Norman Dunne –
Kilgraigue,
Co Meath
The past few weeks have been busy on Norman’s farm in Meath, but now the gates are most likely closed on all crops.
Earlier this week, Norman was busy making hay with all the trials and tribulations that task involves as well as the challenge of trying to fit the job in with the weather. He has also made some hay in recent weeks.
Norman is very pleased with the condition and appearance of his crops.
Norman applying Signum onto his spring beans a couple of weeks ago
He reminded me that he had set himself a target of five years to get his land and output level back to where it had been prior to changing the ethos of his farming system. And if this year’s crops deliver as they look currently, he may well hit that target this year. However, he acknowledges that the weather has been relatively kind despite the dry and cold start and that it will account for part of the performance.
SHARING OPTIONS:
An example of the root system under an establishing crop of barley and peas on Norman s farm.
Norman Dunne –
Kilgraigue,
Co Meath
Norman Dunne only finished sowing last Sunday ahead of the forecasted break in the weather, which gave his crops a much-needed drink.
This last crop sown was what Norman called a ‘summer cover’, or a catch crop mix in one slot in his rotation to help the soil.
The mix included many different species to give a variety of root structures to help soil structure and crop productivity.
A few weeks earlier, Norman completed his planting of combi-crop mixes to include barley or oats with peas, and these crops are now emerging
Jonathan Kelly
Limavady, Derry
While snowfall amounts this week have been minimal, conditions have been far from ideal in Derry, says Jonathan. The return of cold, wet weather means conditions were only fit for finishing the last of this spring’s draining.
Jonathan sowing Lynx beans this week.
He was able to get some sowing done between the snow showers, however. Earlier this week he sowed Lynx spring beans at 240kg/ha. The field had been extensively drained so was in reasonable condition when he ploughed it. The field was ploughed, power-harrowed and drilled using his Lemken Solitaire 9 3m one-pass drill. The field will be rolled when conditions improve. He is planning on applying the herbicide Nirvana (4.5l/ha) as soon as he can. This is his first year growing beans due to the new pilot Protein Crops Payment Scheme in Northern Ireland.
The Irish farmer tackling nitrogen pollution rte.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rte.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.