I suddenly have the urge to know everything about arable farming. I've done a bit of a google but maybe STW will help me out. Excuse the following stream of conciousness:
I live in West Sussex South of the downs. Is this is first class farming land?
Wheat is the highest value crop so will be typically grown in preference to Barley/Rape if the soil/climate is good enough? True? Barley would therefore be grown in worse climates/soil? True?
Will farmers round here get two crops in a year?
What's the process of preparing the soil? Ploughing in Autumn obviously. What are the following steps? Harrowing then rolling, or are these optional?
All these questions relate to West Sussex Coastal Plain. (I assume chalky soil and reasonable amounts of Sun).
I've noticed some local fields with some kind of veg growing. Is that because the fields aren't big enough to farm on an industrial scale? Or is it a feature of the soil.
I apologise for my ignorance, and I accept that a general answer will be over simplistic, that I'm only looking for a vague idea of what will be going on around me over the year.
TIA
PS: WTF is the dictionary definition of "unimproved meadowland" and is it an item from some kind of list of land gradings, and if so where is that list?
EDIT: Ignore the above, answer here: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/Options/BrackenManagement/DefinitionsofLandTypes
Ok crops will be grown in a rotation, some are more than others.
Wheat isnt always the most valuable crop, feed wheat is not that valuable compared with milling wheat. Barley can be sown in winter or in Spring many uses. Other crops such as field beans are good in the rotation as a legume fixes Nitrogen.
Rape is well rape.
Ploughing every year very rare, mintil is where its at, single pass disc drill and roll with possible pesticide application in one go.
Hope this is a starter
Brilliant Pigface. Ta!
I've noticed some local fields with some kind of veg growing. Is that because the fields aren't big enough to farm on an industrial scale? Or is it a feature of the soil.
as explained, normally a rotation - however in many areas you may see strips of cover crop planted in field margins to provide food and cover for game birds, commonly strips of maize, quinoa, millet or kale. all provide lots of winter food for birds.
Class one land tends to get used for horticulture. From memory the south downs are chalky so I would say not class one.