The Farmers Mart Dec-Jan 2019 - Issue 60 | Page 47

APPROACH FARM 47 • DEC/JAN 2019 SALERS WILL MEAT YOUR NEEDS! SLEEP EASY AND LET SALERS DO THE WORK FOR YOU Profitable suckler cows need to: • Mature early so heifers can calve at 2, & without difficulty • Wean a calf annually which fits market requirements • Adapt to the resources on the farm, its management & environment • Have low annual maintenance costs • Have a long, productive life (10+ calves weaned) That will be a Salers then! MORE BEEF LESS GRIEF T: 07903 626 249 E: [email protected] www.salers-cattle-society.co.uk away sand to heavy clay and in a normal year will average a wheat yield of around 4 tonnes per acre.’ ‘Increasing the organic matter and putting life into the soil is the key to longer term sustainability of the land and reducing the disturbance is one of the most effective ways of helping nature return the soil to a good state. Cover crops and changing the machinery we use and the way we use it are the way in which we keep what is termed the soil microbiome in good order.’ Angus began his new approach at Ap- proach by moving from ploughing to min-till in 2008 purchasing a stubble cultivator. ‘The soils started becoming easier to work by keeping the organic matter in the upper layers but I wanted to go the next stage further and bought a Muzuri strip till drill running it for two and a half years. That’s when I also began growing cover crops to further enhance the soil and lock in carbon to increase the organic matter. As soon as I had combined and chopped the straw I was in with oats and radish. Over the years I’ve tweaked things up and now grow covers of oilseed radish, sunflowers, spring oats, vetch and others.’ ‘ Our land varies from blow away sand to heavy clay and in a normal year will average a wheat yield of around 4 tonnes per acre EXPERTS IN YOUR FIELD Raworths is highly rated in the national legal guides Chambers and Legal 500 for our work with individuals, families, farming and rural businesses. We are proud to support Approach Farm on its continued success. For further information, please contact David Garfitt, Head of Agriculture and Rural Group. Eton House, 89 Station Parade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 1HF | 01423 566 666 | raworths.co.uk ’ ‘Three years ago I sold the Muzuri and bought a John Deere disc drill and I now drill into anything, even a 6 foot high cover crop. The drill pushes down the cover crop that is usually about to die and the disc drill cuts into the soil placing the seed alongside the disc and closes the slot and that’s it, leaving most of the soil undisturbed.’ ‘Weeds don’t emerge as you haven’t dis- turbed the soil and they can’t get daylight. This means the soil harvests the carbon through the cover crop and that locks down into the roots increasing the organic matter and in so doing helping the soil through increased nutrient and water holding capacities. It keeps the soil alive through increased nitrogen.’ Proud suppliers to Angus Gowthorpe wishing him continued success