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We have 2 tip pits for different reason, flexibility being the main. Firstly during harvest when cutting our own crops we will use tip pit one which is the left bay. This is a direct route into the drier. Tip pit 2 will be used during the day to intake any local farmers crops that we dry and store for them, e.g Orchard Farms, they can bring crops down directly off the combine, weigh and sample, tip into pit 2 which then fills x2 150t wet bins therefore daily intake of local farms is 300t. A problem occurs if what we ourselves are cutting is wet and the drier can't keep up we need to use the wet bins, so far this hasn't happened but we have plenty of space to tip on floor and dry afterwards. So this keeps combines running and intake open allowing the drier to go 24hrs a day as the bin storage is emptyed and dried during the night. IMG_7293.thumb.JPG.90d7c99cc2a179a7a8f033f86b0b0a21.JPG

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When it comes out the drier it can go to 1 of 3 stores. Store 1 which was the first put up, now used mainly for wheat and is the biggest, or Store 2A which is the smallest and used for OSR, and Store 2B used for Barley and Spring Beans. All crops are handled by elevators and conveyors out of the drier to the stores for ease, the picture below shows Store 1, this is opposite the drier plant and grain enters via and overhead gantry, in this gantry lorries can be loaded from overhead hatch straight out the drier if needed or on into the store.IMG_7295.thumb.JPG.a3e0e82e10d64c80bb82c63ff434ea82.JPGIMG_7290.thumb.JPG.7cce8633c77cdd691841ed7d448afe26.JPGIMG_7297.thumb.JPG.8a2813d9e7e24f1614d9738109fcdc83.JPG

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If we look at the route of the barley currently, this is coming out the drier and up 2 elevators before heading into Store 2B, Store 2A&B have x3 overhead conveyors to maximise use of space and store 1 has the one central. The barley is using the far conveyor currently. This we all be outgoing on contract in August before we need to use the store for beans.IMG_7291.thumb.JPG.b8b58305ef999d83bcebc73bdba03e2b.JPG

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Finally when putting up these stores we encountered a problem, having to store a massive tonnage on a small footprint because of planning restrictions (or lack of space in the model room) so we decided to go up, we store up to 12metres high in some places, to achieve this without crops suffering we use automated temperature monitoring systems and probes that monitor grain intake which automatically speeds or slows up the drier depending on grain moisture content that turns up in the yard. This will achieve exactly 15% on outtake preventing weight loss on overdrying grain and infestation on under dried, saving about £40,000 a year, couple that with the tracker solar panels that run the electric for the whole plant, more sun in summer>more electric usage during summer making the drying facility carbon neutral. Soon to add the transport and logistics side to this business to supply the whole package from farm, drier, storage, to end user all done by us. Eventually I'd like to build a grain conditioning and colour sorter into this plant so to be able to clean grain and get a better sample to create a better premium for customers too, and an idea to add seed dressing in that mix too.

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Harvest Log Day 2

Another good day cutting winter barley, Yeabrige for Joe Broughton, 147 acres down today now leaving just over 500. Rain forecast here overnight and much of tomorrow so all machines back to the yard, maintenance to do on everything!IMG_7283.thumb.JPG.3746cf5cb9542169a8ad1d2f32fa720a.JPGIMG_7284.thumb.JPG.6974ed68d4c4950fb6db3623d6df2088.JPGIMG_7285.thumb.JPG.26ebf4ece3c37b3b52f390b624053e49.JPGIMG_7286.thumb.JPG.d5ddc07f74d95db72cf8662f5897a28f.JPGIMG_7287.thumb.JPG.d29d189655eda65a276b6a7a6f17e7fd.JPGIMG_7298.thumb.PNG.3d83c30c571a8ec31fc7ce3403304809.PNG

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Harvest Log Day 3

Just a quick update, Got going again back at the winter barley late afternoon on Monday down at Wigborough Manor. Almost 300 acres completed down there up until midnight last night after a full day. Rain here again today leaving 180 acres at Wigborough and 90 back at home in the Meads to finish off; itching to get on with the OSR now!

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Harvest Log Day 4

A chewy start today to finish off the remaining 180 acres at Wigborough leaving the drier struggling to keep up all day....we will be drying through the night! 7pm tonight we moved back opposite the main yard in The Meads, originally looking at the forecast with rain coming in the early hours we were going to cut through the night to finish not only this 90 acre block but the winter barley too, another look at 10pm now says nothing until 3pm tomorrow so we decided to wrap up for the night and take the pressure off the drier, easily finish off the last 50 acres tomorrow and then whilst it's raining clear up and put the side knives and plates on the headers for osr. With any luck we can track down to Selvinge and play about with some black seeds. A nice heap of barley in store 2B now and a rather full yard tonight! IMG_7325.thumb.PNG.b18a7f57a651792fede44e22500b6b93.PNGIMG_7326.thumb.PNG.94276f2a6cff2fb447d22d9b51f74135.PNGIMG_7323.thumb.JPG.4f60f7000ae80849b19ee33fa00f5c88.JPGIMG_7324.thumb.JPG.61729b7a07b8ea5b7bddced3a3951e9c.JPG

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Harvest Log Day 5

Winter Barley successfully completed-glad to see that done, changed the headers over and side knives on and managed to get down to Selvinge and make a start on DK Extrovert, yields looking very promising for a dry year, spot yield at 4.6t/ha! Had a mishap with Chris's header during transport, a good response from Vaughan Agri saw us up and running in half an hour but further repairs needed tomorrow so header back to the yard tonight. Now rained off but got 30 acres off the first 40 acre field. Looking like Orchard managed to finish baling the barley up and the chaser working hard to stack everything up. An unsettled weekend ahead so planning on pulling the sub soiler through places where the Maus loaded wholecrop and if we get there start the winter barley bale stacks, Phil is still keeping the Topdown going through wholecrop stubbles. Catch up with you all next week!

