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This year some of our land has reached the
part of its rotation where it has gone back into its fertility
building phase. Farming organically we do not use chemical fertilisers
to sustain the cropped part of our rotation, but use leys of red
clover and vetches to build natural fertility.
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We also use green manures to capture the nutrients in our soil during the wetter winter months when some nutrients can be washed out. This year we have sown mustard which is fast growing, covers the ground well and can also help us smother unwanted weeds. |
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November this year was unusually dry and so we were able to hoe our winter wheat crops with our inter-row hoe. Most of our crops are sown on wide rows so that we can hoe out of some of our problem weeds during the growing season. |
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This spring we have various crops to plant
and are currently waiting for the soils to dry and warm so that
we can get onto the land to do that work. I was told by a farmer
friend of mine that the way to tell if a field is warm enough to
sow your spring crop, you must take your trousers down and gently
lower your bottom onto the soil. If you do not leap up shocked by
the cool earth but would rather nestle in its warmness, you know
that the time is right. Be sure to check out next month’s
photographs! |
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