BUSY BACKEND AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NEIGH SAYERS!
Having travelled all over the country with the Ma/Ag drill we are now beginning to see the results of our toils which seem positive. As always during demonstration, we have visits from the next door neighbour, some with positives comments and some not quite so. On one demonstration which I and the farmer where more than happy with, the visiting cousin was negative to say the least. After his departure, I spoke to the farmer about his cousin’s opinion, and had the response that he was very positive until I stepped out of the cab!
I have grown a little tired of the comments that direct drills are only a dry weather tool, we have proved that providing you can travel without making a mess on the surface, and providing your equipment is suitably tyred and correctly operated so as not to do damage underneath the surface then pretty much anything is possible. In fact where cover crops have been grown or last year’s crop aftermath is still around, these can allow operations where bare cultivated ground might not.
Here is a riverbank field, an attempt was made to plough but soon given up, we direct drilled the spring barley into reasonable conditions, all was well until we ventured into the ploughing which appear reasonably dry, it wasn’t! Lesson learned, a 2 ton crop of spring barley (drilled 20.4.18), apart from the ploughed ground, which just grew weeds!
Direct drilling 14 tons/Ploughing 0
I rest my case!
Mark Harrison, Ryetec Ltd
