All areas are experiencing a challenging autumn and all growers have now conceded that they won’t sow any more winter barley but are still aiming to sow winter wheat.
Chris sowing JB Diego winter wheat at 200kg/ha on one of the few dry days this autumn.
Eyrecourt, Co Galway
It’s been a challenging sowing season in Eyrecourt with heavy downpours restricting sowing pace and progress.
Last week was the first decent run at sowing Chris has had this autumn, having got two and a half sowing days in a row.
When we last spoke to Chris, a big concern of his was the implications for the three-crop rule if he couldn’t sow any winter barley
During that time, he sowed around 130ac using a five furrow Kverneland plough and 3m one-pass drill.
When we last spoke to Chris, a big concern of his was the implications for the three-crop rule if he couldn’t sow any winter barley.
Since then, he has managed to establish around 75ac of Infinity and Valerie winter barley, both sown at 200kg/ha.
This was sown over a nine-day period and was frequently interrupted by rain.
Slug numbers in general have been low but he is keeping an eye on the crop
This area has been enough to satisfy his greening requirements but represents just 30% of his planned winter barley area and it is now too late to sow any further winter barley crops.
He has been unable to roll this ground and doubts if conditions will be good enough to apply a herbicide this autumn. Slug numbers in general have been low but he is keeping an eye on the crop.
Winter wheat
He started to sow winter wheat on 23 October when ground conditions began to improve.
The bulk of this crop was sown last week. So far, he has sown JB Diego at 200kg/ha and has ordered Graham seed for ground following fodder beet.
Chris is still confident that he will sow his planned area of winter wheat this year. He aims to lift a field of beet, plough and sow in one go.
This can ensure that the wheat seed is drilled into a reasonably good seedbed. However, due to machinery and labour availability, he requires a weather window of a few days to allow him to do this.
Beet
Chris hasn’t lifted any beet since the last time we spoke with him, around four weeks ago. He had an amount of beet in stock which was satisfying customer demand.
He will have to lift an amount of beet this week, however, as stocks are running low.
Paul filling the seed drill with Graham winter wheat seed in preperation for sowing.
Ballybrittas, Co Laois
Paul has had to jump at every opportunity to sow winter crops this autumn, and hasn’t had more than two and half settled days in a row.
It’s been a frustrating winter for Paul as consistent rain showers over the past two months made for difficult ground conditions in places.
Paul notes that springs have begun to rise in some of his dryer ground but interestingly, his wetter ground is continuing to drain relatively freely.
Paul has around 80% of his planned winter barley area sown
He puts this down to the drainage works he completed in those wet fields.
Paul has around 80% of his planned winter barley area sown, 100% of his winter oat area sown and around 40% of his winter wheat area sown.
He has decided not to sow any more winter barley this year due to the conditions. He sowed the varieties Infinity at 160kg/ha and Belfry at 100kg/ha.
He maintains that the vigorous establishment and tillering capacity of the hybrid varieties will allow it to cope with the challenging conditions
He increased the seeding rate in his Infinity crop by around 10% but opted not to increase the rate of his Belfry crop.
He maintains that the vigorous establishment and tillering capacity of the hybrid varieties will allow it to cope with the challenging conditions.
He managed to roll all of his oat ground and around 80ac of winter barley ground
Paul is ploughing ahead of his seed drill and despite the weather, ground has been ploughing up in reasonably good order.
Ground conditions had been excellent all year on Paul’s farm up until the weather broke.
He then moved on to sowing the spring oat variety Isabelle at a rate of 150kg/ha. He managed to roll all of his oat ground and around 80ac of winter barley ground. He is keeping a close eye out for slugs, however.
Herbicide window
He also missed the window for a pre-emerge herbicide but will follow up with a peri- or post-emerge herbicide when weather allows.
Paul is confident that he will sow another 40% of his planned winter wheat area before his cut-off date of mid-December.
If conditions allow he may sow again at the end of January. So far, he has sown the variety Graham at 180kg/ha.
