One thing is certain, every day is a day closer to rain, after all, we know it will rain at some point, so we need to set ourselves up for success when it comes. We, like many grass-based farms are grazing our silage fields, or are planning to in the coming days and weeks. The great thing about grazing in a rotation is that when the rain does come, we can be more flexible and drop fields out of the grazing rotation in order to mow them at the appropriate time.
We have finished pruning the apple trees now and are busy getting the firewood cut out, but leaving the brash at the side of the orchards as habitat for our birds, invertebrates and mammals. We are also tidying up some fallen dead trees from the storms we had in winter. Unfortunately ash die back seems to be quite prevalent in the area, so we are trying to manage that, especially around our footpaths. I really do not want trees falling on people, or blocking access to our well used footpaths. Lambing went quite well this year and in the next couple of weeks we will gather the ewes and lambs together to vaccinate the lambs and worm them if they need it. Calving too has gone well. The dry weather has been a dream for those jobs, even if we are paying for it now!
We drilled a mixed crop on a couple of off lying fields that don’t have water. They will be cut in late July as arable silage. The mix consisted of barley, peas, oats, an annual clover and vetch. In the past we have cultivated to establish this crop, but as last year,
we direct drilled it. This involves very little soil movement, where the seed is plated into the soil behind a disc and followed by a closing wheel. At a time when soil moisture is so crucial, I am relieved we made that choice. The seeds are all up and growing away nicely. When it does rain, everything is going to grow like mad!
My son asked me if I still enjoyed farming a couple of week ago, and it was one of those questions that I answered quickly and thought about later. ‘Of course I do I said!’. This was on the way to rugby training on a Sunday morning. I haven’t got to the bottom of his train of thought yet, but perhaps he picked up on a bit of stress from lambing or calving. On reflection I still do enjoy farming. I love being outside, of being in nature and the dynamism that is required when something happens most days to change your plans.
I listened to a podcast a few years ago titled, ‘how to ranch like a 12 year old’. Why would you want to do that? The premise was that we, as adults, seek to complicate everything far more than we need to and perhaps that’s when we lose the enjoyment. We can’t always make life easy, but perhaps we need the clarity of thought of a child to make it a bit simpler. At this time, of change and pressures on agriculture, I think a bit more simplicity would be a good thing.
Rich, Risbury 95
LIVE24-SEVEN.COM
BUS INE S S ON THE FARM
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