old'un Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 Not been out for about three weeks so today decided to have a drive around a few farms to see where the rape had gone in, well I could not believe the amount of stubble fields still untouched, popped into one farm that usually grows around 100/150 acres of rape, not one field gone in, this farm lost around 60 acres of rape last year due to flea beetle, he has been advised not to grow rape for at least five years, so where the rape should be is now winter beans. Another farmer I was talking to said that because of the bad sowing conditions in August (dry) and flea beetle problems a lot of farms around here decided not to sow rape. Not been around all my ground but driving around there looks like a lot less rape this year, anyone seeing similar? A little on the problems farmers are having with flea beetle…https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/crop-management/pests/tips-on-how-to-beat-flea-beetle-when-growing-oilseed-rape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 I spent an hour on the combine with a farmer and he is moving to growing rape 1 in 4 year's as opposed to 1 in 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 (edited) Beetle took 75% of 2 small fields i shoot on. Roughly 30 acres. He gave up and has beet on it. Thankfully didnt effect his other fields, but hes decided to sell up to development and in 5 years half his land will be a new estate if it gos through Edited October 10, 2019 by strimmer_13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilksy II Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 Yes one farmer I know gave up on rape two years ago due to beetle and he has a lot of pigeons, and my main permission hasn’t sown rape this year as you say due to conditions but it has been very lean for pigeons this past 18 months on his patch, so I’ll be looking for more permission once the pigeons hit the rape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 on the farms i shoot,only 2 have put rape in.all together thats only 60 acres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 All our farms bar a few used to grow a large percentage of rape, and now only several are bothering at all and the ones that are at a much lower acreage. Even worse is that the break crops also seem to have switched to large acreage of oats which is total carp for pigeons! Makes it that bit harder to find opportunities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 Only had 1 field of rape this last year due to flea beetle, got 5 this year happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 I seem to have as much rape as ever to shoot over. Some farmers are growing more than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 I have about the same amount but almost half has been attacked by flea beetles and doesn't look at all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 the rape i have here...is about a foot high and untouched......the way things are going he will be cropping twice a year......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 1 hour ago, motty said: I seem to have as much rape as ever to shoot over. Some farmers are growing more than ever. Well you are lucky, I phoned a farmer today that has grown rape for the last 30+ years, he’s not put any rape in this year and doubts he will next year. Looking at this article from April 2019, the south seems to have been hit the hardest…https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/osr/oilseed-rape-area-to-shrink-as-growers-weigh-up-alternatives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 that will spoil a lot of winter shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 36 minutes ago, mossy835 said: that will spoil a lot of winter shooting. Or it could be a bonus if you have a field or two to shoot as you may see big numbers concentrated on those fields, bit like it was in the early days of rape back in the 70s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 Yea , the same as ditchman , we have got plenty of rape and it is looking in good nick , tonight I walked across some rape on the way home and it was well up my wellies . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted October 12, 2019 Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 In was talking to a Farmer last week , he was late sowing the rape and the fields look like wheat and barley with the volunteer seed growing, as he said that that as they can not dress the seed against flea beetle he has lost four hundred acres of rape and will have to reseed. The cost he reckons is 10k . The next farm has rape which is six inches tall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 2 hours ago, pigeon controller said: In was talking to a Farmer last week , he was late sowing the rape and the fields look like wheat and barley with the volunteer seed growing, as he said that that as they can not dress the seed against flea beetle he has lost four hundred acres of rape and will have to reseed. The cost he reckons is 10k . The next farm has rape which is six inches tall. What will he reseed the lost rape with? spring rape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted October 12, 2019 Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 9 hours ago, old'un said: What will he reseed the lost rape with? spring rape? He will not reseed with rape as the flea beetle will still be in the ground. Probably wheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 14 hours ago, pigeon controller said: He will not reseed with rape as the flea beetle will still be in the ground. Probably wheat. Have you been for a drive round to get some idea of where and how much rape as been sown?, talking to a few farmers who were going to sow rape in August but said the conditions were not right (to dry) for the rape to get away and put some growth on before winter, some have sown winter beans instead or looking at winter corn if the conditions improve or spring corn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 35 minutes ago, old'un said: Have you been for a drive round to get some idea of where and how much rape as been sown?, talking to a few farmers who were going to sow rape in August but said the conditions were not right (to dry) for the rape to get away and put some growth on before winter, some have sown winter beans instead or looking at winter corn if the conditions improve or spring corn. A few farms direct drilled rape after removing the bales, others who waited have had the flea beetle concern. I was amazed by the amount of volunteer rape about still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 9 minutes ago, pigeon controller said: A few farms direct drilled rape after removing the bales, others who waited have had the flea beetle concern. I was amazed by the amount of volunteer rape about still. Funny how you should say that as I also noticed lots healthy looking volunteer rape, some of it around eight inches high, if I did not know any different I would have sworn the field had been sown with rape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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