Vivion took delivery of new potato boxes this season. He still has around 20ac of potatoes left to harvest.
New Ross, Co Wexford
Conditions have not improved on Vivion’s farm since we last spoke with him four weeks ago.
Consistent rainfall and sea mists have prevented any significant period of drying, which has hampered his potato harvest and prevented him from sowing any winter crops.
Since the week of the National Ploughing Championships, over 256mm of rain has fallen on his farm in Saltmills.
Walking through his fields, it was clear to see that land was saturated
Last week, the Irish Farmers Journal visited Vivion to see how field work was going this autumn.
Walking through his fields, it was clear to see that land was saturated and would take a number of good drying days to make it trafficable again.
He was aiming to sow Belfry hybrid winter barley and Craft malting barley this year but has now decided not to sow the crops due to wet conditions.
This will be the first year Vivion has no winter barley in his rotation. He usually would sow winter barley early and recalls how good the weather was for sowing during the week of the Ploughing Championships.
However, with the loss of Redigo Deter he opted to delay sowing the crop but now questions this decision.
He would still consider sowing Costello and Graham winter wheat after lifting his potato crops if condition allow. Winter wheat will be established using a plough and one-pass drill.
Inevitably, however, this autumn will have a knock-on effect on his rotation. His ground and climate are particularly well-suited to spring barley so he now plans on having a much larger area of the crop next year.
His potato harvest is ongoing and he is down to his last 20ac, the equivalent of three good days work
This will potentially intensify workloads during the spring, but Vivion explains that if he can sow an amount of spring barley in February and the rest in March/April, this will help split the workload.
His potato harvest is ongoing and he is down to his last 20ac, the equivalent of three good days work.
These crops are on heavier ground, he explains, and would be slower to dry out on a normal year. The wet conditions haven’t impacted on potato quality, however, and yields remain good.
Read more
Steadier tone sees native grain prices rise
IFA Potato Report: progress made with harvest but field losses high
Tillage management: planting continues but with variable success
All areas are experiencing a challenging autumn and all growers have now conceded that they won’t sow any more winter barley but are still aiming to sow winter wheat.
Chris sowing JB Diego winter wheat at 200kg/ha on one of the few dry days this autumn.
Eyrecourt, Co Galway
It’s been a challenging sowing season in Eyrecourt with heavy downpours restricting sowing pace and progress.
Last week was the first decent run at sowing Chris has had this autumn, having got two and a half sowing days in a row.
When we last spoke to Chris, a big concern of his was the implications for the three-crop rule if he couldn’t sow any winter barley
During that time, he sowed around 130ac using a five furrow Kverneland plough and 3m one-pass drill.
When we last spoke to Chris, a big concern of his was the implications for the three-crop rule if he couldn’t sow any winter barley.
Since then, he has managed to establish around 75ac of Infinity and Valerie winter barley, both sown at 200kg/ha.
This was sown over a nine-day period and was frequently interrupted by rain.
Slug numbers in general have been low but he is keeping an eye on the crop
This area has been enough to satisfy his greening requirements but represents just 30% of his planned winter barley area and it is now too late to sow any further winter barley crops.
He has been unable to roll this ground and doubts if conditions will be good enough to apply a herbicide this autumn. Slug numbers in general have been low but he is keeping an eye on the crop.
Winter wheat
He started to sow winter wheat on 23 October when ground conditions began to improve.
The bulk of this crop was sown last week. So far, he has sown JB Diego at 200kg/ha and has ordered Graham seed for ground following fodder beet.
Chris is still confident that he will sow his planned area of winter wheat this year. He aims to lift a field of beet, plough and sow in one go.
This can ensure that the wheat seed is drilled into a reasonably good seedbed. However, due to machinery and labour availability, he requires a weather window of a few days to allow him to do this.
Beet
Chris hasn’t lifted any beet since the last time we spoke with him, around four weeks ago. He had an amount of beet in stock which was satisfying customer demand.
