MF30
Well-Known Member
We did it for REPS first, then GLAS. They recomended at the time to sample every 5 years though not sure if it was a requirement. Good practice to help you get to know that your farms fertility is being built up.
CAP
- Thread starter FIAT 450
- Start date
jf 850
Well-Known Member
Same here. I started soil testing when I went into REPS 1in 1997 , and continued every 5 years , even when I wasn't in any scheme for 18 months.
It still takes a fair shot of P and K . Mostly 3 for P , some 2s . No 4s.
K even in grazing ground, is lower.
I found lime the cheapest fertiliser of any.
The slurry must help build it up a bit ?
Do cover crops contribute much , if any fertility to ground ?
There is probably great value to be got at the moment in these strange times , in large yachts ? Obviously , your trade in yacht will be worth less though.
Claas Grass
Well-Known Member
Don't suppose you know how much it is per acre to have it done in grid formation like for the variable rate spreading?
C
Cork
Guest
We saved the price of test by the savings in lime . We had to up our Pand K . I did it through Bretts. We never bothered putting Variable rate on the spreader. It kinda confirmed our prejudices in that places that needed lime or Pand K in days of yore still needed it . My father started liming the place in 1947 and I can lay my hands on records going back forty years and if I started rooting I am sure I could find something on calfskin.
gone
Well-Known Member
Basically the total farmed area here has been tested on a 1 test per Ha basis and started going back around doing it all on a 2 ha basis.
I moved from Bretts as I didn't rate their advise and didn't like their testing method, I moved to a colleague of @CORK, Paul Ward, http://www.farmtechsolutions.ie/
It is dear but I find it worth while, it cost about €19ha including comprehensive trace element tests.
Customer GONE
CARLOW
Distributor FARMTECH SOLUTIONS
GIBBSTOWN
NAVAN
CO MEATH
IRELAND
Sample Ref BOGGIN HILL BIG 17 Date Received 05/10/2020 ( Date Issued: 07/10/2020 )
Sample No IR013586/07
Crop BARLEY
Analysis Result Guideline Interpretation Comments
pH 6.9 6.5 Medium Adequate level.
Phosphorus Morgans
(ppm)
10.5 (Index 4) Nil required.
Potassium Morgans (ppm) 122 (Index 3) 85 kg/ha ( 68 units/acre ) Potassium (K).
Magnesium Morgans
(ppm)
32 101 Low (Index 2) Treatment recommended.
Calcium (ppm) 1788 1600 Medium Adequate level.
Sulphur (ppm) 6 10 Low CONSIDER TREATMENT.
Manganese (ppm) 32 65 Very Low TREATMENT RECOMMENDED.
Copper (ppm) 3.9 4.1 Slightly Low TREATMENT RECOMMENDED.
Boron (ppm) 1.10 1.60 Low CONSIDER TREATMENT.
Zinc (ppm) 4.0 4.1 Slightly Low TREATMENT RECOMMENDED.
Molybdenum (ppm) 0.04 0.40 Very Low Low priority on this crop. Other crops may be affected.
Iron (ppm) 533 50 Medium Adequate level.
Sodium (ppm) 23 90 Very Low Not a problem for this crop.
C.E.C. (meq/100g) 10.6 15.0 Slightly Low Cation Exchange Capacity indicates a slightly low nutrient
holding ability - soil applied nutrients could be readily
leached. Where possible foliar applied nutrients should be
recommended
I moved from Bretts as I didn't rate their advise and didn't like their testing method, I moved to a colleague of @CORK, Paul Ward, http://www.farmtechsolutions.ie/
It is dear but I find it worth while, it cost about €19ha including comprehensive trace element tests.
Customer GONE
CARLOW
Distributor FARMTECH SOLUTIONS
GIBBSTOWN
NAVAN
CO MEATH
IRELAND
Sample Ref BOGGIN HILL BIG 17 Date Received 05/10/2020 ( Date Issued: 07/10/2020 )
Sample No IR013586/07
Crop BARLEY
Analysis Result Guideline Interpretation Comments
pH 6.9 6.5 Medium Adequate level.
