Farmers in crops battle (From York Press)
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Regions farmers begin harvesting
8:44am Wednesday 15th August 2012 in News
By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk
A combine harvester working in a field near Pocklington
THE good weather has provided the region’s crop growers with a much needed chance to begin harvesting, though farming unions say the wet start to the summer is still hampering some.
As the harvest of cereal crops gets under way, Rachel Gillbanks, NFU regional representative, said the idea that a week or two of sun would undo months of cold and rain was a “forlorn hope”.
She said: “I think there are still a few concerns over yields and quality of cereals like wheat and barley.
“There are concerns over fungal diseases too which have hit a number of farmers badly. They can come in quite quickly. I had a farmer who went away just for a week and his crop was fine, but the disease struck while he was away.”
Last month The Press reported on how potato farmers were being particularly hard hit by the months of rain and that some were “praying for sun” ahead of harvesting, which follows the gathering of cereal crops.
Owen Pearson, who grows seed potatoes on his farm at Huggate, said: “The worst thing is that the soil is saturated and, as with most plants, potatoes don’t grow very well in saturated soil. It’s been a cold spring and things are a long way behind.”
Miss Gillbanks said: “We don’t want it to be a whinge-fest, and the sun has helped some people, but we are still seeing a lot of water-logged ground which is difficult to get your machinery on.
“But obviously it’s good that the weather has given people a bit of a window to get some harvesting done.”
The dry weather is set to continue in our region today and tomorrow with showers appearing Friday and carrying on into the weekend.
Comments(15)
Jazzper
says...
9:32am Wed 15 Aug 12
UsernameNotAvailable wrote:Agricultural vehicle drivers should also use some common sense, and bring their vehicles out onto trunk roads at off peak times whenever possible.
Keep up the progress reports, it's important for people to see that this is why there are tractors on the A64 on those sunny days hindering their holiday travel - so we can have food!
Jazzper
says...
9:33am Wed 15 Aug 12
Viper_7
says...
9:44am Wed 15 Aug 12
Jazzper wrote:I think Sir, it is yourself who needs to use some common sense. Until such a time tractors can fly/teleport to their destination they rightly share the road infrastructure.
Agricultural vehicle drivers should also use some common sense, and bring their vehicles out onto trunk roads at off peak times whenever possible.
Sticking to non-peak times takes hours from their harvesting days of which UK weather is temperamental, and also delays bringing in the crops during the small window when they are at their best.
Enjoy your cornflakes.
Jazzper
says...
9:50am Wed 15 Aug 12
Viper_7 wrote:Hang on a minute...I did say whenever possible!, haven't we all bent over backwards to assist farmers with subsidies and altering clocks back and forth....
Jazzper wrote:I think Sir, it is yourself who needs to use some common sense. Until such a time tractors can fly/teleport to their destination they rightly share the road infrastructure.
Agricultural vehicle drivers should also use some common sense, and bring their vehicles out onto trunk roads at off peak times whenever possible.
Sticking to non-peak times takes hours from their harvesting days of which UK weather is temperamental, and also delays bringing in the crops during the small window when they are at their best.
Enjoy your cornflakes.
Jazzper
says...
9:51am Wed 15 Aug 12
boroboy66
says...
3:05pm Wed 15 Aug 12
johnwill
says...
4:37pm Wed 15 Aug 12
btw. Cornflakes are made from imported Maize,usually Genetically Modified, not grown in this country.
Jazzper
says...
4:50pm Wed 15 Aug 12
johnwill wrote:Great post....I couldn't agree more!
When you're marching you're not fighting, get the farm machinery in the fields working in the day time when the sun is shining not travelling on the road.
btw. Cornflakes are made from imported Maize,usually Genetically Modified, not grown in this country.
Viper_7
says...
5:17pm Wed 15 Aug 12
johnwill wrote:The fields are quite large... The machinery has to go back and forth with the crops as they fill up.
When you're marching you're not fighting, get the farm machinery in the fields working in the day time when the sun is shining not travelling on the road.
btw. Cornflakes are made from imported Maize,usually Genetically Modified, not grown in this country.
Again can't yet teleport the crops out.
Indeed much produce is not grown in this country - it's imported, we'll be 100% reliant on the rest of the world the way we are going. Let the farmers actually do something for the country. 5 minute delay on ones precious journey is surely worth it.
UsernameNotAvailable
says...
10:09pm Wed 15 Aug 12
Jazzper wrote:Then you should be even more keen that the wheat and barley yields are good, as that is what porky pig and henny hen eat! :)
Bye the way...I don't eat cornflakes, I'm more into full English breakfasts.
piaggio1
says...
11:02pm Wed 15 Aug 12
EAT BRITISH PORK
while i snail behind a german/french/italia
n built tractor.....on red diesel
Big Bad Wolf
says...
1:11pm Thu 16 Aug 12
Jazzper wrote:Are you for real?
UsernameNotAvailable wrote:Agricultural vehicle drivers should also use some common sense, and bring their vehicles out onto trunk roads at off peak times whenever possible.
Keep up the progress reports, it's important for people to see that this is why there are tractors on the A64 on those sunny days hindering their holiday travel - so we can have food!
Do you mean that farmers should only harvest at time that are convenient to holiday makers?
Farmers work long hours and often do not have holidays themselves.
Jazzper
says...
6:47pm Thu 16 Aug 12
Big Bad Wolf wrote:Yes I am 'for real', I do agree farmers work long hours etc. etc. and I really appreciate all this, but I was just trying to point out that life could be made easier for us all if slow moving vehicles were kept off main roads at peak times. maybe crops harvested during the day...stored in the field then moved later all at once. sorry if this is not possible....in the 'real' world.
Jazzper wrote:Are you for real?
UsernameNotAvailable wrote:Agricultural vehicle drivers should also use some common sense, and bring their vehicles out onto trunk roads at off peak times whenever possible.
Keep up the progress reports, it's important for people to see that this is why there are tractors on the A64 on those sunny days hindering their holiday travel - so we can have food!
Do you mean that farmers should only harvest at time that are convenient to holiday makers?
Farmers work long hours and often do not have holidays themselves.
Big Bad Wolf
says...
3:28pm Fri 17 Aug 12
UsernameNotAvailable says...
8:50am Wed 15 Aug 12