Light Land Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Thanks, Mine won't be a patch on his model, more a olly x claydon drill in yellow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 18, 2014 Author Share Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) If you are in a system of continuous claydon drilling you will be compacting 95% of the field as i expect combine header and implement widths will all be different. Running CTF cuts that figure down to just 25% bringing many benefits. Yes a 600hp challenger is required for 12m drills, Oakley are running two and is doing no harm, all the weight spread over a long surface area running only on compacted trafficked lanes so no harm what so ever, leaving 75% of the field completly free of compaction and even the traffic lanes will receive treatment during cultivations and drilling with a novel idea coming from cultivation solutions of cambridge. For anyone who is no convinced it is simply a no brainer to me, obviously you need acres under your belt to justify such a system and match all implement widths, 12metres just works for us but other widths can be used. There are many benefits associated with CTF and they all help to deliver the two most important factors in farming operations - INCREASED PROFIT and IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY. These are delivered by improving soil health, which in turn lowers costs and increases crop returns but it also results in improved environmental conditions. Lower costs and increased returns are brought about by: Lower energy for cultivation. This happens because the soil has not been squashed down by wheels and it therefore lifts up more easily. It also means that the soil is in a more natural state and easily breaks down into a seedbed. In many cases no cultivation at all is needed to create a seedbed. But if you are running a Claydon system supposedly turning your soil "stiffer" you will require a lot of energy to create s seedbed. On average, a 50% saving in fuel per tonne of crop harvested is likely usung CTF Lower energy for driving over the soil. The wheels of machines are always running on compact traffic lanes – this minimises rolling resistance and makes field access easier. Lower machinery investment. With shallower, less intensive and lower energy demanding tillage operations, Better seedbeds. With no compaction damage, less cloddy seedbeds can easily be produced with very little loss of moisture. These benefits result in rapid and even germination of the crop. The ability to use minimum and zero till systems without the inherent problem of surface compaction (in the top 10 cm). Most conventional systems suffer from slow initial crop growth due to poor topsoil structure – often made worse by fitting low pressure tyres because a larger area is compacted on each pass. CTF eliminates the problem of poor crop growth due to compaction and significantly reduces the problem of water run-off. Improved crop yields. Research and practice have shown that yields from non-trafficked soil are 9-16% greater than where wheel compaction is present. In areas of low rainfall, additional cropping may be possible because more water makes its way into the profile. Improved soil structure. Not only does better structure allow seedbeds to be created with very little input, it also improves the performance of the soil. This results in several things: In wet conditions, drainage is improved and crops grow away more quickly when soil temperature allows. Where rainfall is intense, more water is taken in by the soil. This in turn makes more available in times of drought, but it also reduces the risk of erosion and soil loss. Transport of soil off the land can be extremely costly, not only in terms of fertility loss, but also in terms of litigation if it blocks roads or pollutes water courses. Where rainfall is limited, little soil disturbance means that little water is lost due to cultivation. Saving on seed – with existing systems we often have to increase the number of seeds sown to allow for poor seedbed conditions, and in years of good germination we end up with far too many plants and disease problems; with the proposed system we can sow almost to a ‘stand’. Less crop lost to slugs – fine seedbeds tend to deter slugs and the crop also remains vulnerable for a shorter period, both in the form of germinating seeds and in its early stages of growth. Improved field efficiency. Because the whole of the cropped area is precisely marked out, there is little chance of under- or overlap. Many wide cultivation tools are often working with up to 0.5 m overlap. With an 8 m cultivator, this means that over 6% of energy and time are wasted. More reliable field access. Well managed wheelways mean that operations can often go ahead sooner or for longer periods. Increased potential and accuracy for global positioning systems. This arises partly because the fixed grid system can be used as a fall-back when signals are lost (e.g. which direction did the machine go in when it was last in this position in the field?), partly because the permanent wheelways should provide a more stable working environment and finally because the more amenable soil conditions and shallower working are less likely to shift the machine off course. Improved environmental conditions are brought about by: Improved fertilizer use efficiency. Research from around the world has shown that the uptake of fertiliser is improved by around 15%. Potential to retain more organic matter and soil living organisms. A soil that is little damaged by wheels or tracks tends to need little in the way of cultivation, and it is these activities which are most likely to oxidise more organic matter and kill soil living animals. Improved gaseous exchange. Better soil structure means