Tillage, soil management, soil nutrients, fertilisers
No-till vs conventional in Hampshire. Soil washed down the ploughed slope and retained when drilled across slope with direct drill PFI
No-till vs conventional in Hampshire. Soil washed down the ploughed slope and retained when drilled across slope with direct drill PFI
Contrasting soils with the damaged slate-like platey material with no biology against crumbling soil alive with critters, worms and biology
Contrasting soils with the damaged slate-like platey material with no biology against crumbling soil alive with critters, worms and biology
Compost turner built with a lorry axle, heavy pipe, and tines which fluff up material. Built by Californian wine producer.
Dairy innovations, suckler management, bull beef, sheep and lamb ideas, pigs and poultry, shed ventilation, flooring, slurry and fym, bio-gas, cattle shed air flow, diet feeders, milking parlours
Hurdles are carried on DIY carrier which converts to sheep transporter. (PFI_30-4); 3-strand electric fencing on tractor front linkage (PFI_30-4)
Back flushing in milking parlour cost £700 to build, reduced mastitis cell count and resulted in zero cases in the year 2010 (PFI 20-3 Autumn 2011)
Back flushing in milking parlour cost £700 to build, reduced mastitis cell count and resulted in zero cases in the year 2010 (PFI 20-3 Autumn 2011)
Hurdles are carried on DIY carrier which converts to sheep transporter. (PFI_30-4); 3-strand electric fencing on tractor front linkage (PFI_30-4)
Simple creep feeder for lambs made from silage additive drum (PFI_30-1) and a quad mounted 3-strand sheep fencing system (PFI_29-2)
Motorway crash barriers used to build a 2,000 head outdoor system in Essex (scalable downwards) (PFI_26-4); and handling system based on Temple Grandin principles (PFI_27-1)
Motorway crash barriers used to build a 2,000 head outdoor system in Essex (scalable downwards) (PFI_26-4); and handling system based on Temple Grandin principles (PFI_27-1)
Simple creep feeder for lambs made from silage additive drum (PFI_30-1) and a quad mounted 3-strand sheep fencing system (PFI_29-2)
Home designed and built Rapid Entrance and Exit 32:32 parlour for 360 x 3/day (PFI 23-4); and home repaired feeder wagon vertical auger (PFI_23-4)
Home designed and built Rapid Entrance and Exit 32:32 parlour for 360 x 3/day (PFI 23-4); and home repaired feeder wagon vertical auger (PFI_23-4)
Conventional seedbed ideas and innovations, No-till planting methods; seed drills, planter modifications, spraying, combining, crop cleaning, drying, cereals, oil seed rape osr, beans, break crops, cover crops
Clive Bailye’s Horsch CO6 gets big update; Jamie Hawkins’ Vaderstad Rapid 30S has total rebuild
Edward Bradley converted 10 ton trailer to batch drier for load of yellow Mascara beans sold to Egypt (PFI 21-3); hopper on loader fills seed drill (PFI 30-1)
Edward Bradley converted 10 ton trailer to batch drier for load of yellow Mascara beans sold to Egypt (PFI 21-3); hopper on loader fills seed drill (PFI 30-1)
Detachable mudguards for road work tractor protects load and trailer front; twin axle trailer carries seed, has secure box for chemicals, pellets etc on Clive Bailye’s farm
Detachable mudguards for road work tractor protects load and trailer front; twin axle trailer carries seed, has secure box for chemicals, pellets etc on Clive Bailye’s farm
Clive Bailye’s Horsch CO6 gets big update; Jamie Hawkins’ Vaderstad Rapid 30S has total rebuild
Pump, tank, 5m folding boom, designed as single unit for easy mounting; twin hopper slug pelleter for wide spread
Grain cleaner cost £1k and saved £3k in stoppages in first year; Ford Ranger with mounted Asulox sprayer lightweight, compares well with AgriBuggy
Grain cleaner cost £1k and saved £3k in stoppages in first year; Ford Ranger with mounted Asulox sprayer lightweight, compares well with AgriBuggy
Hydraulic frame does the job of ropes and straps, saving 10+ mins per load
The Collins ‘harvest trailer’ carries two grain buckets, a huge grain dozer, Elder weigh scales, moisture and other meters, everything needed on the next farm; the workshop built 2 ton bucket
Hydraulic frame does the job of ropes and straps, saving 10+ mins per load
The Collins ‘harvest trailer’ carries two grain buckets, a huge grain dozer, Elder weigh scales, moisture and other meters, everything needed on the next farm; the workshop built 2 ton bucket
Stuart Davidson’s re-worked 8m Simba seed drill ; Dale Carswell 3m direct drill based on Bamford superflow made for £10k and plants 1,000 ac/year
Pump, tank, 5m folding boom, designed as single unit for easy mounting; twin hopper slug pelleter for wide spread
Stuart Davidson’s re-worked 8m Simba seed drill ; Dale Carswell 3m direct drill based on Bamford superflow made for £10k and plants 1,000 ac/year
Ideas which apply to all farms whatever their size or enterprises: farm trucks, farm sheds, roofs, farm workshop and more.
