scolopax Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 (edited) Edited because a: I have calmed down a bit now and may have been over reacting a bit, and b: the farmer has net access and you never know may one day read this. Edited June 10, 2010 by scolopax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Buger, anyone'd think he owned the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windrush Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Buger, anyone'd think he owned the place. You say owner, I say current custodian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Its not unusual for farmers to be mowing headlands about now, as the grass is growing a foot a minute, with all this sun and then rain. I do agree there are a some that have a "slash and burn" mentality, but a lot of my farmers have "skylark strips and corners", plus other "pickles" that are left undisturbed for the wildlife. They ain't all bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 if they are 6m strips sounds like he is in one of the stewardship schemes and the whole point of the strips and why he is paid for them is to enhance wildlife. Best to keep quiet and hope he gets a visit as they do check up by Satellite from time to time to make sure they are sticking to the rules which sounds like he probably isn't. The only slight advantage is if we get a wet period any broods he hasn't mowed will have somewhere to dry out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 If he’s got strips that wide then he’s most likely in one scheme or another (ever know a farmer who voluntarily leaves 6m unplanted around his fields?) and if that’s the case he’s most likely cutting at the wrong time of year,but what you gonna do...report him! In general farmers are the most untidy boogers, huge scrap heaps, farm machinery left lying/rusting any old where etc etc. Most have permanent fires burning to get rid of farm rubbish and most if they shoot leave spent cartridges lying all over. Some aren’t so bad and have more respect for their land but as a general rule it’s endemic in their genes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Janaway Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 I'm about to go and top my feild margins. It's got to be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the running man Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Buger, anyone'd think he owned the place. very funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted June 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 (edited) Buger, anyone'd think he owned the place. He does not, he is a tenant. We as shooters tend to put farmers on some form of pedestal, because they indirectly provide our sport, but after this morning I wonder if they are worthy of the title 'guardians of the countryside'. I suppose many are, and those that are are almost exclusively shooting men, although I do know of some farmers who are genuinely 'into' conservation without having a shooting interest. It amuses me to read on here people decrying 'townies' for some indiscretion when by far the most injurious to the countryside are the farmers themselves. For example if we leave a coke can, a mars bar wrapper or our empty cartridges behind we would very rightly be castigated, yet the farmer can leave all kinds of detritus but because its farm waste it somehow makes it alright, silage wrap, baler twine, supplement buckets, old fence wire, used oil filters etc etc can be found adorning the hedgerows and woodlands on a great many farms. Last year after the pea viners had been it looked like a kids playground after lunchtime where these contractors had taken there break, crisp wrappers, sandwich wrappers, empty cans, all just dumped on the field ready to be ploughed in, the only difference in fact would be seven year old kids in a playground would know to put their litter in a bin. As somebody already mentioned on a shoot day it is always the farmers who are the worse offenders for not picking up the empties, sorry, what normally happens is they pick them up then chuck them in the nearest hedge bottom as they walk back after the drive. Anyway I seem to be ranting now so time to quit typing. Edited June 9, 2010 by scolopax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 As a farmer I can not believe what I have just read. A shooting tenant/shooter complaining about how and when a farmer maintains his farm. We will start silaging soon, were late up here on the moor, and the next couple of weeks is the last chance to spray/top all the rubbish and generally have a tidy up. Remember a farm is no different to a factory or an office, it's where we make our living and topping weeds before they flower and spread seeds everywhere is a priority. No different to sweeping the factory floor. If you don't like it go back to your town and bide there cause there's enough whingers in the countryside already telling us what to do and complaining about the smell and the noise the cows make. And don't get me started about how the bloody pheasants destroy the banks and hedges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 You seem to have very little grasp on farming practice ever thought of asking indirectly why he has done it as it may inlighten you a bit. Cheers OTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSS Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 I'll gladly have the permission if you are going to moan about the farmer doing his yearly jobs! Honestly, I can't see the probem, worse things happen at sea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soreshoulder Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 i bet if someone came to your house and told you to stop mowing the lawn and tidying you'd post an even bigger rant on here :blink: He can do what he likes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulf Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Trouble with farming is it's seasonal, we have just had a dry period and the farmer has exploited this to deal with the weeds before they set seed, the docks will already have. Perhaps a bit earlier than ideal but everything is rocketing at the moment particularly now we have had rain, farming is about juggling weather conditions and carrying out work in available time slots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badshot Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 As a farmer I can not believe what I have just read. A shooting tenant/shooter complaining about how and when a farmer maintains his farm. We will start silaging soon, were late up here on the moor, and the next couple of weeks is the last chance to spray/top all the rubbish and generally have a tidy up. Remember a farm is no different to a factory or an office, it's where we make our living and topping weeds before they flower and spread seeds everywhere is a priority. No different to sweeping the factory floor. If you don't like it go back to your town and bide there cause there's enough whingers in the countryside already telling us what to do and complaining about the smell and the noise the cows make. And don't get me started about how the bloody pheasants destroy the banks and hedges. Well said Charlie, I will add that some schemes require the margins to be cut short to encourage different wildlife. The margins are there to encourage a specific type of wildlife not for a nice little rough shoot. Some farmers will have them for that reason but not all. The pheasants are doing more damage here than rabbits these days, I had to redrill several acres of rape with linseed due to the pheasants grazing it off over the winter. There is also an old saying ' one years seeds, seven years weeds'. With the weeds becoming resistant to the herbicides that europe hasn't banned, cutting can be a more environmentally friendly way of reducing the reliance on the chemical can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyr8 Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 if some of the poiseness weeds are left to go to seed like ragwort he could be looking at a fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyr8 Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 if some of the poiseness weeds are left to go to seed like ragwort he could be looking at a fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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