Local farmers preparing.

[adam2]

Several local farmers are considering changes in the light of recent events.

The main concerns are high labour costs, high fuel costs, but higher prices are expected for some products. Widely held views include.

Edible oil prices are high and expected to remain so. Several farmers are expecting to grow rapeseed as a result. A low labour crop with modern machinery.
Wheat prices are expected to remain high and growing this crop is increasingly expected to be worthwhile. Also low labour costs as cultivated and harvested with modern machinery.
Dairy farming, the increased cost of labour, and the increased milk price are said to be roughly equal. No one expects significant increases or decreases in dairy farming locally.
Beef farming, I only know one beef farmer, he is optimistic and glad of the extra land purchased a few years ago. Low labour cost, and low fuel input.
Sheep farming, no change expected.

Green vegetable production, a substantial decline is expected due to high labour costs and low prices paid by supermarkets.
Soft fruit production, similar decline, except under glass.

Two farmers expect apple orchards to become more popular, for cider production.

One suggests that grape growing for wine production might be next "big thing". Warming climate, possible trade war with France restricting wine imports, public opinion in favour of "made in UK"

[mr brightside]

Seems like mainly good news to me. This country needs to keep farmland utilised or it'll end up getting developed.

[adam2]

There are two distinct viewpoints among local farmers regarding labour costs.

One is that labour will remain scarce and expensive, and that crops requiring less labour will therefore become more profitable. Wheat and combine harvesters to replace green vegetables and cheap migrant workers for example. In the longer term some expect greater use of robots. In one case, the teenage children of a local farmer stated "I would stay on the farm if driving a modern air conditioned tractor, but I have no wish to stay on the farm crouched in the mud cutting cabbages by hand, and eating turnips. Even shelf stacking is better than that and at least is indoors"

The alternative view is that labour will remain available but that better working conditions will be required in order to attract and retain staff. For seasonal staff, the use of good quality tented accommodation was suggested, with toilets, showers, proper beds, heating, and electric lights. A large portahut for showers, toilets, and washing machines was suggested with large tents for sleeping and living space. "the days of Romanian or Polish workers sleeping 6 to a dilapidated caravan are over"

[clv101]

Any thoughts on how to finance the quarter of a million pound combine? And future fuel costs?

One view of the future is a shortage of capital, materials, fuel, artificial inputs... (See Cuba or North Korea post USSR). The one thing that remained in abundance was labour - fueling Cuba's pivot to organic horticulture. N. Korea stuck with industrial agriculture and (dramatically simplifying a complex situation) millions starved.

[adam2]

Combine harvesters and other large or expensive machinery may be purchased with a bank loan by larger farmers. Smaller farmers may find it more worthwhile to have the crop harvested by an agricultural contractor.

The increased fuel price is a concern but is still a small percentage of the value of a wheat crop. And MUCH cheaper than enough serfs to harvest it by hand. Electric power is a future possibility, either from batteries or a long trailing cable.

[Catweazle]

In East Europe, where they have much experience of such things, they make good use of compact tractors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nSExhm8yoM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjxswmZATEg


Creative use of power units, either IC or electric, and suitable implements can make farming practical on small, oddly shaped parcels of land.

[Catweazle]

Simple power unit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0DG6wzTlMg

[adam2]

A recent conversation confirmed a move away from green vegetables and towards grains, and possibly field beans.

Green vegetables are not only labour intensive to harvest, but the price fetched is very "variable, and often disappointing, depending on how badly the supermarkets screw you" Wheat and other grains, have a "going rate" per ton that is published" and can not be halved at the last minute by a supermarket.

Two local farmers expect to grow field beans in the near future. Mainly for the reduced fertiliser requirement, as beans fix nitrogen rather than needing increasingly expensive chemical fertiliser. Can be combine harvested. Good winter feed for livestock.

One farmer says field beans are a good crop in case of TEOTWAWKI.
Can be harvested by hand in an emergency, unlike wheat. [Cut the whole plant, tie them in bundles and hang to dry in a barn. Cut down one bundle at a time and throw to livestock.] Some beans will fall from the plants as they are being cut. Tedious to save these, so turn free range hens, or pigs into the field to eat the otherwise wasted beans.

If labour to harvest the beans is very short, and machinery not available, then livestock can eat the crop in situ

[clv101]

Agree about beans, I'm growing more broad beans this year than ever before. Had some tonight, branched from freezer from last year. Next week will be the first fresh crop from polytunnel. Also lots of French beans.

[adam2]

I also enjoy broad beans, but the proposal was to grow "field beans" which IIRC are a related but not identical crop.

These days field beans are machine harvested, dried and stored in silos. In an emergency they can be hand harvested, very labour intensive but doable. Harvesting wheat by hand is effectively impossible these days.

Field beans are generally considered as animal feed but can be eaten by people.

[BritDownUnder]

I have put some beans in as a winter food. From memory when living in the UK there were bales that looked like straw bales except a bit darker called 'bean bales' that were used as cattle food.

[Catweazle]

My lad bought a few bags of 7.7.7 fertiliser from the local CCF farm supplies, it currently costs £28 for a 20kg bag, double what I last paid.

[adam2]

As already said, a local beef farmer purchased extra land a few years back, very cheaply as it is liable to flood.
In wet weather this land is useless.
However in the present hot dry weather it has proved its worth. The grass is growing excellently and the cattle are putting on weight at a good rate.

Water for the animals is a problem, mains water is expensive and not reliable in hot weather. The borehole is turning salty. A new borehole further from the sea is being considered.

[adam2]

One farm has used much improved accommodation for seasonal workers.
A hired toilet and shower block in a portahut, a coin op washing machine in an existing outbuilding, and a very large tent for sleeping/living space.
The tent became uncomfortably hot and needed several large and energy gobbling air conditioners, but otherwise the new arrangements are working well.

[adam2]

The main near term concern is the drought and fire risk.

Watering livestock is a significant problem on at least two local farms. The beef farmer normally uses two boreholes and mains water. One borehole has "gone to salt" and produces increasingly salty water. Cows wont touch it. Other borehole often goes dry and can only be pumped for about an hour a day.
Mains water is unreliable and often too low in pressure to reach the upper fields.

Having to buy water. Filling three IBCs a day from my metered domestic supply.