As the dry weather continues with excellent ground conditions, we are trying to grapple with how much of the spring work should we start now.

The first job is to get the slurry fully under control so that if we do get a prolonged spell of wet weather, there won’t be a problem with storage capacity under the slats.

We have never had as much out by the third week in January.

The second issue is how soon should we sow the beans

Even land that we would regard as best left till later in the season has had around 1,500gals/ac, which should kickstart grass growth.

The second issue is how soon should we sow the beans.

Last year, they went in with a direct drill at the very end of April.

With just one fungicide spray, we harvested them at 21-22% moisture in early October at about 2.3t/ac, not great, but given all the circumstances, acceptable.

This year we have to first clean up the stubble which is after messy crops of winter barley and winter wheat and a quite good late-sown spring barley.

On the cattle side, we are continuing to sell as they become fit

We will go out with glyphosate as soon as possible.

Assuming we can get it all safely sown with beans, it will be the final step in tidying up the fields affected by last season’s awful weather.

On the cattle side, we are continuing to sell as they become fit.

Apart from one load before Christmas, we have not bought anything in yet but we will have to start soon.

High replacement cost will inevitably knock some of the shine off the current beef prices.

With so few cattle sold, we are using a lot of silage and concentrates every day.

We always add some straw for, we are told, rumen health.

I don’t expect to see any difference in cattle performance but we will monitor as closely as we can

This year with a strong market for straw at harvest time, we kept over less than usual.

We have cut back on the amount fed but have added more hay to compensate.

I don’t expect to see any difference in cattle performance but we will monitor as closely as we can.

With high level of concentrates, the feed passages are a magnet for crows.

They were particularly bad during the frosty cold snap and while we can keep them at bay to some extent by shooting as the days lengthen and mornings get brighter, they sense an opportunity. Slurry spreading may distract them, but I have yet to find a real deterrent.

Another sign of the advancing spring is we have started to get quotes for fertiliser and we will have to apply some phosphate and potash to the cereal ground with the first nitrogen application.