Light Land Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I don't get the Single Farm Payment thing, when your not farming the land yourself but in more or lease words have rented out the farm and all control over it in some cases but they are still clipping the ticket and taking the payment.? I'm not going to pick holes in your good work, I don't know enough about England to compare really. I'll have to come and have a look one day Being a perfectionist is like growing maize imo, starts off meaning well but ends up a mess more often than not. One of the biggest lessons I've learned is perfection is hard to make practical and profitable exp in years of poor prices in the real world exp when your under pressure from people/banks who want a return or worse still want there money back. We have a saying here " profitability is sanity production is vanity" implying the last tonne of grain often costs more to get than it's worth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Alex, nice update once again as usual. You write you have cancelled orders for 2 new tractors. Is this something that you can do without further issues or do you have to pay a penalty? I have worked in the trade myself for 2 years and never had it happen but if someone would cancel his order we would get seriously p*ssed off . You've put down your autograph so have to buy the thing? Out of interest, who did the storage system of your cold store for potatoes? I was speaking to the guys from Dutch firm Omnivent last week. They recently did quite a project for P.J Lee's in the Fens. 11.000t 30.000 box store for potatoes. New shed is already being developed so they will be back to install a new storage system this year. All done from Holland with Dutch personal. It's not really far of course, especially East Anglia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 We did not put pen to paper as such on these, we used to get on very well with our dealer and were big customers of theirs, buying John Deere, Vaderstad and Grimme equipment from them but service recently has gone downhill after they aquired 2 other areas and we have now lost our main fitter who new our tractors inside out and what he didnt know sbout a grimme machine wasnt worth knowing, things go like that now and again but mustn't grumble after being with them for 11 years. Welvent do our cold stores but i read a very interesting article about Lees new store in Potato Review and omnivent would be well worth looking into next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 (edited) http://youtu.be/eUuDWToNWp4 2015 updates from James Peck at PX Farms Edited January 19, 2015 by Oakley Farms 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 An interesting clip Alex, I see what your trying too portray your layout as better now. Makes for quite a contrast were it's no uncommon to have 5-10 kinds of crops packed on 250ha (ish) of land in areas here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Interesting video certainly! Well put together and interesting to hear their thoughts. I think if there was an Oakley Farms video it would probably be nearly the same? Except for potatoes. Same here Alex. Even farms half that size are likely to have much more crops. By focussing on cereals and rape it does make life a whole lot easier. You can combine large scale farming (anything over 300ha IMO) with a more intensive cropping but it will require a LOT more work, machinery, investment etc.. You won't be able to focus as well on a certain crop or subject. I notice this as I travel round in my country speaking to farmers. However, when it comes to things like weed control, income, soil fertility etc.. I think more crops definitely has the edge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Completly agree with you coments chaps. I could see some of you were struggling with the concept of what i was portraying so i hope it helped, there are some more i will post up in time 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Interesting video certainly! Well put together and interesting to hear their thoughts. I think if there was an Oakley Farms video it would probably be nearly the same? Except for potatoes. Same here Alex. Even farms half that size are likely to have much more crops. By focussing on cereals and rape it does make life a whole lot easier. You can combine large scale farming (anything over 300ha IMO) with a more intensive cropping but it will require a LOT more work, machinery, investment etc.. You won't be able to focus as well on a certain crop or subject. I notice this as I travel round in my country speaking to farmers. However, when it comes to things like weed control, income, soil fertility etc.. I think more crops definitely has the edge. Your on the money there,agree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 (edited) Solar PV trackers are really taking shape now, just got to be wired in and comissioned. These track the sun during the day Edited January 20, 2015 by Oakley Farms 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorboy Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Great reading yet again Alex back in my farming days the farms I worked all had cattle & all had crops of grass ( hay ) wheat , winter barley , spring barley , sugar beet , spuds & one even had cabbages & a its own farm shop long before they became the new inthing , but these days I do find the bigger farms as your model farm is showing us very interesting & youll need new keyboard at your rate your going 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Solar panels nice idea , why the descision to have them like that as opposed to on a shed roof as is more common ? Wouldn't like them like that in my yard only be a matter of time before someone would end up driving into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catkom3 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Solar panels nice idea , why the descision to have them like that as opposed to on a shed roof as is more common ? Wouldn't like them like that in my yard only be a matter of time before someone would end up driving into them. They have to be like that Dan,so they can move following the Sun, Regards Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I got that part Joe , my question is why not get "normal" ones you see on a shed roof fixed ones. Wondered if ones that follow the sun are A lot more efficient and would that outweigh cost which surely is more ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Reason being that these follow the sun during the day, from east to west but also laterally from vertical to horizontal, by doing this they maximise on the suns rays through the whole day, capturing and producing far more energy making them vastly more efficient which reduces the payback time and also we use a heck of a lot of energy during harvest for dryer, conveyors etc as well as the grader for spuds, and we get the most sunshine in summer so they go hand in hand and compliment our system very well. We looked at statics but 1 we needed to reinforce our roofs, and 2 they are less efficient. I completly disagree with them taking up land space unless that land is un useable for anything else. The FiT has now reduced bringing down the installation cost making the payback time less. These we have installed to the edge of the yard and are up high enough to be missed but there is no need for any of our staff to drive near them where they are postioned, originally we applied to put them up on a bank behind the farm but were unsucessful with planning permission hence the position to the edge of our entrance. