Fen Peas

The rain of last weekend helped us a lot with the drilling this week. Just enough to make a difference. With 15% left to drill, using 4 varieties over varying soil types, latitude, longitude and elevation we pressed on and had everything in the ground by Friday teatime. The conditions were very good at the […]

History was made this week! The previous Sunday’s BBC Countryfile weather forecast proved to be accurate so we had a flurry of activity on Monday and Tuesday, 210 acres drilled, then sat back for the rest of the week and enjoyed the steady rain. It was most welcome. All crops needed some after a very […]

Folklores; It doesn’t rain in a dry time. Careful what you wish for. I would be happy with something in between! Getting peas into moisture is becoming more difficult as each day passes. All the land has been pulled over to conserve moisture but the dry winds keep drawing it out. It would be foolish […]

What a change in the weather. Scorching temperatures will move the peas on that have been drilled, but looking forward there is concern as to how dry it is getting. Another “careful” week drilling. The Geneva was finished off near Sleaford and then a block of Charlie was put in around East Heckington. All of […]

It feels as if we have reverted back to winter this week. Although it has remained dry the bitter east wind, which has also brought some frosts, has really slowed things down. We are still drilling but at a much reduced pace. The Geneva around Spalding and Scott Willoughby has gone well. Moisture is still […]

This morning brought the start of summer time and although the sun was shining there was a nippy feel to the wind. So much so, that the soil temperature was higher than the air temperature. It’s been a good week again in terms of progress with drilling going to plan in the Kirton and Frampton […]

The continued spell of unsettled weather came to an end last week and we were able to return to drilling peas on the silts north of Boston. Going was good. Excellent seed beds and plenty of moisture. The overhead conditions allowed us to complete the Savannah and a trial variety, Idalgo, by Sunday. It was […]

Due to the arrival of the not so friendly Storm Gareth this week we have been unable to get on with our sowing programme. Those in the ground have weathered the storms well and the first fields are becoming green over. With temperatures today in excess of 15C that will move them along nicely. Planning […]

What an incredible 14 days of weather! We have been spoilt. After the dry autumn, when ploughing conditions were the best they had been for years, followed by a dry winter, seedbeds have proved easy to achieve and with the above average temperatures progress has been good. To say the least. With the Prelado, Anubis, […]

The weather, conditions and progress have been good so far since starting sowing the peas a week ago. The first sown Prelado have all chitted and are growing away quickly. The soil is a remarkable 10C for this time of year. The Anubis has burst its skin so with warm air due up from Africa […]

I now realise just how difficult last year was due to the fact that I was too busy to post any blogs after late June. Apologies for that but the season was brutal. We got through the high temperatures and drought and we live to fight another day. Not drilling yet but looking closely at […]