Our Focus this week covers reseeding, soil health and potential feed options for winter 2015, given the current weather and ground conditions on farm.

All topics are inter-related and are so dependent on the weather that things can change very quickly. This week, the grain harvest is starting and some of the winter crops are mature and gone past the ideal stage for wholecropping. Most farmers have enough grass silage in stock, so they will not have to look at other forage grain options, but some who are tight on winter housing will look at sowing alternative crops such as rape or the kale/rape hybrid, Redstart, as an option.

In the soil health section, Peter and Andy focus on management of our soils to improve its productivity.

On pages six and seven, UCD lecturer Olaf Schmidt discusses the role that earthworms play in our soils. Precision agriculture is a term that has been talked about for years with modest uptake and, this week, we review variable rate fertiliser spreading within the same paddock in Co Louth.

Reseeding of any crop is utterly dependent on the three legs to a healthy soil but getting the basics right, such as good seedbed preparation and choosing the right varieties for what you want to match your soil with are also paramount.