Oakley Farms Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 Make the most of it alex, just started raining here,heading your way,forcast was way out wasnt it Indeed it was, i didn't see us cutting anything for the last 2 days but if it stays away until 8 tonight we will have cleared 2 farms of the weekend, with one customer left and one day for ourselves we are pushing harvest 15 into a corner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 Good thing Clive only took head on shots Alex. His is a 770. Try to be careful where i pick photos from, im currently staying away from where my models are so doing my best to keep this ticking over whilst picking shots that depict the time of year, also adds interest to the topic i feel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CX820Joe Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 I was wondering why you'd got the folding auger - theres a photo of a 780 with V1230 in the latest Farm Machinery Journal and it doesn't appear to have the folding auger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 (edited) At the mo its not a claas part but i can see that changing in the not so near future! One of the headaches of CTF! Edited September 13, 2015 by Oakley Farms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 You were right with the forcast Sean, rained off here just after 7pm with the headland of the last field off called Streatlands right beside the A303 Chris picked up a car exhaust that jammed in the feeder housing so that now needs fixing. Have you considered working for the Met Office? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 Started here about 5 ish but did come in quick, as for the met office no not for me, i much preffer to experiance the weather than predict it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Try to be careful where i pick photos from, im currently staying away from where my models are so doing my best to keep this ticking over whilst picking shots that depict the time of year, also adds interest to the topic i feel Ah yes very good Alex. Still in hospital then or recovering elsewhere? Wasn't meaning to criticise you. When do you reckon you'll start wheat and barley drilling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 Not at all Niels, recovering elsewhere now but not being able to drive at the mo or travel in a car is making getting to my model room impossible! No barley in this year but hoping to start next week with some wheat, probably on the heavy land first but im not making the mistake like i did last year of leaving the potato ground last, that was a diaster as a lot of it washed and was drilled with Julian's power harrow combi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 Well the recent weather in Somerset has settled us into an autumn routine of secondary cultivations on ground destined for winter wheat, digging maincrop potatoes, and hedge-cutting. But we should still be mindful that we still have 850 acres of spring beans to combine and we mustn't get sloppy attitudes because quite frankly in my opinion its too late to be messing about with combines, the weather is on the turn and even if we do get some sunny days their not going to be coming in dry which means cranking the dryer up reducing margins so we must have our fingers on the "pulse" and get them in sharpish when possible. Mind you its not been all doom and gloom, cultivations are on target, so is spud lifting and we have been busy drilling cover crops which the majority are in and up now but this weather has allowed us to clear up these jobs including the last of 2,100 acres of cover crop mixes showing our commitment to improving soils. It has also allowed us to finalise next years cropping plan which includes a 31% increase in osr area, 7% increase in winter wheat area, a 14% decrease in spring beans, a 40% decrease in potato area but the biggest shock is a whopping 125% increase in area for growing energy crops which is showing us the greatest return, sad but we have to be brutal. This Sept we lost 800 acres at Hurcott which was under a contract farming agreement so we had a shortfall to make up for 2016, we have taken back 400 acres from Simon Madge at Boxstone which nextdoor to us, he was looking to downsize slightly to keep costs down, also we have gained some of the 1200 acres in the vale of Camelot which has been divided up into 3 400 acre blocks, East, West and South, these are on an independant rotation to grow wheat, rape and maize, finally we are working on applying for Andrew and Tim Clarke to come on board at Downhead, more expansion for 2016, this is all well but need to look at equipment and staff to keep things running efficiently. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 What is your cut off date for drilling cover crops then Alex? I really wouldn't put anything in the ground after 15th of September here as it simply won't grow. Not enough growth hours, usually wet and cold. Except for grass that is, which is usually established after maize and can take a bit more. Oil radish we quit after September 1st, Mustard similar or slightly later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Yes agree with you there Niels about the 15th Sept, im not too worried as most of it was in before Sept 1st but weather put the last OSR drilling back a week so it was prioity to get that in before the first week of Sept was out, now we are just clearing up the last block, i think it will be alright as this next week is forecast dry and warm, plenty of moisture and we have created a seedbed rather than direct drilling this last little bit, hopefully all in its favour, we had the seed so i thought its best to try get it in than have bare stubble over winter which i can't stand to see anymore! Going on conditions rather than date but agree its not ideal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Well the suns out and here we go again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Thank you to Vaughan Agri for lending this old dog to help us out, having two gangs going should speed things up, Orchard on carting duties over the weekend at Eames Mill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeere6910 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Looks like some pig shaped fields on that lump Alex. Hope you're healing well and will get back to the models soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Looks like some pig shaped fields on that lump Alex. Hope you're healing well and will get back to the models soon that standard down this way pat . I sat watching a jd ploughing today and it was in a right pig of a field shape wise , he was doing a lovely curve mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Looks like some pig shaped fields on that lump Alex. Hope you're healing well and will get back to the models soon Definatly, the worst block on the estate for small fields, its only 81 acres and a right pain when into potatoes, the amount of shortwork. Recovering slowly thank you, hope to be back at the models in another week so i'll try to keep this ticking over until i can take some pictures back on the diorama. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 19, 2015 Author Share Posted September 19, 2015 Still going down at Joe Broughton's at Yeabridge but for how much longer im not sure with the dew coming in fast, Joe carting in his Massey again with us, still one more day to go at Frogmary and Horlicks tomorrow. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 (edited) Sunday 20th September 3 combines going today over at Frogmary and we have munched off 225 acres by 5pm, although we have had no rain for 3 days you can see how damp it is under foot, good job we run on ctf with tracks and flotation + tyres, now on the move down the road to the final 120 acres of Harvest 15 at Horlicks, the final push is on Edited September 20, 2015 by Oakley Farms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 Here we go then into the last field just off Southfields roundabout on the in road to Ilminster, thanks for following our combinable crops harvest this year at Oakley, its been a drawn out one but has seen some record yields for us, and we look forward to next years! Of coarse we still have spuds to lift and wheat to drill so stay tuned as we settle into a more relaxed rhythm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 well done you have finally got to the finishing line there is still appox 300 acres of wheat on one farm near me still to cut and some parts had a lot of rain on Friday,good to hear you are on the mend look forward to your next posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 Thank you Smithy, im glad its all done now. Can't wait to get back to work and get back on with the models, hope to catch up with you at Toytrac if you are going, and that goes to anyone else going too 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) I wish we had some fields like this in Somerset! AWT again this time with their drilling rig, its amazing to watch what you have in model form at work in real scale! Edited September 21, 2015 by Oakley Farms 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeere6910 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 How does CTF work on the headlands Alex, surely the combines and cultivations equipment run on different lines when turning, or is it just a case of making the best of it and the savings in the middle of the field balance it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catkom3 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I wish we had some fields like this in Somerset! AWT again this time with their drilling rig, its amazing to watch what you have in model form at work in real scale! http://youtu.be/UK5ynPsGi30 That video has been removed Alex, Regards Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) Hopefully sorted it now Joe, let me know! Edited September 21, 2015 by Oakley Farms 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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