Having come back home after a pre-harvest break, it’s clear that there was no great rush.

While we were well into the winter barley harvest this time last year, this year the grain is probably well over 30% moisture and harvest is weeks away.

So far the barley is not fully turned and even the crows seem to have decided that the crops are not yet fit enough to seriously attack.

Meanwhile, all the winter barley straw has been pre-sold, with all the details agreed except the price.

Though while we have a market for the winter barley straw, there is none of the hysteria of last year and I still have last year’s oilseed rape straw unused

But as it is to a neighbour who is a regular customer and well geared up to handle significant acreages, I assume we will reach an amicable agreement.

Though while we have a market for the winter barley straw, there is none of the hysteria of last year and I still have last year’s oilseed rape straw unused.

Not surprisingly, there are no offers for the rape straw this year. Meanwhile, like a lot of farms, we seem to have more grass than we can sensibly use.

We will make more silage within the next week or 10 days

We got the first of our hay safely baled this week, but we have found it impossible to keep grass quality up for maximum gain.

We will make more silage within the next week or 10 days and then begin to wonder whether we should start buying weanlings.

Meanwhile, I have received the official letter from the Department saying that my TAMS application will be included in the next batch.

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