Farm Diary

The weather improves as we approach the end of July; will it change and will we have a summer after all? As far as dairy farming is concerned it's been very good for grass growth and grazing (apart from days with the cows back indoors during torrential rain!) and by the time you read this, I hope to be making third cut silage.

We are only cutting the 100 acres of new grass leys, more to look after the grass than anything else, but it will be the best quality yet judging by the lush leafy sward which has masses of clover in it. It is only 35 days since second cut (hence the quality), and we are not looking at huge quantities, but it will still amount to useful extra tonnage.

Grazing is now plentiful, and of high quality especially the second cut aftermath. Milk production is on the increase as calving starts to kick in after the quiet period of June/early July.

My niece is soldiering on in the milking parlour, and has passed all the durability tests so far. If she can stick this regime, she'll go far, and I hope she decides to give dairy farming some thought as a future career, despite the experience at Crouchlands!

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette July 23