Shuttered door protection, stops raiders pushing the doors open; auto fire extinguisher is aimed at fire vulnerable places on baler
Front tractor weight extends to add downforce; hedge trimmer on front linkage
Hooklift reduces the number of wheels and tyres; ATV trailer picks up load of logs in IBC
Hooklift reduces the number of wheels and tyres; ATV trailer picks up load of logs in IBC
Handler makes tractor wheel weights easy; Loader mounted handler adds farm safety when changing wheels
Farm built/designed vibrating post pusher faster, cheaper than post knockers; tractor fork made with pallet tines is hugely durable, inexpensive
Farm built/designed vibrating post pusher faster, cheaper than post knockers; tractor fork made with pallet tines is hugely durable, inexpensive
Front tractor weight extends to add downforce; hedge trimmer on front linkage
Converting MOT failures to useful agri vehicles is popular with readers
Handler makes tractor wheel weights easy; Loader mounted handler adds farm safety when changing wheels
Shuttered door protection, stops raiders pushing the doors open; auto fire extinguisher is aimed at fire vulnerable places on baler
Dromone 80mm ball on transferable frame to go on multiple tractors; dual wheels on Quad bike
Converting MOT failures to useful agri vehicles is popular with readers
Independent and focussed advice on farm financing is hard to get. Accountants today need to be far more than book keepers. Editor Mike Donovan has a degree from reading University in Agricultural Economics and before he started farming worked for the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and then the Financial Times.
Editor Mike Donovan receiving the Guild of Agricultural Journalists award from the Institute of Agricultural Engineering. Setting up another income stream is something to consider when farm profits decline. Practical Farm Ideas has described numerous projects and has been the inspiration for many.
Genuine country literary talents such as David Tonge’s Lincolnshire Poacher attract sales (PFI 30-1)
Triple bladed splitter has elevator to load totes or trailers. Heart of a profitable wood business (PFI 27-2)
A combine fire can be a massive disaster to the farm business. (PFI 28-3)
Super strong lane grader rips the surface, grades and flattens for rolling (PFI 27-2)
Hedge cutter on s-p forager makes excellent contract tool (PFI 20-4)
Farm shop on the Rhug estate is a huge impressive farm diversification (PFI 27-1)
Post driver on converted mini-digger benefits from tracks (PFI 21-4)
Cereals, roots, grass… the harvest is of vital importance. Innovative farmers apply their skills to make this crucial part of the job work without a hiccup. Storing machinery over winter so rats and vermin don’t get in (how about an electic fence for rats and mice put round the combine? Crazy but it works, every year). Getting sprockets off round baler roller shafts, cameras inside combines.
Hydraulic load guard substitutes for straps and ropes - saves time adds to safety (PFI 21-4 Feb 2013)
Wrapping contractor with wrapper behind a service trailer with film and netting sufficent to complete the job
Paul Heard, Bude, Cornwall used a combine to make this self propelled baler with a 44 - 33 inch chamber. (PFI 3-3_p28)
Lightweight trailer carries 84 bales max for easy delivery (PFI 20-3)
Two Haybobs side by side (PFI 20-3)