I was working on a farm for a while while my usual employment (bus & coach driving) was still recovering from covid. Being a non-farmer, I got a lot of the simple jobs, as well as looking after an old fashioned 6000 ton grain store. One of my favourite odd jobs was weedkilling the field borders with the quad bike, which usually got done on nice sunny wind free days. Although I no longer work on a farm, I'm still an avid watcher of this channel (and Harry's Garage). I've learnt as much from watching Harry's Farm as I have in my two years farming, which says a lot about how good Harry's relaxed but very informative presenting is. Keep up the excellent content!
If you want a good explanation of what's going on in farming stay where you are. Harry is very good at explaining the nuances of the subject.Thanks Harry.
Hi Harry, I'm sorry the rain has given you so much trouble this year. Still, it could have been worse, you could have been living in Dubai where they really screwed up the weather(can't you see? Look up!).
As a keen motorcyclist I judge the weather by how often I can get out on my bike, and the end of the last prolonged decent period of dry weather ended on June the 28th *last year* As you are a farmer, you have my sympathy. It must be a nightmare.
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOnemy father rides his bikes year round he loves it I don't have a bike myself but if i did it would be something pre-war Good enough excuse to only take it out in the dry I figure
3,000 litres of diesel! Just under 660 gallons in old money - just for harvest! I knew that fuel isn't cheap and I knew that big machines are thirsty but even so - that was a real eye-opening shock! Thanks Harry fpr bringing the hard realities of farming home to those of us who simply enjoy the countryside without thinking about making their living from it. And 8-grand for a set of new boots for the combine - that opened my eyes too, I can tell you!
Thanks Harry, between you, Jerremy and Farming Today on R4, we have to keep British farming going, instaed of this green meadow stuff. Feeding 70M is not easy, but better we produce our own than importing all the time.
Re tyre tubes: As a cyclist of a certain vintage, I would generally put a little talc on the inner tube before inserting it and re-fitting the tyre - it helps to prevent binding and pinching of the tube when re-inflating. Obviously a combine tyre and tube is a different animal, but it might be worth a try. PS - also inflate the tube slightly after insertion and before re-rimming the tyre.
The crops look great for the start they got but as you said the combine will tell us the full story, best of luck Harry and to the rest of the hard working and all to often stressed farmers in Britain 🏴👍🏻
The cold weather and heavy rainfall constantly this summer in south-easthern Ireland has been unbelievable. Tillage crops were already late into ground so its looking like a disastrous harvest
It is deliberate while I’ll admit I don’t understand the technologies used I can see it happening with my own eyes and it increased in severity from 2023
I know very little about farming even though I'm surrounded by farm land so find these videos very interesting. As someone who loves country walking I know all about the rain this year.
SLUGS 😳everywhere at the moment never seen so many. Surprised they haven’t wiped out the bird cover plants. Strange the wheat price dropping given how little has grown this year.
This summer has been appalling, Wet, cold and windy here in Scotland. It's more like Oct or Nov. Yes, I do know what we're going to be told about it. Rolls eyes.
Harry, I look forward to your videos because they are so informative. I'm not in to farming but take a great interest in British farming. I'm a firm believer that we should protect our farming industry and prioritise our own food production over importing it. I detest the globalist approach of successive governments and will follow closely what the new Labour government does for farming and fishing industries. I've said before that rewilding is all very well but food security is essential. I've been extremely critical of DEFRA's policy of maintaining 60% home produce. I'm certain we're capable of producing much more than that. What I see across Herts are acres and acres of empty fields with nothing growing and no animals,als grazing. Pitiful.
How can you have food security in a body of land that's too small to support the population? If you can demand food security, what about security in other resources like energy or minerals? If you insist on home produce only, what happens when consumers, the government or both can't afford to maintain it?
Without 'globalism' though, where would we get our tea? Coffee? Chocolate? Fresh fruit and veg 365 days a year. Now, I happen to partially agree with you, but I'm not entirely sure you'll be able to persuade the population to eat only home grown.
