Richard Fonge writes:
March has begun with warm days and frosty nights and this has allowed, with the land drying up, for first applications of nitrogen fertiliser to be applied to the cereal and oilseed rape crops sown last autumn. Nitrogen promotes growth, greening the plants’ leaves and therefore allowing photosynthesis to be more efficient.
Looking around the farms in the area, there has been a shift away from arable production to conservation mixtures. The land up Barrow hill has been back in conservation grasses the last two years and is being grazed by sheep. Now the same grass types have been planted on the field to Stuchbury and across to the Helmdon Road, and further onto Peter’s Bridge. (The name for that bridge on the Helmdon Road). The reason being that from a business point of view it is better to join these government environmental schemes than grow crops, depending on your individual circumstances and beliefs.
The future of land use is very much up for debate at the moment, with many conflicting arguments and interests. To grow food, to conserve for nature, to build on, for reservoirs and to produce green energy. Great demands on a valuable resource to satisfy an ever growing population on a small island. Let us hope that all those involved in the many debates, look at the bigger picture, not their own particular self interest.
A crop I have been monitoring with interest are the beans planted last December up the concrete road. Will they come to a viable crop? In February the rooks did a lot of damage by eating the seeds. At that time the ground lay wet and no plants could be seen. However, a recent visit suggested that there is a good possibility of a worthwhile crop.
All the grass fields to the east of Sulgrave have had a break from sheep grazing, but ewes and lambs will I am sure be in them by the time you read these notes, and cattle will follow in mid April. Please remember the Countryside Code and make sure dogs are always on a lead when walking our footpaths, and litter is not dropped.
The horse is still very much part of rural life, as it has been from the days when it tilled the soil. Nowadays used for recreation. With the great Cheltenham national hunt race meeting taking place as I write, I will finish with this:
A trainer named Sid Fardell was racing a horse at Cheltenham and the owner who couldn’t be there asked him to text the outcome.
He did by texting S.F S.F S.F S.F. What does that mean replies the owner.
Reply. It was like this. Started Far—-. Slipped and fell. See you Friday. Sid Fardell.
Richard Fonge.