Bit of a strange one but given my previous experiences with this particular local farmer I couldn’t help but be slightly suspicious.

This farmer owns a number of fields for a variety of crops and fields in which he keeps cows. Most of the fields he owns are separated by varying sizes of woodland, all of which have footpaths through them. He sadly uses one of the larger sections of woodland as his dumping ground for his unwanted junk – Tractor parts/old trailers/sections of old barns and general rubbish. A beautiful bit of woodland largely spoiled by his waste.

Many years ago he dug out a very large pit in the woodland (I believe he wanted some hardcore for a new building)and that sadly has also become a convenient spot for him to dump his unwanted rubbish and a few years ago a couple of cow carcasses.

Anyway out walking my dog today I saw smoke pouring out of this pit. Expecting to find some rubbish he wanted to burn away from his home I instead found a very large pile of smouldering red pellets/grain. He had carefully piled it and added pieces of wood to aid the fire.

It had an awful stink as it was smouldering, so opted to walk elsewhere. It might be something entirely innocent but given his reputation I am curious as to what he could be burning, he’d really made an effort to burn it as far away from his barns/farmhouse as possible and as far from prying eyes as he could. Any ideas what it could be?

Damien Green’s pr0n collection ?

Flashys shoes?

The bodies of people he finds talking about him on the Internet?

Flashys shoes?

They’re Class A fire-rated!

Lots of stuff! Pellets/grain could be cattle feed that’s unusable (not sure if cattle eat grain as such though) Not good to have cow carcasses laid about near footpaths though.
Environmental Agency call, or message Welshfarmer off here?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fallen-stock

Read this, I suggest you pass on the relevant information

Fairly out of order, that. ^^^^^^^^

red grain is possibly seed grain (it is dyed to distinguish it). As such he cant feed it to stock safely as it’s been treated. It might be out of date, rotten, failed or from a left over batch he wont use again. How big was the pile? An aggregate bag, two, more? It would be unusual to burn, say more than a couple of tons of unused seed.

Fairly out of order, that. ^^^^^^^^

I thought big n daft’s post was quite reasonable.

Well, it is a local farmer.

Starting points for you.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-exemption-d7-burning-waste-in-the-open

https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-exemptions

Please feel free to report this individual/business if you feel any rules were being broken as it is really selfish and reflects badly on the majority of proper farmers who try to protect the countryside of which we are custodians. As an industry we operate in perhaps the most visible environment possible so there really is no excuse in this day and age not to follow the rules.

big_n_daft – Member

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fallen-stock%5Bquote%5DYou must not burn or bury fallen stock on your farm, and you must not feed fallen stock to red kites or necrophagous birds (birds that feed on carcases).

You must arrange for the animal to collected by an approved transporter and taken for disposal to one of the following:

knacker
hunt kennel
maggot farm
incinerator
renderer[/quote]Now there’s a job you wouldn’t want!

Sounds like he’s getting rid of excess seed. The red is an outer layer containing nutrients / fertiliser to aid growth. Not sure I would like to breath the smoke. With the dead stock due to foot and mouth all stock need to be disposed of by someone certified. I would report.

Dyed grain could be rat poison, as rats can’t see what colour it is. I’ve used blue dyed grain to get rid of the buggers before.

They nibbled off the blue outer and guzzled the good grain…

I too would report it. Footpaths criss cross his land you say, in that case it’s easy for others to get caught up in the smoke. Does sound like grain burn off to me too. Did it have mini explosions?

He’s probably been doing the same for years and no ones bothered reporting, so he’s pretty much his own law in his eyes.

Jamie – Member
Fairly out of order, that. ^^^^^^^^
I thought big n daft’s post was quite reasonable.

POSTED 40 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

maggot farm

Do you think they have tiny tractors?

The grain was just smouldering, couldn’t see any mini explosions as such. Unfortunately unlike most of the farmers here, he does seem a law unto himself and has little concern for anybody or anything but himself.

The biggest shame is that he treats the woodland by his field so poorly and has ruined the area for people who used to enjoy it.

I will do some research and find out where I should report him. I believe his farm comes under South Northants Council area so will find out.

The biggest shame is that he treats the woodland by his field so poorly and has ruined the area for people who used to enjoy it.

Exactly what he wants to achieve.

Farmer: Finally, I’ve stopped you lot traipsing all over my land.

Other: Yeah, but it looks like shit.

Farmer: Yes, but it’s mine. And get off it.

Northwind, I have no idea what your intention was there but it isn’t very funny. Can someone (moderator) get rid of it?

