Farm Diary July 1 2009

WITH a good amount of high quality grass clamped early last week, and even some hay baled from a few paddocks that should have been grazed if only we had access, the rain forecasted for the end of the week seemed perfect.

It would not have been different if I was in control of the weather myself! This time however, the rain did not materialize. We were forecasted quite heavy showers as thunder and lightning was predicted. We only had two millimeters, and although it was better than nothing, it didn't even keep the dust down for long.

Our second cut silage was heavier than I had predicted, and it was all going to plan until a major breakdown cost us five hours down time.

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Normally that would not be a problem, but conditions were so good that the grass did get a bit dry.

With a car dispatched overnight to get the new parts, Glebedales (silage contractors) were in action early next morning, and the job was completed. All next winter's grass silage is now in the clamp, although I will cut some more if I can.

Sheeting up took until 10.30pm, and the 'cling-film' went back on first, followed by the black plastic and the heavy green sheets. When we uncovered the clamp before starting the second cut, we were delighted to see that the cling-film had indeed made a huge difference; no waste whatsoever. Adrian was so impressed that he took photographs on his mobile phone.

The grass has all put up a green leaf, and the struggle to keep it going until the next rain has started. Armed with a new pump, we are spreading dirty water over all silage fields which are within reach, with the aim of putting on a quarter of an inch, which will be enough for a few days, before going over again.

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Rain is forecasted for the end of the week, but we could easily miss it again. We need to empty the dirty water lagoons for the winter, and we have nothing to lose by applying it to as many fields as possible, especially the new spring sown seeds, whose roots will not be as well developed.

We also finished cultivating and drilling the forty acres at the top of the farm last week, and we need to keep this grass seed alive and growing with dirty water too.

There is plenty of moisture further down in the soil, but with 30 degrees forecasted this week, the top inch or two will be very dry indeed, which we need to address.

All the duck and wildlife on the lagoons are being gently lowered, as we slowly pump out the water at a rate of around six inches a day. There will of course be plenty of water left in the bottom, as we never manage to pump out the very last bit.

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The duck seem to have reared many more chicks this year, with four little families paddling around.

The German workers arrived back on site last Thursday and are now installing the gas pipes. Visitors from NFU HQ were shown around the farm and the Bio-Gas plant last Wednesday, and local farmers came along in the evening as we hosted the West Sussex Grassland Society summer walk.

When all this was planned last year, we should have been up and running, but delays, and a few glitches made sure that we are still a good month from starting the engine. We certainly enjoyed the visits and we have another one this week as the Cranleigh Show Society come along tonight (Wednesday).

I was in Luxembourg last Monday attending a demonstration of dairy farmers, protesting about the low milk prices in Europe. The Agricultural Ministers were in session, and I was there as Vice Chairman of COPA Milk.

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It turned out that livestock, pig, and olive-oil farmers joined all the dairy farmers, and it all got a little unruly, as a minority had arrived well armed with various missiles, ranging from eggs to fire-crackers!

There were 5-6000 farmers present, with over 300 tractors, and a slurry tanker full of milk. Once they realized that no Minister was coming out to address the crowd, they started pelting the organizers, police and even the speakers with eggs etc:

I was fairly low down on the list of speakers, and they had largely run out of ammunition by then, although the odd water bottle and milk carton were still whizzing through the air, and fire-crackers in milk churns make a very big bang indeed! With tyres and dustbins alight, and a tidal wave of milk running down the street at one point, it was quite lively.

The town was gridlocked with tractors, as the desperation and frustration over low prices made its presence felt. My colleagues warned me not to mention efficiency of production, or the free market; otherwise we would not get out alive!

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My message was the same as always, investigate and do something to regulate the supply chain, where margins are not shared and large retailers abuse suppliers.

Addressing such a large crowd for a few minutes is quite an experience, and with many languages used by the speakers, the message was the same; do something!

I'm afraid that there is little more that can be done by the Commission, and we have to ride out this recession just like everyone else, but the countries in the euro zone are suffering really badly, and there is going to be a massive reduction in farmer numbers, as people are forced to give up, with others choosing to end the struggle.

We are going to lose a third of our dairy farmers here in the UK over the next two years, and as retailers tax consumers with their excess profits, farmers are giving up.