Preparing our fields for cattle once more

The weather still seems to be a major talking point. At most gatherings – even at a couple of funerals, the topic raised its head surprisingly often. I shall mention it no more as I and just about every farmer I know, are all thoroughly fed up and just want the land to dry up so we can get on with farming.

My search for Sussex steers has almost come to an end.

I have just about filled my quota and look forward to bringing the young stock back to the farm as soon as ground conditions allow.

One problem I am facing this spring is that the producers are already running low or out of bedding and feed.

They are desperate to turn the cattle out, but the fields are still too wet.

They are hoping I will collect my stock soon, but our fields are still too wet and in danger of getting poached which would not bode well for the rest of the grazing season.

We are spending time preparing the fields which are to be converted from arable into herbal mix pasture.

For over thirty years the cattle have not grazed these fields so new stock fencing and a fresh water supply is needed.

The change will benefit the soil and wildlife and improve the biodiversity - I am beginning to sound like an environmentalist!

We are fortunate to have a huge range of wildlife including badgers, stoats, foxes and a wide variety of birds on the farm as we run the livestock extensively and use no fertiliser or sprays on the grass fields.

The owls, kingfishers, partridge, geese and many common ‘garden’ birds, and too many pigeons, give us enormous pleasure.

Sadly, the days are long gone since we would see a ‘deceit’ of lapwings at Ote Hall.

In those days they frequented certain favoured fields, from which they rarely strayed.

It is good to know that farmers within the South Downs National Park are about to act to save the threatened lapwing.

The Arun and Adur farmers’ group has chosen to make the lapwing a priority for conservation action, in a bid to bring this endangered bird back from the brink.

As they say, despite conservation efforts, this once familiar farmland bird with its striking peewit call, is rarely seen in much of Sussex these days.

As we embark on several ‘environmental’ schemes, much of the work required to qualify we have been doing for decades, including the ‘low’ input specification.

This along with the herbal leys, will allow us to increase the number of cattle we can fatten over the summer months.

I would much rather spend time checking the cattle twice a day than watch our arable crops being attacked by slugs, aphids, diseases, and certain weeds including rogue grasses, all of which threaten to wipe out the crop unless treated with expensive chemicals and potions.

Give me cattle any day.

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