ARABLE farmer Phil Metcalfe says rainfall over the past six months has been about average and that his crops have come through the winter relatively unscathed.
However, the thaw has rendered the land unfit for travel and he is patiently waiting until his sandy clay loam soil dries out before starting spring cultivation. The rotation at Foxberry Farm, Caldwell, comprises winter barley, oilseed rape, winter wheat and spring barley.
Several measures are taken to try and maintain a healthy soil structure and the main priority is to avoid travel when the land is waterlogged.
Maintaining a high level of soil organic matter is a crucial element of management and Mr Metcalfe imports both chicken manure and farmyard manure from straw-bedded cattle for spreading, with the latter material composted.
“The chicken manure is friable and it is spread as and when it is required, at a maximum rate of 7.5 tonnes per hectare, based on historical content analysis,” he says.
“It is not composted, because of the risk of losing a high proportion of its nitrogen.
“By comparison, the cattle farmyard manure has a much lower nitrogen content, which is why it is treated differently. I feel it benefits from being composted for at least 12 months before spreading. If it is incorporated into the soil immediately on arrival, it remains in an anaerobic state in the soil and this restricts the release of some of its nutrients.”
He adds: “Each trailer load is tipped in windrows and turned at least four times throughout the year, before spreading. After the composting period, the heap is naturally reduced in size by about 50 per cent and therefore it takes only half the time to spread, also giving a saving on fuel.
“Another bonus is the time saving, which is particularly important, as it is often applied at a busy time of the year. The nutrients contained in the farmyard manure are a bonus, but its real value lies in its soil conditioning properties.”
A reduced inversion cultivation system has been followed at Foxberry for many years and Mr Metcalfe is convinced that he is reaping the benefits, describing the majority of his soil structure as “good” .
Ploughing is carried out just one year in four, only being adopted for the creation of a seedbed for winter barley.
“Ploughing is expensive, because it takes longer and requires more operations, also reducing timeliness. In addition, it contributes towards carbon emissions, which we are told has a negative effect on the environment.”
The usual practice for seedbed preparation is to work down to 100mm, using a Philip Watkins trailed press with a heavy-duty hydraulic level board.
The machine has front-mounted Kongskilde vibroxflex tines and is followed by a Simba press. Any underlying compaction issues are rectified using a sub-soiler.
Despite his restricted use of the plough, Mr Metcalfe does not believe that the implement will ever be phased out on farms.
He says: “The plough is just one of the tools in the box.
“It acts like a reset button in situations where there are problem weeds.
“Ploughing buries the plants, allowing the grower to make a fresh start.
“This farm has not reached a stage where ploughing is essential, but we do have to keep on top of wild oats and brome. Fortunately, we do not have blackgrass,” he adds.
“The spring barley is useful, because out of the four bromes, two germinate in spring and as a highly vigorous plant, the barley will out-compete both types.
“The other two strains of brome have no chemical resistance issues and they will respond to autumn spraying. Volunteer oilseed rape is another weed we need to monitor and also borage, which has not been grown on this farm for more than a decade.”
The wet spring is not just affecting the farming practices at Foxberry, Phil’s wife, Sara, usually opens her eventing cross-country course to riders in February, but this year the first equestrian training day had to be put off until late March. Adding to the family’s frustration is the discovery of a burst land drain, which cannot be repaired until the field becomes accessible.
“Preserving soil structure is of primary importance and it is not worth travelling on the land until conditions are right,” says Mr Metcalfe.
“If you make a mess of the soil in spring, then you are left to cope with the damage for the whole of the remaining season.
“A late friend of my father’s told me many years ago that they stopped making soil long ago, so it is important to look after it.
“That stuck with me and I have adopted it as a guiding principle,” he adds.
