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Farm Diary
Farm year Diary
January
Arable
A quite month of the year, if any sugar beet land is yet to lift and drill with
a following crop of wheat then this must be done as early as possible. Other
than this wait for spring.
Livestock
Daily
routine of feeding the ewes, some extra cake feed and hay. As always if any
animal is ill then this is treated, if necessary vet called.
Conservation.
Ideal time for laying and planting hedges and trees. Start mechanical trimming
of certain hedges like the roadside.
February
Arable
If the ground is dry any wheat or barley should be drilled if conditions allow.
Finish ploughing any land for root drilling.
Livestock
As january but more extra feed to make sure that the ewes have enough condition
to give plenty of milk when they lamb. Vaccinate the ewes so that they pass the
immunity to their lambs via their milk.
Conservation
Finish
hedgerow work. Make sure that all mechanical hedge trimming is completed by the
month end.
March
Arable
All planting of cereals finished by now. Any Compound fertilizer not put on in
the Autumn finish this, and put on all the nitrogen on the winter barley for
malting by month end. Plant the sugar beet if conditions allow.
Make sure if any herbicides need to go on to control problem weeds like cleavers
this is done.
Livestock
Lambing starts middle of the month, make sure all pens are made up. The main
month of the year for selling the fattened lambs.
Conservation
Such a
busy month otherwise just make sure all routine work like footpaths are clear is
done. The overwinter field setaside are ploughed, and the false seed beds are
made for the nesting of lapwings.
April
Arable
Finish
all fertiliser application to all crops arable and grass. Drill the kale for the
sheep. Finish all herbicide applications if possible. Any land for potatoes then
these should be planted if conditions allow.
Livestock
Finish
lambing by mid month, daily routine of looking round the young lambs. If any
lambs yet to sell finish this.
Conservation
Such a
busy month otherwise just make sure all routine work like footpaths are clear is
done. The overwinter field setaside are ploughed, and the false seed beds are
made for the nesting of lapwings.
May
Arable
Spray the
crops to keep them free of disease and growing well.
Livestock
As ever
look at the sheep daily, the lambs and ewes are dosed against worms and
vaccinated for disease such as tetanus. Clip the ewes if it is warm enough at
the month end. Send the wool to the wool merchant.
Conservation
Make sure the newly planted hedges have sprouted and not died.
June
Arable
Continuation of May .
Livestock
If not
done already clip ewes, wait for two weeks then put on a fly repellent so that
blow flies do not lay eggs on the sheep that will hatch into maggots which eat
the sheep if not controlled.
Conservation
While
quite make sure the fences are correct so that the animals do not eat the
hedges. Maintain styles and cut the footpaths.
July
Arable
Harvest
winter barley for malting, bale up the straw.
Livestock
Check the
sheep for blow fly attacks and any other problems.
Conservation
As for
June. Except cut all the grass margins.
August
Arable
Harvest
the winter wheat, and bale up the straw. Start ploughing the fields ready for
drilling.
Livestock
Wean the
lambs of their mothers so that the mothers start to get ready for the ram.
Conservation
As for June.
September
Arable
All cereal harvesting should be completed, if any corn is yet to be dried down
then this should be completed. The fields now start to be drilled with next
years crops.
Start lifting sugar beet as the factory request it. Lift potatoes.
Livestock
Daily
visits to make sure all is well. Possibly treat the sheep again for blow fly,
but definitely dose and vaccinate them again.
Conservation
A busy
month otherwise.
October
Arable
Continue
lifting Sugar beet and finish potatoes. Continue drilling cereal crops. Spray
cereal crops for weeds, so they do smother the crop and kill it.
Livestock
Put the ram in to the ewes.
Conservation
If time
allows start the winter program of planting trees and hedges, and laying
hedges.
November
Arable
Continue
as october
Livestock
Check the rams are actually working. Put the lambs to sell fat in spring on to
kale.
Conservation
As for October
December
Arable
Finish
drilling cereals and lifting sugar beet before Christmas.
Livestock
Usual daily routine of checking and feeding the sheep
Conservation
As for
October but this is the month when the real work stars because the other work on
the farm is done.
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