He will have to lift an amount of beet this week, however, as stocks are running low.
Paul filling the seed drill with Graham winter wheat seed in preperation for sowing.
Ballybrittas, Co Laois
Paul has had to jump at every opportunity to sow winter crops this autumn, and hasn’t had more than two and half settled days in a row.
It’s been a frustrating winter for Paul as consistent rain showers over the past two months made for difficult ground conditions in places.
Paul notes that springs have begun to rise in some of his dryer ground but interestingly, his wetter ground is continuing to drain relatively freely.
Paul has around 80% of his planned winter barley area sown
He puts this down to the drainage works he completed in those wet fields.
Paul has around 80% of his planned winter barley area sown, 100% of his winter oat area sown and around 40% of his winter wheat area sown.
He has decided not to sow any more winter barley this year due to the conditions. He sowed the varieties Infinity at 160kg/ha and Belfry at 100kg/ha.
He maintains that the vigorous establishment and tillering capacity of the hybrid varieties will allow it to cope with the challenging conditions
He increased the seeding rate in his Infinity crop by around 10% but opted not to increase the rate of his Belfry crop.
He maintains that the vigorous establishment and tillering capacity of the hybrid varieties will allow it to cope with the challenging conditions.
He managed to roll all of his oat ground and around 80ac of winter barley ground
Paul is ploughing ahead of his seed drill and despite the weather, ground has been ploughing up in reasonably good order.
Ground conditions had been excellent all year on Paul’s farm up until the weather broke.
He then moved on to sowing the spring oat variety Isabelle at a rate of 150kg/ha. He managed to roll all of his oat ground and around 80ac of winter barley ground. He is keeping a close eye out for slugs, however.
Herbicide window
He also missed the window for a pre-emerge herbicide but will follow up with a peri- or post-emerge herbicide when weather allows.
Paul is confident that he will sow another 40% of his planned winter wheat area before his cut-off date of mid-December.
If conditions allow he may sow again at the end of January. So far, he has sown the variety Graham at 180kg/ha.
Vivion took delivery of new potato boxes this season. He still has around 20ac of potatoes left to harvest.
New Ross, Co Wexford
Conditions have not improved on Vivion’s farm since we last spoke with him four weeks ago.
Consistent rainfall and sea mists have prevented any significant period of drying, which has hampered his potato harvest and prevented him from sowing any winter crops.
Since the week of the National Ploughing Championships, over 256mm of rain has fallen on his farm in Saltmills.
Walking through his fields, it was clear to see that land was saturated
Last week, the Irish Farmers Journal visited Vivion to see how field work was going this autumn.
Walking through his fields, it was clear to see that land was saturated and would take a number of good drying days to make it trafficable again.
He was aiming to sow Belfry hybrid winter barley and Craft malting barley this year but has now decided not to sow the crops due to wet conditions.
This will be the first year Vivion has no winter barley in his rotation. He usually would sow winter barley early and recalls how good the weather was for sowing during the week of the Ploughing Championships.
However, with the loss of Redigo Deter he opted to delay sowing the crop but now questions this decision.
He would still consider sowing Costello and Graham winter wheat after lifting his potato crops if condition allow. Winter wheat will be established using a plough and one-pass drill.
Inevitably, however, this autumn will have a knock-on effect on his rotation. His ground and climate are particularly well-suited to spring barley so he now plans on having a much larger area of the crop next year.
His potato harvest is ongoing and he is down to his last 20ac, the equivalent of three good days work
This will potentially intensify workloads during the spring, but Vivion explains that if he can sow an amount of spring barley in February and the rest in March/April, this will help split the workload.
His potato harvest is ongoing and he is down to his last 20ac, the equivalent of three good days work.
These crops are on heavier ground, he explains, and would be slower to dry out on a normal year. The wet conditions haven’t impacted on potato quality, however, and yields remain good.
Read more
Steadier tone sees native grain prices rise
IFA Potato Report: progress made with harvest but field losses high
Tillage management: planting continues but with variable success
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