Bateman's Barn Farm Blog

A cold first few days of March but dry and getting warmer with the advent of early spring sunshine. Work on the farm progresses with putting some fertiliser on wheats. Last year we were caught out by the exceptional dry spring so the this year we are going on a little earliar. The sugar beet have all gone over a week ago now, however the legacy will go on in that the field remains uncultivated, I am reluctant to plough in the rotting remnantsof the last crop until it has decayed on the surface to a degree. I am then not sure what it will grow. Despite British Sugar’s efforts to mollify concerns this years sugar harvest will leave a bitter taste for many farmers, you will be not seeing as many fields of beet in 2012.

On a brighter more positive note more calves have been born, and we have even had chicks from one of our very free range hens.

Early Easter?

Cows and some recent calves March 11

Almost a dry week when strong winds gave way to an idylic springlike day on Tuesday, we were able to progress with spreading an early dressing of a nitrogen sulphur compound fertiliser on the conventional oilseed rape crops, and some later drilled wheat.  

One load of sugar beet was harvested straight onto the lorry and delivered and was accepted for processing, there are many more to go, it is still uncertain if they will all be harvested. This will seriously affect our future growing of the crop, nevertheless I am very lucky to have delivered what we have this year.

Sprocket the spaniel inspects hedge work

Meanwhile we have had Simon Bonnett here this week coppicing an old hedgerow down by the minster. This work rejuvenates hedges, cutting out the old  growth and allowing the hedge to grow out from the bottom with renewed vigour. It also allows plants that have been shaded out to flourish for a few years until the hedge regrows. 

And in a sign of spring another calf was born this week. 

Calf born 10/2/11

 Below additional picture showing what coppicing a hedgerow has done in previous years. It looks bleak at first but as the next pic shows  

Hedge coppiced 2009

Letting the light in allows flora to flourish for a few years until the hedge regrows.

One of those weeks where the time goes in a flash ‘cos everything is happening at once. Living and working in an historic landsape provides many challenges but also positive benefits, one is working with English Heritage an organisation that has transformed itself over the years. This last week were descended upon by what seemed a substantial proportion of their East Anglia team, always supportive and positive. Recently we have been lucky enough to have a grant to repair the grandly titled West Gatehouse  (the East Gatehouse was pulled down 300 years ago). That work is now virtually complete. We are now looking to expand our B & B facilities in the Hall which as a Grade 1 listed property requires EH approval.

We also have tree surgeons (The tree GP Mike Barker) working here at the momen  on trees in the Minster to make sure all areas are safe for vistors and around the car park area.

It will be February tomorrow and for the first time in my farming career, and my entire experince on the farm here, we have sugar beet still in the ground to be harvested. The crop is contracted to British Sugar, usually we have everything harvested by mid-December at the latest and the fields all drilled up with winter wheat. In 2010 British Sugar in their wisdom decided to delay opening the factories and taking delivery of the crop. I had decided to grow a few more acres to be sure of fulfilling my contract. We all got caught out by the unprecedented weather in December of last year. As a consequence we have frost damaged sugar beet, we do not know as yet if they are good enough to deliver. It is not just this crop that is affected we have lost out on a potential 2011 wheat crop in this field. It is uncertain at this stage if we will be able to crop the field in 2011. I have never had such a situation before.

Groveland Ulrich

A fortnight into the New Year and I am determined to keep a blog this year. Farm work at this time of year is mostly confined to maintenence work and looking after and feeding the stock. Today we travelled up to North Norfolk to pick up a new bull. Most of our cattle are pedigree Simmental, although they are kept commercially purely for beef. We have chosen to use a Black Simmental bull, originally from Canada these cattle are polled and have in the past had some Aberdeen Angus blood introduced into their breeding hence the colour. This introduction we hope will further improve the quality of the beef we produce and serve in our cafe/restaurant.