Cheltenham Monitor Farm: A drain on resources? Managing moisture on heavy, tight and retentive soils

The first of our final winter series at Boddington Estates will see an update from Andrew on harvest 24 and progress with the autumn workload.

Across the country, harvest 24 exhibited the perils of no-till drilling on all but the most forgiving and free-draining soil types.

The protracted wet weather didn’t allow such crops to get away in autumn nor encouraged deeper rooting in spring, the results of these field conditions we are all painfully aware of.

So how do we manage water and grow profitable crops in these ‘heavy land’ scenarios without a wholesale return to intensive cultivations and associated expense?

Join us to discuss considerate cultivation and drainage strategies with Andy Newbold (Tillage Live and Agri Machinery News) and Nuffield Scholar and NAAC member Rob Burtonshaw (Farm Services Ltd).

Please note this event will be meeting at a local pub for breakfast before heading back to Boddington Estates for some static machinery discussions and drainage appraisal, as opposed to our ‘usual’ winter venue and format.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for a field walk and outside discussion.

BASIS and NRoSO points will be available.