A global pandemic has few positives, but if I were asked for any I would say the rise of the webinar. As soon as the first lockdown was imposed physical farm events were ended. Participation and involvement in farm shows, auctions and meetings could only be done by farmers and others using software applications such …
We are the Slow Farming Company, a fifth generation farming family outside Castle Cary in South Somerset. The farm is run by my stepfather Rob and mother Sally, and I work here part time along with my wife Camilla – our three young children like to get involved too! We are on a regenerative journey …
“It’s not about the machinery”, except once you get into cover crops and producing larger ones it is about machinery because without a drill that can cope with big volumes of vegetation cash crop establishment is compromised. An interesting video worth seeking out in the YouTube Horsch Live series showing on Feb 24th https://youtu. be/OoifwgXbEZ0 …
I’m finally and Agroforester! It has been 5 years in the making, but we have finally planted our first 16 hectare field of Agroforestry. We decided to do most of the work ourselves and I am so pleased we did. Farming has become quite an isolated world of technology, screens, twitter and stress along with …
As I sit down to write my latest article, I’m reminded that 8 years ago today I was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship. I was selected as part of the #Nuffield13 year group to study “The long-term benefits of no-till farming”. I remember walking onto the stage at the Nuffield conference to be presented with my …
Well, I am sitting here thinking of how the last eight months have been since my debut article back in April and I do not think there is any way to sugar coat it, it’s just been bloody moderate (in fact probably less than moderate) with all that is going on in the world but …
Fake news? Harvest 2020 was never going to be great, the perfect storm of a wet autumn and winter followed by a spring drought was always going to end in disappointment. When it came to yields any usual excitement and anticipation was replaced by simple desire to clear ground of such uninspiring crops and start …
Harvest now seems like a distant memory; thank goodness you say! We seemed to get away reasonably light here in S.E. Scotland compared to many others around the UK. I still run two systems on some crops, and I can compare the results rather than wonder what if? It started with the poorest crop this …
Déjà Vu? Another fun drilling season….I am pleased to say we are drilled up bar about 50 hectares on some poorly drained blackgrassy land which was always on the list to do last. This will now be better off as spring barley. Last season was very difficult, we did not get enough drilled and were …
We didn’t think we would get a wetter autumn than last year……we were wrong. I definitely remember farmers telling me that last autumns rain was only a freak occurrence and it wouldn’t occur twice in as many years. Well nature had other ideas and it has meant that after 130mm of rain over the first …
