Thursday 9 April 2015

Sowing the seed at Corehead


Fresh back from cultivating half of Southland New Zealand, James ploughed and established our one hectare of wild bird seed crop.
 
James ploughing in the sun
Turning the soil buries any grass sward and gives the seed sown a chance to grow without competition. It also speeds up drying so that the disc harrows can break the land down to a fine tilth.
 
 
An additional benefit comes from stimulating any uneaten seed from last year's crop into growth. This year's seed went in at the perfect time and in perfect  weather conditions.
 
 
Spreading the seed
 
A healthy diet for our feathered friends should be assured for winter, providing their black cousins don't scoff it before it grows! Scarecrow measures however, have been taken.
 
Our scarecrows! Very technical plastic bags on sticks which flap in the wind and scare off the crows
Jim
Corehead Farmer
 
Note from editor: Just for interest this year we have sowed a mix of red clover, flax, fodder radish, logo triticale, oat and white mustard. If you'd like to know more about the benefits of wild bird cover crops, follow this link to the RSPB website.
 
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment