Welcome to this sixth issue of Direct Driller. We guarantee you will discover new facts and information on many aspects of no-till crop management. You’ll be aware the ‘soil’ topic has moved rapidly from being a quirky idea to something of which all farmers have become aware. This leads me to think of all those …
Just when you thought there was a lot of choice in terms of which drill is right for you, there is now even more choice. Both Novag and Virkar have written about their own drills in this issue and we are looking forward to hearing more from them in the future. We also have information …
If you are like us, then you don’t know where to start when it comes to other reading apart from farming magazines. However, there is so much information out there that can help us understand our businesses, farm better and understand the position of non-farmers. Tom Sewell mentioned a great book earlier called “Dirt to …
It’s perhaps not so important whether Einstein said “ insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results” or not. The powerful phrase initiates progress and of course has considerable relevance in farming, where doing the same thing can be a bit of a habit. That is, of course, if you …
Written by Ian Gould, Director of Oakbank Game and Conservation Ltd In an attempt to take myself out of my own comfort zone and into a new learning arena, I decided to venture across the “Pond” and immerse myself in US Agriculture for a week. Arriving in Indianapolis in January 2019 I was intent on …
MIKE DONOVAN Homo sapiens are hard-wired to be critical and suspicious of the unknown. We apply the maxim ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ where we can, and look for excuses to maintain the status quo. It applies to farming methods. The big gaps in no-till knowledge slow the progress of those who are …
By Edward H. Faulkner With a Foreword byS. Graham Brade-Birks M.Sc. (Manc.), D.Sc. (Lond.), of the SouthEastern Agricultural College (University of London), Wye, KentFirst published 1945 Traditions of the Plough Continued from Issue 1 of Direct Driller Ploughing done when the furrow slice is plastic creates clods; every clod is so much soil mustered out …
By Thierry Stokkermans There is one country where some contractors seed 3000 hectares per year with a 3 metre wide drill, and it is New Zealand. It is not a country of wide plains… most paddocks have odd shapes. How do they do this? New Zealand has a mild oceanic climate and numerous mountains. Their …
How NZ Contractors No-Till 3000HA/Year With A 3M Seeder Read More »
GPS and other modern technologies, along with thorough trial protocols, can make farm trialling straightforward and routine. Decisions and innovations can then become thoroughly validated and tailored to real farming conditions. This useful guide from ADAS outlines processes leading to successful farm-trialling and how to avoid the pitfalls. The guide covers trials conducted with ADAS …
Mike Donovan writes… Joel Williams is a familiar face to many with an interest in soil health and biology, and first spoke to a UK farming audience in 2010. The Australian plant and soil health educator has a global audience and Direct Driller magazine caught him at the Overbury Estate in Worcestershire where he joined …