Phosphorus Morgans
(ppm)
10.5 (Index 4) Nil required.
Potassium Morgans (ppm) 122 (Index 3) 85 kg/ha ( 68 units/acre ) Potassium (K).
Magnesium Morgans
(ppm)
32 101 Low (Index 2) Treatment recommended.
Calcium (ppm) 1788 1600 Medium Adequate level.
Sulphur (ppm) 6 10 Low CONSIDER TREATMENT.
Manganese (ppm) 32 65 Very Low TREATMENT RECOMMENDED.
Copper (ppm) 3.9 4.1 Slightly Low TREATMENT RECOMMENDED.
Boron (ppm) 1.10 1.60 Low CONSIDER TREATMENT.
Zinc (ppm) 4.0 4.1 Slightly Low TREATMENT RECOMMENDED.
Molybdenum (ppm) 0.04 0.40 Very Low Low priority on this crop. Other crops may be affected.
Iron (ppm) 533 50 Medium Adequate level.
Sodium (ppm) 23 90 Very Low Not a problem for this crop.
C.E.C. (meq/100g) 10.6 15.0 Slightly Low Cation Exchange Capacity indicates a slightly low nutrient
holding ability - soil applied nutrients could be readily
leached. Where possible foliar applied nutrients should be
recommended
The Goatman
Member
I just decided to become a farmer last week, the land 27 acres is untouched for last 30years, had them all saying can't claim all as eligible as hedges over grown, parts flood, said all has to be rectified if want bps....
Seems a waste of time to me, if by the time I get it all done they want to rewet the land and want more natural hedges and trees.
To be honest I'm really into the whole be more natural thing and self sustainability anyway, it's why I wanted to start, but they'd want to hurry on and make up their minds like.
Nature has been in control of it for 30years, I don't plan on changing that.
Note: I've been up and down to the land a lot over last 2 months, and the strange thing is, there's not a bird, rabbit, butterfly, bee insight. I brought up my eldest lad (4) and he noticed it too... Just odd as I thought untouched land with a stream, and boggy ground, with rushes, herbs mushrooms, blackberries would be bursting with wildlife
Seems a waste of time to me, if by the time I get it all done they want to rewet the land and want more natural hedges and trees.
To be honest I'm really into the whole be more natural thing and self sustainability anyway, it's why I wanted to start, but they'd want to hurry on and make up their minds like.
Nature has been in control of it for 30years, I don't plan on changing that.
Note: I've been up and down to the land a lot over last 2 months, and the strange thing is, there's not a bird, rabbit, butterfly, bee insight. I brought up my eldest lad (4) and he noticed it too... Just odd as I thought untouched land with a stream, and boggy ground, with rushes, herbs mushrooms, blackberries would be bursting with wildlife
Blackwater boy
Moderator
Do you think you should get bps on that land and if so why? Serious question, I’m not having a go at you.
I have often noticed that neglected land is often devoid of wildlife. If there are hedges and ditches as in drainage channels it must have been farmed in some way in times past. I think livestock promotes insects . We have a qualified Birdwatcher counting birds on our farm. He is hoping to write a book on the Birds of Carlow . He is also surveying insects. He has just got his degree. Maybe get someone to look at it and see what can be done to enhance wildlife while you farm it .
marco
Well-Known Member
Cow dung brings flies, flies bring birds. I suppose if a cow had worms the birds would eat them too.
The Goatman
Member
Well I'm a new entrant with no agricultural background (at all) and a young farmer (28), so as it stands I think I get €250 per hectare which is eligible.
Which going by teagasc I will probably only get the €250 as the land is cut in half by a stream and very boggy field.
And let me tell you, I've only been looking into doing this since August, I didn't even know about BPS or anything until 3 weeks into research.
My plan was to farm goats and let them eat all the the overgrowth up the hilly bits, and in the lowland bits during dry period, a natural way. Was going to get somebody to top the grass fields then to help it grown (grass not touched for30years) and then spread the goat manure into the fields by hand. Then have the kids sent to slaughter to cut costs during winter.
Wanted do it a real natural way with low cost and a very low carbon footprint (goats are 0.15 stocking, and I read they emit 3 times less harmful gases than cattle, for all them wingers about climate change, and they eat the plants which are invasive, so good for environment that way).
