking” of payments could really be a key driver for many farms, but it is essential that we get clear guidance about what is and is not allowed, with rules that are stable and not changing every year.
SFI & CS Compatibility
Land under a CS scheme can be entered into an SFI agreement, as long as the land cover and land type are eligible for the standard you choose. The CS options, including their timing, must be compatible with the actions in the standard you choose (see table below).
Similar activities or outcomes will not be double funded through both schemes on the same area of land at the same time. Neither will CS options count towards actions in the SFI standards – for example an area of SW6 Winter cover crops established under CS cannot be used to meet the requirements of the SFI arable and horticultural soils standard.
Ineligible CS revenue option land, including any land currently used for an ineligible rotational CS revenue option, cannot be entered into an SFI agreement. For example, if you have a 10-hectare field with 1 hectare of AB9 – Winter bird food, this area would automatically be removed from the field parcel in your SFI application, leaving you with 9 hectares to apply on. Once the agreement has started, the rotational CS option can be moved between parcels if needed, as long as the total area of SFI eligible land does not change across your holding. If the area of CS options increases, then you will need to add land to the SFI agreement to accommodate the change at the annual upgrade point.
Eligible CS revenue options for the arable and horticultural soils standard AB5 Nesting plots for lapwing AB11 Cultivated areas for arable plants AB12 Supplementary winter feeding for farmland birds AB14 Harvested low input cereal BE3 Management of hedgerows ED1 Educational access HS3 Reduced-depth, non-inversion cultivation on historic and archaeological features HS9 Restricted depth crop establishment to protect archaeology under an arable rotation OP3 Supplementary feeding for farmland birds (organic) OR3 Organic conversion – rotational land OR4 Organic land management – horticulture OT3 Organic land management – rotational land OT4 Organic land management – horticulture SP9 Threatened species supplement SP10 Administration of group managed agreements supplement SFI & Private Finance
Currently, you can enter the same area of land into an SFI standards agreement and a private sector scheme arrangement, such as carbon trading or payments for natural flood management. The approach to private sector schemes will be reviewed by Defra annually.
Current Soils Standard Summary
Introductory (£22/ha)
- Complete a soil assessment and produce a soil management plan
- Test soil organic matter
- Add organic matter to all land in the standard at least once during the 3-year SFI agreement (can be in the form of cover crops sown to meet next action)
- Have green cover on at least 70% of land in the standard over winter (can be autumn-sown crops, cover crops or weedy stubbles)
Intermediate (£40/ha)
- Complete a soil assessment and produce a soil management plan
- Test soil organic matter
- Add organic matter to all land in the standard at least once during the 3-year agreement (can be in the form of cover crops sown to meet next action)
- Have green cover on at least 50% of land in this level of the standard over winter (can be autumn-sown crops, cover crops or weedy stubbles) and multi-species cover crops on an additional 20% of the land (must contain at least two species from these families: brassica, legume, grass/cereal, herbs)
New Actions for 2023 (Not including CS variations)
Hedgerows standard
Assess and record hedgerow condition (£3/100m one side)
- All hedges in this action must be assessed, and written condition assessment recorded
- Must review and update annually
Maintain existing hedgerow trees, or establish new ones (£10/100m both sides)
- Payment only available for planting in CS
- Must average 1 hedgerow tree/100m across hedgerows entered
Integrated pest management standard
Complete an integrated pest management (IPM) assessment & plan (£989/year)
- BASIS qualified advisor to complete an IPM assessment and written IPM plan
- Must review and update annually
Establish a companion crop (£55/ha)
- Establish a companion crop so it’s growing with the main arable or horticultural crop.
- Can be on same area or moved around each year.
No use of insecticide (£45/ha)
- Do not apply any plant protection products containing insecticide on the land in this action.
- Can be on same area or moved around each year.
Nutrient Management Standard
Complete a nutrient management (NM) assessment & report (£589/year)
- FACTS qualified advisor to complete a NM assessment and written NM plan
- Must review and update annually
Arable and Horticultural Land Standard
Establish and maintain grassy field corners and blocks (£590/ha)
- Sow or naturally regenerate field corners
- Similar to the field corner management option in ELS/HLS
So that is what we know (early June 2023) and we feel confident that many farmers will engage with SFI once the portal is available, it would be daft not to look at the options carefully as there is a lot to be gained. It is certainly not perfect and some farming sectors will be very disappointed at the options available to them at this stage, but keep the faith!
For more help and advice please contact Oakbank by calling 01480 890686 or email info@oakbankgc.co.uk