@RichieReportsUK rewilding at scale though generally doesn't take place on productive agricultural land. It's pretty much irrelevant now anyway. Only the insects will be able to adapt quickly enough
Harry. The kerbside tyre is often the one that gives issues. The unloading auger adds weight/stress to the tyre also. I always increased the pressure in that tyre by 3psi over the other to avoid issues. P
Good advice. It was when we had spec weights of 80kg/hl+ that I noticed the left tyre looked flat when unloading but after a day’s combining, the damage to the tube had been done. I had the puncture repaired but it started to lose pressure again as we were putting the combine away for the winter. Fingers crossed it lasts another season but I might add a bit more pressure after reading your comment..
So British Agriculture is now growing seeds for the birds. Government policy is so short sighted. We need to be a lot more self sufficient and not rely on imports. The Government has not learnt from history.
399m delivering our Chinese red cross parcels twice a week, which we all are responsible for every time we decide on what to click the mouse. It is nothing to do with government. Admiring the Union Jack each time one shops in Aldi makes one feel so patriotic. LOL
I have no understanding of the farmers´stress level every day. Things you hope fr, then weather coms. Gets better, then the prices drop. then 6K for new tires. Praise the UK farmers feeding us,you have the minerals. Great video, Harry!
Harry great up date, I had a tractor that tyre that went though tubes all the time so took the tube out fitted a tubeless value and added several litres of anti puncture gunk , never loss air or went flat again.
Agree with you Harry ref the combine tyres, tons of tread on those tyres against the cost of a new tube it's a no brainer .I would even buy a spare tube to have in stock just in case you have a tyre problem during harvest.
Hi Harry, yes it's been awhile. Starting to suffer from withdrawal symptoms here. Always find your updates very interesting. I farm 300ac 45 minutes N of Winnipeg MB Canada. Cheers
Ad always fascinating insight into farming. Thanks. I watch this as well as the garage channel. Both equally as fascinating. Let's hope summer sun is on its way.😊
Really enjoy these videos Harry thanks. My goodness it's a challenge farming in this Country. In fact maintaining a domestic garden is a challenge when we have the volume of rain we've had this "summer". Fingers crossed for you for a hot end to July !! That said I'm slightly worried on all our behalves about next week as its the Royal International Air Tattoo down the road and that's not typically blessed with good weather....
Was at British GP at the weekend…. Artic conditions! So unusual in global warming world.😉 Around where I live in Cork, Ireland, dairyland area, very wet. Best of luck with the harvest Harry. Hope prices improve.
Oh man I like this channel...I like Harry´s Garage as well, but this is my fav..I like the way Harry analyze and explain everything, just with common sense from a farmer who understand how much pain (clime, prices, volatility, bureaucracy) is in this game..when he mentioned that flat tire and that wire eaten by probably a mice in the combine, the only thing I can say is shit happens everywhere...huge respect and good luck in the coming season. all the best from Chile..
Cold and wet for you too. We have been "suffering from the climate emergency drought" in Western Canada; cold and wet. We finally got some heat this week. A couple more rains in the next month and it could be a record harvest.
Love your videos Harry , keep them coming , as a village idiot I can relate to your pain in trying to produce food for the nation!, god bless you Sir. 😊
Hi Harry. I am pretty sure that the "maize" plants in your birdmix crop is actually millet. There was a healthy dose of millet in your mix. Fingers crossed for drier weather, this feels like a re-run of 2023 so far. Take care.
Hi Harry, if you get the weather i would bale the straw. Market for baled straw has been very good last year dut the total lack of stock out there. Worth a look,
Harry, you are not convincing me to go into farming! Knowing my luck as well as all the problems you have shown,I would probably get locusts! Anyway keep the videos coming. I am a car nut but strangely being drawn into your farming reports. Great content, thankyou!
@@harrysgarage yes, most queens have slowed way down in terms of producing brood - the forage isn’t there so they don’t want to over populate the hive and stretch food stores
This weather's been a right pain.. I finished a video with "keep watching, keep subscribing, more videos coming along soon.." started laughing because I realised what I'd done. So followed it with "thanks Harry" 😂 I don't think anyone would notice. So funny I had to leave it in.
