Farming Update

With spring now behind us and summer beginning to settle in, it has been another busy few months here on Rockside farm. As always, there never seems to be quite enough rain when you want it and too much when you don’t, but we’ve been making the most of the conditions and keeping everything moving forward.

Field work got underway in late April with ploughing completed across the farm before we moved straight into sowing in early May. This year we have planted 150 acres of Laureate spring barley. It’s a variety we know well and have grown many times before with consistently good results. Laureate continues to work well for us as a reliable, high-yielding crop and, just as importantly, Anthony continues to enjoy the flavour profile it brings through in production.

Alongside our barley, we have continued with our crop rotation programme and this year we’ve sown 20 acres of herbal ley rich in white and alsike clover. Not only does it provide good grazing, but it also plays an important role in naturally improving soil fertility by fixing nitrogen back into the ground. Looking after the soil is just as important as looking after the crop itself and this will help prepare these fields to return to barley production again in the years ahead.

On the livestock side, spring has once again been one of the busiest times of year.  Lambing has now wrapped up as well and it’s always satisfying to see the fields full again with ewes and lambs happily grazing and making the most of the grass.  Calving is now coming towards an end and we’re pleased to say we have welcomed 25 healthy calves so far, with just two cows still to calve in the coming days.

Speaking of grass, it has been growing well despite the mixed conditions. Some fields will need topped over the coming weeks as sheep tend to leave the longer grass untouched and we want to stop it heading to seed and keep quality grazing in front of them throughout the season.

Attention is already turning towards winter feed as we prepare to start cutting silage next week. Together with the draff, this will form an important part of the diet for our sheep and cattle through the winter months. Before long, sheep clipping will also be underway, another sure sign that summer farming is in full swing.

Weather-wise, it’s been a familiar story. After a dry but cold spring, summer arrived with more rain than we’d hoped for and now, like most farmers, we’re looking for a bit of warm sunshine to give everything a push. That said, farming has always been about working with what you get rather than what you wish for.

There’s always another job waiting around the corner, but that’s the nature of it. We’ll keep going, keep adapting, and hopefully enjoy the rewards of the hard work later in the season.

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