that conditions will be more favourable for gases that are absorbed into the soil (e.g. methane) and to prevent harmful gases being produced through anaerobic condtions, such as nitrous oxide and methane, both of which are particularly damaging to the environment. Improved water storage. The greater number and larger size of pores in a non-trafficked soil means that more water infiltrates and is captured within the profile. This means that not only is there less potential for run-off and erosion but also that there will be more plant available water. After the initial investment of matching kit and RTK systems with field mapping it makes complete efficient, financial and logical sense to run this system and not to run all over 95% of the field surace area. Edited September 18, 2014 by Oakley Farms 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 18, 2014 Author Share Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) Struck a deal today with Orchard Farm to grow grass and whole crops as the 2nd and 3rd crops for the CAP reforms greening 3 crop rule on our contract farmed land. The deal will work by Oakley operating an arable rotation on 75% of the total blocked area running CTF. The remaining 25% will be split up and used to grow grass and forage rye or tricali for Orchards dairy herd.This is a mutual deal benefitting both parties and strengthening the working partnership between ourselves and Julian, a very on the ball and forward thinking company that is a pleasure to work with due to great communication with targets and deadlines met. More than likely Oakley will play a part in cultivations and drilling of these crops but husbandy and harvesting is down to Orchard with ourselves on hand to help if we can. This started today with drilling ryegrass seed over at Yeabridge, Joe Broughtons ground, 75 acres went in this afternoon and will be followed by the rolls tomorrow. Secondary cultivations are now in full swing ahead of drilling wheat next week and potatoes are progressing well with 4 fields left in the Atherstone block Edited September 18, 2014 by Oakley Farms 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 This week has been exceptionally busy with grass seed being drilled here there and everywhere which is now finished and rolled, pleased to have this out yhe way now. Also secondary cultivations ahead of wheat going well with 100 acres of contract work for orchard ahead of winter barley. Spuds still coming out the ground in Upper Gothards and started drilling wheat today in a 196 acre block up behind the farm. This years OSR is looking sick with flea beetle giving it a right hammering, with no neonics the future of this crop at Oakley is looking doubtful which is sad as i really enjoy growing it and the challenges it brings, hopefully it will pull through after already having 2 insecticide sprays reducing our margin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave the farmer Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Hi Alex good write ups.i see in September/ October arable farming.a write up on Ben smith and his 2000ha farm with ctf .lexion 780 and 13.5 m header. Horsch 13.5 m drill.good read.are you going to Spalding toy show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorboy Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Interesting read as always Alex , a big farm set up near me is growing some grass this time for an" AD unit " they ve got on 1 of there many farms , they call it the powerstation ha ha! is this some thing you may do in the years to come ? I think there use ing crop waste & farm yard muck but im not too sure on it ! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 Thanks boys, i won't be going to Spalding as my usuals are Toytrac, J24trac, and Leamington with a special trip to Moira this year. Jon i think it suits the three crop rule and makes good use of land that is mainly block cropped to tick the greening boxes, but my personal opinion is with an ever growing population that will need to be fed with less land space i feed AD is not the best use of land or the answer, farming has big challenges ahead and im all for feeding the world be it GM, Hybrids etc but also understanding energy shortages, something will have to happen and soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave the farmer Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Ah.will be at toytrac and will be on farmodels stand helping out at jc24. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 Still busy times down here in Somerset. Wheat drilling started here on the 24th Sept with the first block up behind the farm on the steep drilled with feedwheat variety JB Diego, yesterday moved up to Bay Hill and today at Moolham, totalling 402 acres by tonight. A change of Variety tomorrow as we move over to contracted farmed land at Speaks drilling into a lovely stale seedbed. Trying a group 3 biscuit wheat KWS Croft to deliver higher premiums to our land owners. Locally drilling has allowed us to fill the drill from the yard so far but now moving further away the jcb and curtainsider boosts drill output considerably. Picked up our new 14t digger yesterday from Kellands Plant in Bridgwater, now with more land to look after such as ditching, it will also come in handy loading dung spreaders with compost, chicken litter and digestate as our bid for higher organic matter in our soils continues as well as going out on hire. The spud lifting campaign was going well until yesterday when a piece of metal wedged in the web and did considerable damage to the drive rollers and shaft, now fixed and ready to rumble off the last of Atherstone before we hit the last 52 acre block at Knott Oak where the yeilds are tremendous this year, out target of finishing by Ilminster carnival next Saturday is still in sight...just! The box pile is decreasing size which is a sight of either high yeilds or finish is imminent. The pack house is also coming down today 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 Since the last post spud lifting has now finished using every last box this year! With the main busy period now over we are washing off the hire tractor ready to return it asap. Drilling has been going well with speeds reaching 18kph in good conditions. We are however panicking slightly with over 1300 acres still left and these heavy showers are driving me nuts! We did a night shift last night after not drilling during the day with rain, back on again today slower conditions though and using the unimog for hauling seed. Good news is the early drilled wheat has emerged and is looking fantastic and also so is the rape now it seems to have gone through a turnaround, roots perhaps now got into the placement fert, infact i think an autumn growth regulator will need to applied! We have now recieved the insurance money from the burnt out combine so orders have now been placed. Very much looking forward to our first year of complete CTF next year, machinery is due in this month and changes will be made with the combines too. Had a fantastic night out last week at the Farmers Weekly Awards as guests of Claas UK, congratulations to Robert Barnes and commiserations to Thomas Bradshaw and our friends and customers the Braggs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeere6910 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Nice update Alex, 18kph is some drilling speed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0025 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Since the last post spud lifting has now finished using every last box this year! With the main busy period now over we are washing off the hire tractor ready to return it asap. Drilling has been going well with speeds reaching 18kph in good conditions. We are however panicking slightly with over 1300 acres still left and these heavy showers are driving me nuts! We did a night shift last night after not drilling during the day with rain, back on again today slower conditions though and using the unimog for hauling seed. Good news is the early drilled wheat has emerged and is looking fantastic and also so is the rape now it seems to have gone through a turnaround, roots perhaps now got into the placement fert, infact i think an autumn growth regulator will need to applied! We have now recieved the insurance money from the burnt out combine so orders have now been placed. Very much looking forward to our first year of complete CTF next year, machinery is due in this month and changes will be made with the combines too. Had a fantastic night out last week at the Farmers Weekly Awards as guests of Claas UK, congratulations to Robert Barnes and commiserations to Thomas Bradshaw and our friends and customers the Braggs. image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg did you see the unimog on fire on countryfile we dont want another fire on oakley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 I didnt no as i dont watch countryfile too often, def dont want another fire at Oakley espically after iv only just finished sorting out the last one. A blessing in disguise really though as its allowed us to make changes to combine setup that we couldnt justify before hand. Watch this space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorboy Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 You don't watch countryfile go wash you mouth out as my Mother used to say ha ha! , well you did have some of the biggest combines going so it be fun to see what youre up too down there ???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Always up to something down here Jon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 Frustrating heavy downpours are hampering the drilling campaign and our Vaderstad just does not like wet sticky conditions, patience is needed so we have been waiting for the ground to pitch off during the day and drilling at night, unfortunately iv been on midnight bowser duties with 2 Challengers running they drink like fish! Friday saw Mark off slug pelleting rape with the Gator and also now spuds have finished changing his wheels back to 650's ready as our shoot starts this weekend and he carries the beaters round in the curtainsider. My job this weekend saw me taking the slew up to Blackdown to dig a deep trench and bank behind the council estate as we have had cars driving around on the rape. Back on the drilling front they are giving heavy rain tonight (Sunday) but we will be out of Hurcott by 4pm and onto last years bean ground down in the park which is a bit more stable, hope to get around 40 acres done down there tonight before the downpour! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Nice feature with the light Alex! I thought this autumn was so easy but not for farmers in Somerset it seems. We keep having rain forecast but nothing happens. All of these drills with tyre packers are lovely in the dry but if they sniff a bit of sticky soil it's end of game! Also the headlands end up a mess and nothing grows, easily accounting for a lower yield across the field. I know the Claydon drill is not perfect but at least it doesn't run with packer wheels. I'd rather put some on when I badly need them, which is nearly never. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Exactly right Niels, its a dry weather drill and we gave learnt our lesson in the past and when sticky it stays in the shed as a waste of time, but dam perfect in the dry and fast! It will come right in the end though no doubt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Nice feature with the light Alex! I thought this autumn was so easy but not for farmers in Somerset it seems. We keep having rain forecast but nothing happens. All of these drills with tyre packers are lovely in the dry but if they sniff a bit of sticky soil it's end of game! Also the headlands end up a mess and nothing grows, easily accounting for a lower yield across the field. I know the Claydon drill is not perfect but at least it doesn't run with packer wheels. I'd rather put some on when I badly need them, which is nearly never. Very well put. Exactly right Niels, its a dry weather drill and we gave learnt our lesson in the past and when sticky it stays in the shed as a waste of time, but dam perfect in the dry and fast! It will come right in the end though no doubt Nice update Alex, your ol boys will be glad there retiring this year after the nightshifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 They certainly are Ol, we have 3 people leaving before xmas and although it is sad we could do with introducing new blood into the team and moulding them for the future, adverts and interviews are taking place Nov/Dec. We are also upping our game welfare and hospitality wise next year to keep a happy and motivated team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Its been a quiet week at Oakley Farms due to horrible weather, not a lot happening apart from tractor servicing, sorting cold stores out, the bio drill has been taken off the subsoiler ready to give the spud fields a lift up before drilling. Hoping to get the drill back out the shed tomorrow after 2 days pitching off and a settled week we still have 800 acres of winter wheat left to put in. I thought we would of been drilled up before the new 12 meter kit arrived but its looking like the new drill may get an outing this year after all. A good meeting with some local farmers, Juilian Gillard and Stewart Elliot about submitting plans for an AD Plant, Oakley is very keen to be involved in this exciting project making use of the three crop rule 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I'm unfamiliar with AD Plants Alex. (I'm asking out of interest in the UK not to pick holes in your layout) how would you make money from it? If the 3 crop rule hadn't come in would you be doing it? What is the return on capital with a AD plant? With money behind you why not do it on your own? Do you get government money for having a AD plant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Similar questions raise to mind here as well as Ol says. Mainland Europe is seeing a diminishing effect on AD plants after the big biogas boom end of the 00s. UK is always slow to catch up with such things and inevitably the same will happen over there as well. As long as something floats on subsidies it will never have a strong future! Look at the wheat price decades ago that was artificially kept high by Brussels. When the sh*t does hit the fan the trouble will be greater than before. Also the whole idea of maize in a mono culture and massive kit running over the field is not something that is my farming ideal. Of course there will be more crops on Oakley Farm but maize is far from an ideal crop. Anyway Alex it's all your ideas and do what you like grumpy gits like Ol and me will just continue to moan! After all who wouldn't like to see a big forager and trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Ok if the three crop rule hadn't come in then we certainly wouldn't be looking at AD as all contract farmed areas would be block cropped for efficiency and when your farming 5500 acres efficiency is a key factor. There is a boom at the moment but Oakley farms does not entirely agree with using land needed to feed a growing population to feed energy, therefore no land what so ever from the home farm will be used for AD, and will not be putting in a digester. Oakley grows 4 crops in a good rotation anyway, what you need to remember is I'm farming for 8 other land owners in which all of them have come to me with concerns over 3 crops, all were very happy with block cropped land as it suited both parties. In this area AD has pushed land rental prices sky high and would deliver a good return for my clients. Before airing views about involvement in a digester idea this company possibly Wessex Energy would simply rent the land for growing ingredients for their plant, Oakley's clients have small parcels of land and we have kit for cultivation and drilling work with artic lorries for haulage so seems a good way to make use of these irritating fields whilst having some involvement with workload. People moan about continual use of mill till and blackgrass well here we are putting some areas under a plough and spring cropping maize to improve this. If your worried about kit running all over the place you should embark on controlled traffic farming cutting compaction by up to 75% and yield rises as much as 18% but If you think we can go to each farm 3 times for 20 acres of this and 10 acres of that with large combines by all means carry on but harvest will take until October and it simply doesnt pay! Whilst running roads your not cutting and crop quality is decreasing with land owners on the phone asking where are you, this however is a solution whilst i hold onto 75% of each farm as one block. Makes sense to me Edited October 21, 2014 by Oakley Farms 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) On a lighter note our replacement combine has arrived, note not all the unloading auger is in place for transport and the extensions have arrived anyway. I also bought some pallet shelving off ebay as i was fed up with tyres and wheels knocking about the place, now they have a home at the back of the machinery shed Edited October 21, 2014 by Oakley Farms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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