OVER the last week, the weather has continued to give us almost the same conditions that we have experienced over the past two months.

Here on Manor Farm we have only been showered with a few millimetres of rain, barely enough to lay the dust. Otherwise we have had plenty of sunshine, which is hastening the ripening of our cereal crops, but has brought grass growth to a grinding halt.

At the beginning of the week we were all summoned to help move the in-calf heifers to fresh pasture. They were reluctant to move from the field they were in, even though there was very little grass left, but once out they walked steadily to their fresh surroundings.

A few days later some of our young calves escaped from their field, going through a hedge and some barbed wire. Luckily they did not get onto the road but did end up in an adjacent field planted with maize. The crop is now waist height, so fortunately the calves remained visible. They were soon persuaded to walk between the rows back to their field, without doing too much damage.

Much of the week has been taken up with "roguing". This is the term used for the removal of wild oats from cereal crops. There are two species of wild oats, the most typical being one has the Latin name, Avena Fatua, which I remember well from my days at college.

It is common in UK arable systems, able to cross to with cultivated oats. Wild oats are very competitive weeds, because the plants are similar in growth to cereal plants, but grow larger shading the cultivated crop.

Wild oats are also host to a number of pests and diseases that affect cereal crops, including some cereal worms, barley yellow dwarf virus, as well as several insects and fungi. If wild oats are left standing in cereals they will contaminate the grain at harvest, so they are best removed by pulling up the plants before the combine is used. This process is arduous but wild oats can be easily seen and must be taken away and destroyed. Roguing has been found to reduce the number of wild oats by 85%.

Ian has attended a crops Agri Focus event, with trial plots and seminars, where he was able learn more about the latest advances in science and technology, giving him more NRoSO (National Register of Sprayer Operators) points.

In preparation for harvest, Richard and Kevin serviced the combine harvester. They have replaced worn belts, and some knives on the straw chopper. The mice had chewed through some cables to the sensors, so the cables have been repaired. A few new blades were needed on the knife and the air filters were changed, as these usually collect a great deal of dust. Then there were some chains to tighten and the fuse on the moisture meter repaired before the combine was given a general clean and was ready for work. On the evening of the last day of the week, Richard decided one of our fields of winter barley was ready to harvest. The combine was driven to the ripe crop, but only managed to work for a short time before stopping with a mega blockage. When I arrived at the field with some sandwiches, I could see the disabled machine with Ryan, Ian and Richard pulling large handfuls of straw from every available space, not a pleasant job.

After some time the threshing mechanism was able to function once more. Richard told me that the sensor had not detected the blockage, so maybe the mice had done a little more damage than was found? The grain had a moisture content of between 13 and 15%, which was fine as it has to be below 15% for sale.

Finally preparations have been underway for a Farm Assurance inspection, due shortly. David, our nutritionist, has printed out a copy of the supplementary ration we are feeding the milking cows and our vet has checked our herd health plan, which he has to sign. Hopefully everything is now in place.