NSA South East Region farm walk
Date: 26th June 2018
Time: 4pm
Location: Hattingley barn, Hattingley, Medstead, Hampshire, GU34 5NQ
There is always the chance in June that when you choose a date, it will clash with great haymaking weather, and that is what happened this week at the South East Region’s Grassland Farm Walk, held in Hampshire by kind permission of Ben Robinson and family at Hattingly Barn, near Alresford.
Held in conjunction with local merchant Farm & Country Supplies and DLF Grass Seed Breeders and Growers whose Technical Manager David Rhodes was able to start by describing how DLF, a Danish Farmers Co-operative, have a large market share within the UK serviced from their Edinburgh plant which can dispatch seed to virtually all parts of the UK by the next day.
The number of varieties and blends is quite phenomenal as it is not just Grasses and Clovers, but Maize and Brassicas as well. The first ley that ,was walked over had been down a few years and were coming to its last year, and the white clover was beginning to dominate. It had been split and Ben was questioning as to whether he should have topped it. That field was heavy clay and had had 15 foot snowdrifts back in the winter!
The sheep flock were grazing a new dual purpose ley where the clover was struggling to get established, unlike the first one. Many thanks to all who came. We will be having more Farm Walks in the Autumn.