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) wow!!!, ive only popped in for a few minutes whiles kids asleep and gone back 4 pages....need to now find time to start at 1 and read through. Great work from what I have seen....superb!.....amazed by the quality of some of the dioramas on here in the last few years, each time better and better!!....loving root crops stuff! Edited January 29, 2015 by FB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Thanks Ben, hope you enjoy reading it and always check in for latest updates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 29th January We have a different shade of green on demo this week with the likes of a Fendt 828, putting it through its paces hauling chicken litter from Park Farm Sherborne with a new style trailer ready for Orchard Contractors to spread in March. Also trying a new trailer is Julian as we look at options for AD logistics later in the year, a trip to Germany with him next week should find the answers as construction nears completion. We have secured a new customer for combining in 2015 in the Martock area, grain store is progressing well and is looking a massive structure now. Meetings with Branston Potatoes last week confirmed a right move away from supplying the pre pack market next year with them only committing to 100 tonne contracts, making growing for them far too risky and simply out of the question so in our 17 year history this will be the first not supplying them under contract. Market slump due to under consumption and year round supply is killing it for a lot but we simply cannot give up so last September we got back on board with McCain foods (will help with early cashflow) and invited Chase Farming to consider supply, both successful, we aim to continue supply to Greenvale but transport to Cambridge kills it for us but by doing this we are spreading risk and if quality meets contracts which irrigation helps (something many growers round us dont have forcing them to give up) we have some production costs covered, its not going to make us anything but its a case of hanging on in there hoping for a market pick up, we are going to focus of quality. We have had a clear out since Christmas with machinery so the 8 meter Vaderstad Rapid is going on HP to a neighbour as it doesn't fit In with our CTF under terms to help out if we are under pressure. Also to go is our 24t Richard Western chaser bin. PM for details. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Saw these, thought of you http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCANIA-R470-WELLY-SKALA-1-32-TRUCK-32625-/201271008807?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_212&hash=item2edcafde27 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Nice looking Fendt, who makes that model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thats the Wiking 828, im quite impressed with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) A cold dry week here in Somerset has allowed Oakley to get on with some early spring work. Monday saw Phil hitch on the fert spreader to the demo 828 to sort out some backwards looking rape, 330 acres at North Petherton, spent all morning adjusting electric cables to fit the Fendt but we got there. James has been spraying round up around stubbles. Mark and Dan have been hauling compost back to Horlicks ground from Viridor Taunton for spring spreading. Julians boys are booked in to start spreading on 1,200 acres of spring cropping ground, new head tractor driver Chris Bullen has been itching to get out and about so put the subsoiler on and let his 600hp Cat have it down at Yeabridge whilst waiting for the spreaders, we didnt want to loose and opportunity to take advantage of the dry weather, hopefully it will continue as within two weeks i want to start looking at getting some spring beans in the ground, when the new drill turns up which i can see being a rush! Webby has roughly another two weeks of hedgecutting left and that will be another set of hands to help, know doubt it will probably be raining by then! This week has also seen the last of the surplus wheat outloaded with 22 lorries in one day bound for portbury dock, a good job out the way. Before i get ahead of myself talking about whats going on this year, our totals are as follows: 1,279 acres Rape 2,434 acres Winter Wheat 1,251 acres Spring Beans 800 acres of Maize, Grass, Rye for AD 310 acres Potatoes 330 acres Winter Barley The most diverse rotation the estate has seen in years, Broken down into: Total combinable 5,294 acres Total cropped 6,765 acres Total contract farmed 3,765 acres Total home farm 2,452 acres We have more irons in the fire for next year with the acquisition of 330 acres at Hatch and taking 80 acres back off Braggs at Bay Hill. Edited February 3, 2015 by Oakley Farms 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorboy Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) Is it too wet to be onland as yet with that big cat - it is up here and can you report what tractors you have this year as I ve forgot , must be an age thing !!! Edited February 3, 2015 by tractorboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Free draining light soil in our area, plus last years stubbles so all held together well, pitched off nicely in the last 14-20 days with no rain. Light footprint with the Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 22 loads is a fair haul of wheat, don't farmers carry grain over in England if the price is low? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 Yes we sometimes do, but this year we need it empty to re furbish the panels and also we would have grain out the door if we carried some over! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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