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2 hours ago, Oakley Farms said:

Harvest Log Day 5

Winter Barley successfully completed-glad to see that done, changed the headers over and side knives on and managed to get down to Selvinge and make a start on DK Extrovert, yields looking very promising for a dry year, spot yield at 4.6t/ha! Had a mishap with Chris's header during transport, a good response from Vaughan Agri saw us up and running in half an hour but further repairs needed tomorrow so header back to the yard tonight. Now rained off but got 30 acres off the first 40 acre field. Looking like Orchard managed to finish baling the barley up and the chaser working hard to stack everything up. An unsettled weekend ahead so planning on pulling the sub soiler through places where the Maus loaded wholecrop and if we get there start the winter barley bale stacks, Phil is still keeping the Topdown going through wholecrop stubbles. Catch up with you all next week!

Good to see all going well down yonder 

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Harvest Log Days 6&7

Day 6 was cut short with this catchy weather, rained off again at Selvinge, another 80 acres in the shed though. Yesterday made a change with a whole days harvesting where we managed to finish this block comfortably. Another days rain today dampening down procedures, but things are looking good with 220 acres of rape left and the wheat about ready now, now lets have some sun! 

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21 hours ago, Oakley Farms said:

Harvest Log Days 6&7

Day 6 was cut short with this catchy weather, rained off again at Selvinge, another 80 acres in the shed though. Yesterday made a change with a whole days harvesting where we managed to finish this block comfortably. Another days rain today dampening down procedures, but things are looking good with 220 acres of rape left and the wheat about ready now, now lets have some sun! 

Thanks for the update Alex and the tour around the grain setup makes my barn look like a B&Q shed haha I have also cut my Tower winter barley which was on some lighter land that I rent , 6 fields which amounts to 34 acres produced 100 ton over a weighbridge  so 2.941 ton to the acre which we are pleased about 3 lorry loads left the farm at 13% no problem my mate had one load leave his farm at 13% which left him with about 10 tons and I had about 16 so we put it together to make a lorry load and guess what yes that's right 15.8% so a claim was issued we both have samples on the farm and are waiting for a response from the docks will let you now how we get on wet weather and a few other things are holding us up at the moment once again thanks for the update    

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24 minutes ago, Oakley Farms said:

Good to hear from you Smithy and how you're getting on is always interesting. Have you cut any osr yet and how far off is your wheat do you think? This catchy weather I think has now lost us the early start we had.

Hi Alex I don't have any rape this year I planted 30 acres last august but 8 weeks without rain and none forecast at the time and as it was then October so I ploughed in winter beans instead they look ok but the wind and rain is putting them down a bit ,neighbours have cut some spring barley but mine is poor and 10 days of sunshine away from being cut some wheat has been cut around me but do to my present situation I have not asked any of them how things are running I have not tested the % of any of my wheat's as yet as we have things to do more important at the moment but hopefully by next week we should be back on course to get back to farming if the sun is shining and yes some of my wheat has gone over mainly siskin but headlands on the Leeds where I probably overlapped with the N has gone down           

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2 hours ago, smithy said:

Hi Alex I don't have any rape this year I planted 30 acres last august but 8 weeks without rain and none forecast at the time and as it was then October so I ploughed in winter beans instead they look ok but the wind and rain is putting them down a bit ,neighbours have cut some spring barley but mine is poor and 10 days of sunshine away from being cut some wheat has been cut around me but do to my present situation I have not asked any of them how things are running I have not tested the % of any of my wheat's as yet as we have things to do more important at the moment but hopefully by next week we should be back on course to get back to farming if the sun is shining and yes some of my wheat has gone over mainly siskin but headlands on the Leeds where I probably overlapped with the N has gone down           

How are you smithy, long time no see mate. Hope you are okay.

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3 hours ago, Oakley Farms said:

Good to hear from you Smithy and how you're getting on is always interesting. Have you cut any osr yet and how far off is your wheat do you think? This catchy weather I think has now lost us the early start we had.

We have done some skyfall Alex, drought really done our crops in this spring but it's doing 3.3 ton an acre, Camgrain sent results on two loads....hagberg 358....specific weight 76.6, protein 13.8.  Venture winter barley did 2.5 ton an acre and just scraped over the line for nitrogen...1.95, so a small deduction. Drought then late rain pushed the nitrogen up into the ear. Plant didn't take it up early enough. Great updates on your thread mate, very interesting.

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