Sunday, 29 December 2013

Between the Storms - It's a Beautiful Day

It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out

It was a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Beautiful day
 
I couldn't help being reminded of a classic U2 song on a glorious sunny day at Loddington. Although it did mask the wet stormy weather the UK has experienced over the last week. I decided to take advantage of the weather and spray out some sky lark plots and remark some footpaths in the cereal fields. Its no surprise with all the rain that the ground is close to being waterlogged!!

The wheat, osr and oat crops looked very well but black grass lurks in the background and I'm also not sure how well the Kerb has worked in the oilseed crops.


Fantastic clear skies, excellent day for crop walking/


Wheat emergence has been very good after oilseed rape.

Blackgrass is still about but crop competition should help


This wood belt was awash with blue tits, chaffinch, robins and blackbirds. Our supplementary feeding started 10 days ago. 

Monday, 9 December 2013

All drilled up.....

Last week saw the final 100 acres of wheat drilled, mainly ground with high black grass populations and a 3yr Grassley/stubble turnip field. We had to plough 35 acres as the drill just left slots in the turf and the seed was uncovered; so it was out at night ... long hours made more painful by the soul destroying reports of the cricket from Australia!!

Night time ploughing, the first time the plough has seen action this season.


We returned to direct drilling on last years spring bean ground, the seed beds were a bit rough so we will have to be selective on any pre-emergence sprays.

GPS steering seems to be working fine. Fingers crossed it emerges okay!!

Mission accomplished.

Big Boys Toys