phil phoenix Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Yes Olly blogs one kept falling off his 8700😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Oakley Farms Posted December 18, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 18, 2022 December Update Quieter time on the farm now as we head towards Christmas, John has made great progress with the hedge trimming on his Claas as we are still a tractor down whilst waiting for the dealer to sort something out. All the roads around the farm are now nice and tidy and during the recent frosty weather made a start on the fields destined for Spring Beans. He still has Bondip roads to do when it comes back in wet which it inevitably will! December contracts for wheat and bean movements are now finished so the handler can take a well earned rest. We have the bulk of our grain going in January and February. We have started some winter maintenance on machinery now, the first machine to receive some tlc is old Bessie, her 20th year this coming season! Simon has been busy negotiating land over the last couple of months, successfully taking back 66 acres out of a long term tenant and also signing a contract farming agreement for 3 years for Joe down at Yeabridge Farm, long term listeners will recognise that name from years gone by! He has just shy of 200 acres which we have been down and sprayed off, now looking at spring cropping options for 2023 to fit into our rotation for 2024. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted December 23, 2022 Author Share Posted December 23, 2022 Just one last job to do….Merry Christmas everyone 🎄 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 January Update At the start of this month we have made some good progress with winter maintenance, the cultivation equipment is pretty much done and the Challenger, next up is to go through the drill so its ready for Spring drilling. Last week we had 4 loads of Spring beans go which has made a good hole in the heap, this week we have 9 loads of Wheat going and the same again next week on two different contracts, this will make some room in the shed. John has been back to put the trimmer back on and make some use of these frosts to cut the field hedges ahead of spring cropping. Two loads of scalpings have also been tipped in the yard ready to extend out the back of the grainstore. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 In the last couple of weeks we have gently been getting out on the ground. Using the frost to make a start on moving some ground down at Yeabridge, soon had to give up as it thawed out but were able to carry on and finish last week as it dried up. John has been making great progress working around the fields destined for Spring Beans cutting the hedges. We have had the sprayer out to spray off some ground ready for spring too. The drill has been moved into the workshop for a few jobs and a load of Sulphur has also been delivered and put undercover. This will be put on the rape around the end of this month. The plan for the week ahead is to get the fert spinner in the workshop for a once over, no wheat or beans out this week, I think we will spray off some cover crops and look at starting to top them, however we are still tractorless at the moment! We have been assured that the new ones aren’t far away! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted April 7, 2023 Author Share Posted April 7, 2023 A long overdue update, March was mainly a washout with days out on the land few and far between. We did manage to get 80 percent of the spring beans drilled before the weather broke, with about 120 acres left but it’s getting plenty late enough now, fingers crossed we can stitch them in this week. After that we have some spring wheat and triticale to drill. All the first does of Nitrogen has been applied to wheat, OSR has had its 2nd dose and a fungicide. Now working through T0 on the wheats over the Easter weekend. A couple of new things happening, planning permission has been granted to convert the roof space above the office into accommodation, mainly for harvest and seasonal workers. Alan also fetched a second hand Vaderstad Topdown from Cambridge Farm Machinery, felt we were a little lacking the in cultivation area so this should give us more flexibility. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted May 30, 2023 Author Share Posted May 30, 2023 May update Since the last update we managed to get all the remaining spring crops drilled, including beans and spring wheat. All crops have received all their fertiliser now, T1 & T2 is done on the wheats and the sprayer can now have a wash and some tlc, it’s been wet underfoot most of the spring and the tramlines ain’t pretty! Will have to do some remedial work after harvest. We have hired a 14t slew which Alan fetched for us and is kindly driving. He has been un covering an old yard at the back of the grainstore that was overgrown, the plan is to reclaim it, stone it up and create a bit more storage space. We are also making a new farm track that can be used as an entrance from the back, but it’s a long old way do probably stone up half this year and half next. We have also had a few new deliveries, the new combine arrived on the bank holiday, thanks to Claas Western for coming out to help unload it, now awaiting a pdi. The two new Deeres also arrived, the 6195r is now replaced with a 6r 215, and the 6155r with a 6r155. We haven’t had much chance to do a great deal with them yet but smart looking tractors. Finally on a sad note, Colin will be retiring in September, so an advert has been placed for a new member of the team, hopefully to start before harvest and transition whilst Colin is still about, when a slight restructuring in the Autumn. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted May 30, 2023 Author Share Posted May 30, 2023 (edited) Here is the proposed track into the back of the farm marked in red. Access can be gained already from a lane to the east the farm, there is already a bit of a track around the outside of the first field but would need levelling, it then changes to soil across the next two fields before dropping steeply down into the back of the farm. The plan is to stone up from the back of the farm, up the hill and stop where you turn 90 degrees along the top (this bit will be done next year) which is level and then joins the existing track which is L shaped. Doing the steep part first will help stop soil washing into the back of the farm which is why we have the cattle grid that acts as a storm drain and sediment trap. If we get this done it will make grain carting quicker from the north of the farm, cutting a big corner of travelling out, and allowing easier access to the blocks of land at Kingstone and Moolham. Edited May 30, 2023 by Oakley Farms 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 9, 2023 Author Share Posted July 9, 2023 June/July With harvest approaching the team on the farm has been busy sorting a few jobs out around the yard. The grainstore has been washed out and an insecticide sprayed to clear any mites etc. Grain trailers are having the once over one by one, the two newer ones don’t need much but the old ones need a bit if attention including a new towing eye. The decision has come to now upgrade the Claas 85e crawler, she has been great but is aging so something more modern is on the horizon, I have started to strip the cab out ready as she is sold. The new combine has now had its PDI, just waiting to pick the header up from Claas Western at Dorchester and we will be ready! Alan has done a grand job of the new track and also levelled some stone for the trailer parking area up behind the grainstore. We used one of the older grain trailers to haul it up to him. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 The adventures of the last week involved going off to pick up the combine header, PDI can now be completed. We welcome the newest member of the squad, Tom. Tom has joined us to take the place of Colin who is retiring, his main roles will be sprayer driver, drilling rape, secondary cultivations and grain carting. Having a dedicated spray operator should help with the bottleneck in the spring when drilling. Tom spent the day on Monday with a tour of the farm and then getting used to the sprayer with some water. Tuesday I put the hedge cutter on to start opening up gateways and verges ready for harvest. Tom also started spraying off some rape and Pod Stik, the only spray day this week by the looks of it. We have bought an ex demo set of Spearhead flail toppers with the increased area of cover crops we are putting that need cutting in the spring ahead of drilling. They will also come in for knocking down rape stubble. Alan has finished levelling off the area to park some trailers on above the grainstore, he can now take the digger back after one more job for us. We discovered one of our original grain trailers amongst the brambles as well as an old chisel plough. Pulled the trailer out and put in the workshop as might come in handy for scrap metal or wheat screenings from the dryer. Claas Western came out in Friday and finished the PDI, afterwards we put the side knives on ready for the off into rape. Colin bought back some pallet racking that Simon bought in an auction, thought it would come in handy for storing parts/wheels on etc. Claas came to pick up the beloved Challenger which was a sad sight to see it leave the yard. Tom managed to get back out on the sprayer Sunday to spray off some more rape to see the week out. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil phoenix Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 I see you have resisted the 1380 convio header again Alex🙃....................I followed one tonight being towed behind a JCB telehandler, it truly is enormous sat on its Claas trailer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 20, 2023 Author Share Posted July 20, 2023 On 7/17/2023 at 7:15 PM, phil phoenix said: I see you have resisted the 1380 convio header again Alex🙃....................I followed one tonight being towed behind a JCB telehandler, it truly is enormous sat on its Claas trailer. Haha yes I have!! Too big here for Somerset! Would love a 1230 Convio though please Marge……! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 21, 2023 Author Share Posted July 21, 2023 Harvest 23 starts at Oakley Farms. Stay tuned for day one and the return of Harvest Log 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 21, 2023 Author Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) Harvest Log Day 1 Starting with winter Oilseed Rape down at Selvinge, a bit of a mess around day really, firstly had Paul out with us from Claas Western to help us set up and calibrate the GPS, so we lost a couple hours there but is to be expected. Then putting a trailer load over a weighbridge up the road so we could calibrate the yield monitor. Starting in Woolpits and a header change into nextdoor, West Field. We stopped at 2 for a couple hours to attend a funeral and then back cutting again at 4. Rounding off in some small fields will call it a day about midnight. Just under 70 acres today but it’s a start. A weekend of rain ahead. Edited July 21, 2023 by Oakley Farms 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 No combining here this weekend as it was wet and windy all day yesterday, so here’s what also happened at the end of last week. Simon bought a new welder for the workshop which was put straight to use by Ryan from up the road, welding a new towing eye on one of the older grain trailers, we like to use a coded welder for important jobs like this hence asking Ryan. Alan returned from the Cotswolds with our new purchase! A 2011 Cat Challenger MT765C. This replaces the Claas and becomes the new prime mover. A bit less horsepower but we are moving less soil nowadays. Ideally we would of liked an 8rx but were unable to strike up a deal, the price didn’t stack up, especially with the purchases over late and with one or two machines still to come this year, second hand horsepower for a couple years is the option at the moment. It came from a farm in Moreton on Marsh so on the way back Alan picked up a precast concrete slatted panel from Hopkins Concrete. Will install it as a wash bay sometime. He then picked up his digger as a return load home to Wales for a couple of weeks. