January 2023 What livestock means at BHF? Balbirnie Home Farms in hand farming operation comprises some 1200ha, two thirds of which is in an arable rotation, the remainder is permanent grass. Additionally, there is 380ha woodland and commercial forestry. The arable rotation currently consists of winter wheat, winter and spring beans, winter and spring oats, …
January 2023 French Style Harvest Since my last article in May harvest has been and gone (very quickly) and all the winter crops have been established and are looking well. This harvest it felt like we were farming in France. Most was done by the end of the first week in August and due to …
January 2023 As I write on this very wet December day (yes very last minute) it’s nice to look back on such a dry year. I wrote in June that the area looked the best it had ever looked, crops were full of potential, and for once they carried that into what was our record-breaking …
Farm Facts: January 2023 140Ha Home farm plus 60Ha Share farming arrangement Arable, Beef & Sheep Crops: Wheat, Oats, Barley, Spring Beans, Clover/Herbal leys & Permanent Pasture. In some parts of the country getting livestock back out onto farms after decades of their absence has been the cause for much excitement of late, this is …
January 2023 Attempting to make farming less of a gamble…….. In my very early years of farming, I remember chatting to a good friend of mine who works in the investment banking world. He trades daily on the commodity markets. I mentioned to him that I didn’t think I could deal with the stress of …
I ended my previous article noting the challenges ahead, but with some optimism for the season, and the forthcoming harvest. However, I had underestimated how exciting it was to get, and how much volatility we would come to enjoy! Our crops continued to look well through the spring and early summer. The spring beans established …
I ended my previous article noting the challenges ahead, but with some optimism for the season, and the forthcoming harvest. However, I had underestimated how exciting it was to get, and how much volatility we would come to enjoy! Our crops continued to look well through the spring and early summer. The spring beans established …
Wow, yet another dry Spring/Summer. Anybody who doesn’t believe in climate change can hardly deny that temperature and weather conditions are changing! This however especially just shows the importance of Carbon (as if it ever wasn’t important!) the extra water holding capacity was vital to keep crops going for those extra days in conditions such …
Power Corrupts There are two occasions in my farming year that remind me of the anticipation and trepidation felt as a child when my exam results or end of term school report were received. The first is of course harvest, yields being the score card for the team effort of all involved in every part …
October 2022 Power Corrupts There are two occasions in my farming year that remind me of the anticipation and trepidation felt as a child when my exam results or end of term school report were received. The first is of course harvest, yields being the score card for the team effort of all involved in …