The Met office gives forecasts. The BBC is the media outlet for the public sector who's job is spin, to try and convince the taxpayers that the public sector are giving value for their money.They are completely separate. Anyone who's livelihood is dependent on the weather would be bonkers to rely on the BBC for factual information.
I've seen some insane "cloud" formations recently 😬 I've never seen a wispy cloud-like haze across the sky that makes a weird circular rainbow before 🤔
At least one person is awake. Same problem in the North of Ireland. Planes flying overhead every single day spraying toxic chemicals into the skies starts very early morning until late evening. Cross crossing across the skies....
Thanks for the video Harry. There are alot of us who are starting to get really worried about where world food supplies are going right now specialy with all the bad weather and Government programs.. the longer all this is going on the worse the outlook is getting.
This weather isn't just hard for farmers, try having a full summer diary of external painting & repairs booked. Last year I lost 18 days over 3 months to rain. This year looks a little better but I've lost 3 days so far.
People have had to deal with weather issues for the entire history of civilization. It is easier to cope with than ever before. People need to have some gratitude about how easy our modern lives are, thanks to the industrial revolution and the abundance of fossil fuels.
We are 2.2 trillion pounds in debt, so it will be interesting to see how our new Government are going to fix all our problems without as they stated " raising tax"
Thanks again for your frank apprsaisal of weather conditions, growing conditions. Hoping mid-July will give you the sun and heat, or else I would wait 2-4 days past your average harvest date. Or else, dry wheat with a drier in the shed.
Another informative video harry.a good idea to not bother with oilseed rape this term not only certain sprays banned but the slug population in this yet again wet july would decimate your crop.as well as pigeons and the dreaded flea beetle.winter wheat seems the only cereal answer.winter barley in this wet weather would be lodging even tho some farming colleagues have started theirs whilst dodging showers.just need that jetstream moving north bring in drier conditions so all the farming communities can get the combines rolling all the best soon for what has been a frustrating season from drilling spraying and indeed the final outcome harvest you guys deserve more than a medal for perseverance but its in your blood respect to all our hardworking farmers growers and allied industries look forward to your next post
The best physical shape I was ever in was while working as a commercial tyre-fitter. Spent all my days changing truck tyres and doing call-outs at farms. Huge tyres are extremely difficult to remove and refit and in about a month I had a physique like Rambo lol.
I am lucky enough to live in a small village in South Oxfordshire, and I’m surrounded by fields of spring-sown barley which appears to be further advanced than Harry’s crops. But to be honest I haven’t had a walk round the lanes to check more closely because, as Harry says, it’s been a bit damp hereabouts!
Did you ever do an update on that stone wall you were having repaired in a video about four years ago? I know it’s a niche subject, but I am a big fan of them and love people who keep up the tradition and would love an update or even a stonewall tour around the farm!
Cracking update, Harry, the sheer complexity of running a farm writ large. I am assuming that Labour with its greeny-weeny outlook will be hacking away at your livelihood even more over the next minimum 5 years. Good luck with influencing them to get farmers respected and ensure that food security is high on the agenda, and not to go round banning all sorts of things. Thank you.
A small group of leading Climate Scientists, financially supported by billionaires including Bill Gates, are lobbying governments and international bodies to back experiments into manipulating the climate on a Global scale to avoid catastrophic climate change. The scientists, who advocate _Geoengineering_ methods such as spraying millions of tonnes of reflective particles of sulphur dioxide 30 miles above earth, argue that a "plan B" for climate change will be needed if the UN and politicians cannot agree to making the necessary cuts in greenhouse gases, and say the US government and others should pay for a major programme of international research. Solar Geoengineering techniques are highly controversial: while some climate scientists believe they may prove a quick and relatively cheap way to slow global warming, others fear that when conducted in the upper atmosphere, they could irrevocably alter rainfall patterns and interfere with the Earth's Climate.
Might be worth baling the straw this year with the prices so high. Get a contractor in especially if you have an old shed or two to store it. Might be a bit more if a faff but hard to ignore prices of well over £100/ton