Just as a counter point to csb – Northwinds post didn’t offend me. Does that make it 1-1?

Don’t call Northy ‘it’…..can’t get rid- he’s ours.

yeah I found Northwind’s post slightly off kelter there too. Usually spot on.

Martinhutch, it’s all I thought about. “we didn’t burn him”.

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YOtpgz4L5d8[/video]

I have visited a maggot farm, it was the most unpleasant experience. The stench of ammonia was unreal. It was when I worked in a fishing tackle shop, got take around the farm by the producer. To get the colour they fed them dyed chicken carcus. That was seriously unpleasant.

Exactly what he wants to achieve.

Farmer: Finally, I’ve stopped you lot traipsing all over my land.

Other: Yeah, but it looks like shit.

Farmer: Yes, but it’s mine. And get off it.

indeed i am currently not popular with local farmers for maintaining local footpaths as marked on maps ….. where they let it grow over.

thus keeping them usable .

exactly what they didnt want.

I’ve tried to follow footpaths in the borders before (close to Duns) and farmers have kindly put electric fences along the walls so after walking for half a mile across a field you have to turn back else risk getting an electric shock.

They can’t do that, get a stick and move it out of the way whilst you hop over.

Don’t damage it, I know sometimes it’s tempting to leave the stick in place but the fences do keep animals contained.. you might not see them in that particular field however they may be in an adjoining one and a gate is open out of sight.

OFGEM run a renewable heat incentive scheme where if you produce heat from a renewable source of energy, the government pay you.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/non-domestic-rhi

Some farmers abuse this scheme by installing grain drying areas. They dry grain to feed into their biomass boiler to produce heat to dry grain etc etc. The more grain they dry, the more grain they burn, the more heat the produce, the more they get paid off the government.

Thankfully OFGEM have cottoned on to this loophole, but this may explain something of what you’re seeing at this farm.

http://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/15626769.In_defence_of_RHI_backed_grain_drying/

OP..you mentioned in your original post that most of the fields were separated by areas of woodland most of which have paths in them ..the bit which I find intriguing is that there was a distinct lack of the word ‘public’ in front of the word path.
Before I could possibly be remotely sympathetic ..are these paths public ?
If not then prior to reporting the farmer for anything ..just be clear in your own mind that you won’t get done for trespassing on private property ..

They are public footpaths. Are you able to muster sympathy now?

Dead Holes. I know more farms with one than without. Custodians of the land my arse!

Welshfarmer is of the minority I suspect.

Yeah sure ..but you didn’t make that clear ..
As there are farmers in my family & social circle my natural default is to side with the farmer ..however as said by Welsh farmer ..if he is breaking the law then report it .

In my experience farmers have an almost genius level intellect when it comes to denying access to or clawing back land. The guy who owns most of the land round here seems to devote all of his energy to stealing borders, little river banks, right of ways etc.

Every week he does something thread worthy. To say nothing of the fact that he somehow bought one of the largest farms in Ireland without it ever being listed for sale or auction ……chinscratchemoji

Yeah sure ..but you didn’t make that clear ..

In the OP.

Most of the fields he owns are separated by varying sizes of woodland, all of which have footpaths through them.

Looks pretty clear to me.

indeed i am currently not popular with local farmers for maintaining local footpaths as marked on maps ….. where they let it grow over.

thus keeping them usable .

exactly what they didnt want.

I thought Scotland was access nirvana?

Jambo
Maybe you are seeing the word public where I can’t ?
Are are you ignorant of the fact that where access laws are concerned there is a huge difference 🙄
Edit : The last time I looked Northamptonshire was very much in the deep south ..

jimjam – Member
In my experience farmers have an almost genius level intellect when it comes to denying access to or clawing back land. The guy who owns most of the land round here seems to devote all of his energy to stealing borders, little river banks, right of ways etc.

Every week he does something thread worthy. To say nothing of the fact that he somehow bought one of the largest farms in Ireland without it ever being listed for sale or auction ……chinscratchemoji

POSTED 1 MINUTE AGO # REPORT-POST

This.

For every decent farmer (I meet a few out on my bike and some are really nice and cheery) there is one of these:

thought Scotland was access nirvana

Assholes will be assholes where ever.

Jambo
Maybe you are seeing the word public where I can’t ?
Are are you ignorant of the fact that where access laws are concerned there is a huge difference
Edit : The last time I looked Northamptonshire was very much in the deep south ..

The phrase footpath implies a public right of way. That’s what they are called on OS maps. Paths without access rights are simply referred to as Paths.

But that didn’t fit your agenda did it…