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 I lied…. Grabbed 35 acres from 4pm until rained off. With a nice breeze and a little sun most of the day we took a chance and took Selvinge Paddock and Brick yard off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 1 hour ago, Oakley Farms said: I lied…. Grabbed 35 acres from 4pm until rained off. With a nice breeze and a little sun most of the day we took a chance and took Selvinge Paddock and Brick yard off. Well done , i think at the moment you have to grab in when you can , i tried friday and barley was 17% so went bailing instead , had 12mm saturday , 1mm this sunday morning nice sunny afternoon but as i sit here now at 10.36pm its raining again 🙁 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil phoenix Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 "our new purchase! A 2011 Cat Challenger MT765C." I hope you have invested in a good set of ear defenders for your driver Alex😄 They do make a lovely sound but it could get a bit wearing during a long day's work! Good models those little USK 7 series Challengers, especially from the C onwards as the detail improved. I just bought an MT 943 and its a lovely solid model. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 25, 2023 Author Share Posted July 25, 2023 (edited) No combining yesterday (Monday) as too wet, worked out quite well as we had GPS Geoff booked on from Hunt Forest Group to fit Starfire to some machines. Simon has decided to come away from Trimble because of reliability issues, he spec’ed the new Deeres with Starfire and decided to roll it out on the Cat, Combine and Sprayer, so a wet day well spent fitting and setting up. Since Hunts are the dealers for Bailey trailers we felt we needed to upgrade the farm bowser, used mainly for the 500 acre block of land 20 miles away at Bondip but also now farming Joes down the road too it future proofs fuel logistics. Geoff bought it along with him since he was coming up. Tom spent the day putting the toppers to use knocking down rape stubble at Selvinge and Colin dugthe old Chisel plough out of the nettles, see if we can get it up and running. Edited July 25, 2023 by Oakley Farms 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 25, 2023 Author Share Posted July 25, 2023 Harvest Log Day 3 Got going again today at lunchtime after some sun made an appearance! Finished Selvinge block with River Ground and Selving Humpy before moving into the nextdoor block we call Ilford Bridges, taking off 7.5 hectares in Pump house before calling it a night. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 23 hours ago, Oakley Farms said: No combining yesterday (Monday) as too wet, worked out quite well as we had GPS Geoff booked on from Hunt Forest Group to fit Starfire to some machines. Simon has decided to come away from Trimble because of reliability issues, he spec’ed the new Deeres with Starfire and decided to roll it out on the Cat, Combine and Sprayer, so a wet day well spent fitting and setting up. Since Hunts are the dealers for Bailey trailers we felt we needed to upgrade the farm bowser, used mainly for the 500 acre block of land 20 miles away at Bondip but also now farming Joes down the road too it future proofs fuel logistics. Geoff bought it along with him since he was coming up. Tom spent the day putting the toppers to use knocking down rape stubble at Selvinge and Colin dugthe old Chisel plough out of the nettles, see if we can get it up and running. My neighbours have the same fuel bowser ,they are out most days with it they say it tows well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 27, 2023 Author Share Posted July 27, 2023 Harvest Log Day 4 Grabbed a few hours yesterday before rained off yet again, at least thats the last two fields at Ilford Bridges done. 2 blocks of rape left, Blackdown and Bondip East, probably head to Blackdown next as that’s being bashed about a little by the weather as it’s high up on the hill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 1 hour ago, Oakley Farms said: Harvest Log Day 4 Grabbed a few hours yesterday before rained off yet again, at least thats the last two fields at Ilford Bridges done. 2 blocks of rape left, Blackdown and Bondip East, probably head to Blackdown next as that’s being bashed about a little by the weather as it’s high up on the hill. I grabbed a few hrs yesterday on barley then got rained off , 17mm🙁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakley Farms Posted July 27, 2023 Author Share Posted July 27, 2023 1 hour ago, smithy said: I grabbed a few hrs yesterday on barley then got rained off , 17mm🙁 Same here Smithy, 15mm from 3pm yesterday until this morning. How’s the yields? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil phoenix Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 (edited) The sooner Claas launch the new wet weather "Hover trac" combine range the better😁 Edited July 27, 2023 by phil phoenix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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