Dec 2023 We have had a very busy few months since my last article, with non-farming activities sometimes compromising the day job of farming. The beans and mustard planted in the spring established well, and we also planted some home-made wild bird seed mix on the old stewardship plots. With a reduction in farmed area …
In June, Mike Abram visited three US farmers disrupting the norm in the Midwest states of Indiana and Ohio. Driving through northern and central Indiana there are a couple of things that strike you immediately – one, how flat it is, and two, how most of the cropping is either soybeans or maize. In a …
The National Museum of Rural Life in Scotland stands as a captivating testament to the country’s agricultural heritage, offering arable farmers a remarkable journey through time and a deep dive into the evolution of their craft. Nestled amidst the picturesque Scottish countryside, this museum serves as a vibrant tapestry of rural life, resonating with arable …
Written by Simon Keeling from WeatherWeb “The bloody weather forecast has changed again!”; how often have those words passed your lips? It’s a refrain that most in agriculture will be familiar with and is among of the most potent forms of frustration on the farm. As forecasters, we hear that frustration too. Talking to farmers, …
How much do you understand your weather forecast? Read More »
As a farmer, I have always been interested in new technologies that could make my job easier and more efficient. One of the most exciting new technologies in agriculture today is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is a broad term that encompasses many different technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics. These technologies …
Written by Dr Alastair Leake from The Allerton Project “There’s a reason why we use the plough” a colleague sagely advised me when I questioned this fundamental agricultural practice; “It works” – and I was treated to a history lesson to-boot. Having transitioned from growing heated glasshouse salad crops in hydroponics, the ultimate zero-till system, …
The evolution of tillage techniques on heavy arable land in the East Midlands Read More »
April 2023 As this magazine is entitled Direct Driller I’ll start off with a couple of drill comments. The CO4 has had a set of replacement Dutch 2” tips fitted as the first set had worn very thin in places and changing the odd failed one resulted in uneven depth across the drill. I’d deliberated …
Written by Jeff Claydon April 2023 Issue Spring is the ideal time to check your soils and consider how to improve them, says Jeff Claydon, Suffolk arable farmer and inventor of the Claydon Opti-Till® direct strip seeding system. Spring is an excellent time to focus on soil health and how to improve it, because regardless …
Written by Thomas Gent from Agreena Reading this magazine means even if you are not practising regenerative farming I am sure you are at least considering the transition away from ploughing. We of course are also seeing now that the government incentives are going to be rewarding this type of farming, everything seems to be …
April 2023 Sarie Weaving provides an overview on the latest machinery updates and some news from the team as spring drilling gets into full swing. Facility Renovations, Tours and Demo Days It’s been a while since our last update in the Direct Driller and plenty has happened out and about with our machinery but even …
