Louis Stephenson

Educating Britain’s future farmers #OFS19

Preparing for game covers and SFI the last week, going to need some serious rain before too long

@thegraingeek Not really, nowhere near the pressure we’ve seen in the past

@StephensonLouis any flea beetle problems down there?

OSR waking up from winter

@Jes_Squirrell @TJex_RegenAg @AgriiUK Intill CSFB was a issue DAP at drilling with standard practice here, notice a difference without it now, cost now greater return sadly

@TJex_RegenAg @AgriiUK If bagged P can do this, then it begs the question as to why isn’t DAP a weapon of choice? N and P in one hit down the spout for a good kick up the backside. That said, it’s a further dice roll with costs when the success in establishing it is in the lap of the csfb and rwsw gods

The importance of P availability in the early stages of crop development 🌱 Oilseed rape with and without P, applied at drilling, on a field with indices of 2+ @AgriiUK

Crisp start to the day in suffolk

Bamford second wheat seems to really enjoy growing behind the Claydon, nice to have a modern variety with a willingness to grow.

@Jes_Squirrell Yes regrowth post spring barley

@StephensonLouis What fresh hell is this!? 😬 Surely regrowth from a harvested stubble?

Spraying some land off for a customer this evening, Blackgrass on flower mid-November 🤯

@turbotechdog @Elsomsseeds Bamford in the ground for the first time here, first wheat for a long time that seems to have a willingness to grow 👍🏻👍🏻

The tillering of @Elsomsseeds Bamford is incredible! 🌾

Claydon post OSR, Avatar post beans. Emerging crops look fantastic

Drilling commenced in earnest this week. Is it too early, probably. will I regret it in May, probably but my god it’s lovely to be drilling in the dust, old but gold Skyfall @220kg/ha

@RichMadd86 Unintentionally tried it a couple of years ago on some land that was going for building, gave up with it in the end as it had very little spring vigour

Second OSR crops. Has anyone successfully grown a second OSR from volunteers?

@ArableSam Depends on the field and the situation

@StephensonLouis Do you do multiple passes with the rake ?

Sunday session on the straw rake, last pass before the drill

OSR getting thirsty

OSR 9 days difference in drilling date, looking forward to a drink next week 🤞🏼

@cutlerstom @wheat_daddy @RichMadd86 Hilarious

@StephensonLouis @wheat_daddy @RichMadd86 Yeah, it’s £160/ha now 😂

The Solo is taking some pulling this year and using 30 ish litres of fuel a hectare (2.47 acres) but doing a cracking job. Soil is 55% clay, 30% silt. After a few weeks of the weather working its magic, next machine in will be planting wheat for next harvest.

@wheat_daddy @RichMadd86 That £180/ha must be different now with feed wheat at £160

@RichMadd86 DD doesn’t suit these soils. After 7 years of trials, It just doesn’t perform, and looses £180/ha with all costs taken into account. The light land where we had Cereals is different, DD works well there.

@cutlerstom @ArableSam @OOOfarmer DD spring barley post cover crop 1t yield hit and +0.5% nitrogen compared to plough based here this year, without the SFI funding it would be a none starter here for next harvest

@ArableSam @OOOfarmer Nope. Judging by my other trusted local farmers, my yields in this system have suffered greatly this season. No idea why, thought it would help. Must be the “me” factor.

Started drilling cover crops today, feels wrong in these conditions, but they have to go in some time. Very glad I have no OSR this year - would not be drilling that even if it was planned.

@OOOfarmer July drilled OSR looks well here, all down to conditions in your area