Have started the fencing and there was a crush up there already and I've got housing sorted too nearly, but as for what to do with land I haven't a clue eg greening and protein payment, I'm not sure is there a point
The Goatman
Member
My partner wants to plant wild flowers and herbs up there, we have them at home for our veggie and flower garden. I'm all for it anyway, goats will only love the herbs and that.
I'd even like to plant lots of native Irish trees tooI. I'veplan to plant 2 acres into our own personal forestry, never to be cut, with wild flowers etc, so that grandkids and other generations can enjoy it, and whatever wildlife it brings too. Something to stand forever. It's not been farmed for 30+years so might as well be turned into a mini forest.
however I would plant way more if it was to be rewarded in the BPS, and it's up keep too. Maybe it will be renamed, Land Maintenance Scheme
C
Cork
Guest
I guess what we see as wildlife is in a way a result of human activity.
Wildlife will vary with the landscape, bees won’t like high open moory ground, they like shelter (ask any beekeeper). Bees & butterflies will like flowering plants, it could be that the flowering plants on that land (bramble, dandelion etc) were finished flowering before you started monitoring it this year.
Rabbits don’t like wet land for obvious reasons. But you can be sure that if the land has been idle for years, there’ll be plenty of wildlife there (mice, a few rabbits, a fox or two rambling through each night, owls hunting etc), these are the normal wildlife for an Irish landscape.
We have some intensive tillage land on a high area, I’ve never seen deer in the past 24 years of farming it but I saw foot prints of deer last week. Just because we can’t see obvious wildlife it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Im all for some kind of environmental payment for what @The Goatman is proposing. If we create such havens then it should then allow intensive agriculture to exist on land suited to it.
Wildlife will vary with the landscape, bees won’t like high open moory ground, they like shelter (ask any beekeeper). Bees & butterflies will like flowering plants, it could be that the flowering plants on that land (bramble, dandelion etc) were finished flowering before you started monitoring it this year.
Rabbits don’t like wet land for obvious reasons. But you can be sure that if the land has been idle for years, there’ll be plenty of wildlife there (mice, a few rabbits, a fox or two rambling through each night, owls hunting etc), these are the normal wildlife for an Irish landscape.
We have some intensive tillage land on a high area, I’ve never seen deer in the past 24 years of farming it but I saw foot prints of deer last week. Just because we can’t see obvious wildlife it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Im all for some kind of environmental payment for what @The Goatman is proposing. If we create such havens then it should then allow intensive agriculture to exist on land suited to it.
muckymanor
Well-Known Member
Happy to rewet a % of the wetter land here or leave other designated land unfarmed but it will need to be recognised for what it is and adequate compensation paid. Carbon sinks, wildlife habitats, preserving water quality - these are all recognised as major components of agriculture for the future. It won't suit some intensive farmers to do this so I hope that the lads who it doesn't suit will back the idea of paying proper payments to the likes of me. I'm not looking for money for nothing. I'm happy to put labour into measures akin to reps or glas measures in order to benefit the environment.
I'm quite happy yo see 30% of cap being allocated to environmental measures. I wouldn't fear if it was 50%.
Have you a green cert or a formal agricultural education
The Goatman
Member
I'm doing green cert at the moment, won't be qualify until 2022, doing the distance course.
I've read a lot, not just course material during lockdown, I hate doing nothing. First lockdown I did gardening and lived it, so did kids, but this time not much doing gardening wise, and I'm sick of 9-5 working, listening to incompetent managers etc. I'd rather work all day everyday but know I can just pop home to see kids when I like, or bring them with me. More to life than €€€s
EU lays down the law for Irish farmers in 2023
Report card says we must do better
www.irishexaminer.com
Maybe not the right thread, an interesting article none the less
Good to see the claims of carbon efficient beef production have been upheld, we're the EU leader on this front. Water quality issues seem to be the downfall.
With an environmental impact based scheme to replace CAP coming in in the UK, it will be interesting to see what similar scheme the EU develop, I'm thinking an environmental based reps scheme