Why there's going to be more wheat on Harry's Farm next year plus how Roundup plays such an important role for soil health and modern farming techniques.
@@richardmatthews3304 Not true. Organic no-till farming is perfectly possible. I'd be more concerned about the state of our soil at this stage of the game, with less than 100 harvests left. Roundup does nothing good to the soil.
UK governments seem obsessed with closing down all types of production and importing everything. It's extremely shortsighted and leaves us vulnerable to overseas stability.
If foreign producers pay them, they will do anything. That's why they're forcing us into ridiculous EVs which don't reduce CO2 compared to ICE and which will cost us trillions: it's corruption
Your gov has been infiltrated by foreign proxies on behalf of global oligarchs. The goal is to delete patriarchy, peaceful industry and nationality to build a central global government.
@@bodgerbill3 Clearly I know very much about the EV market. Is china paying you too? You can't see for yourself how ICE running on fossil is already lower in CO2 emissions than EVs if not diven very much per year, which means that _at least_ 30% of ALL cars are better off as ICE? And when looking at big-battery EVs like Teslas the numbers are even worse for them! But I guess you haven't been reading the German research papers on this, as well as all the earlier ones, and you probably haven't gone over them in depth with the knowledge of the subject and scientific method like I have. I guess you don't know that if the situation is that for ICE running on fossil fuels, then of course when simply running the existing cars on biofuels like biodiesels, biomethane, bioethanol or the upcoming e-fuels they're _clearly better in emissions than ALL EVs_!! But I'm sure you don't even have a clue about biofuels or e-fuels, you don't even know what NEXBTL is, not what biomethane is and where it comes from (you among other sources) you have no clue that both are easily 70% lower in CO2 emissions than fossil fuels are so they are incredibly much lower in emissions than EVs. You probably don't have a clue about the currently reported consumption of EVs is a massive lie. But you haven't even done such simple things as read Auto Motor und Sport and read the true consumption figures present in every test to see how wildly inaccurate EV reported consumption is...and that's before winter hits and the consumption can easily DOUBLE!! You probably haven't even been capable of considering that all EV consumption figures are lies also in how they do not include any plugged-in consumption nor any preconditioning while driving! Teslas precondition at 7kW and can do that for half an hour per drive to the charger (and part of that while charging)!! None of the pre-heating of the batteries or the cabin is included in their consumption figures. None of the charging losses, which the Germans have found to be AT MINIMUM about 10% and can absolutely skyrocket when fast charging and/or if the battery is not at perfectly optimum condition!! And you haven't even bothered to work your brain AT ALL to consider the massive costs of EVs. They are absolutely HORRENDOUS running in the trillions!! And then on top of that EVs will take decades to replace what we're driving now so it's also a slow solution. ICEs can run on biofuels NOW and can run on e-fuels as fast as they get that production up and running and into the existing fuel delivery systems. In fact hundreds of thousands of people have been running their ICE cars on biodiesels and biomethane and sustainable bioethanol for YEARS already!! I also have experience on all the aforementioned technologies myself, have extensive knowledge of charging systems, even having realised a charger installation project. So why are you spouting crap? Too gullible? You're seriously too unintelligent to not even understand that if those liars are calling EVs "zero emissions" that something is HORRIBLY wrong there?? The most corrupt automaker in the (western) world (tied with Tesla) VW is pushing for EVs, doesn't that sound alarm bells?
100% Harry. Relying on outside supply of food and energy is already coming home to roost. Blatantly obvious to anyone not with their hand in the back pocket.
Neville, the UK can not produce its own food enough to support this country.. Hasn't been able to since the second World War...Farming in this country is seen as a second class by product.. Most people see food as ""non essential ""and 99% of the time go for "cheaper""option....Supermarkets have catered to this whim,,by continuing to drive down the price of food.
Whilst we haven’t produced all our own food for very many decades , that hardly seems an excuse to give up doing it , all that happens now is ,as harry says , more and more land is given over to housing etc , the world has too many people.
@@Rugbyman269 I agree wholeheartedly. Any food we can produce domestically has got to be a good idea in the long run both for food security and transport miles. Politicians just like to demonise farmers and think they know better but the vast majority are just idiots who pander to the media and the vocal minority.
Very educational, I don’t understand why the gov want farmers to put land back to grasslands, & why the gov have not invented a fuel license for farmers to buy subsidised fuel, industry started with a farm & a mine, & has been essential for sustaining life, it’s criminal to see the farming industry struggling & sadly fade away.
Once again Harry is the voice of reason. As a young man interested in farming I can't wrap my head round the government advice either. Especially knowing large numbers of my peers want to know more about where their food comes from and are attempting to buy British grown!
Seems an excellent viewpoint. Politicians and their 'experts' are notoriously poor at forecasting what is best for the long term - typically if you do you own research and even do the opposite to what 'they' want you won't go far wrong! It worries me that food security is given such a low priority too, especially in today's uncertain world!
The government is always the enemy. When the evidence of our eyes conflicts with the evidence of their assumption-based spreadsheets, they will always go with what the spreadsheet says, not what our eyes are telling us.
Finally someone that can explain what’s going on in farming, and what the government is up to. I suppose the more farmers that stop growing wheat the more we import. Are we not suppose to be doing the opposite, like supporting our own country? Well done Harry, nice vid.
The more farmers who stop farming ,stop using fertilizer stop using diesel- then the less carbon emissions the government can claim +the more carbon sequestration they can claim - Oil and gas are accounted for where they're consumed ,- Food is accounted for where it's produced , And bio- ethanol is the biggest load of bunk going -
Grassland = unused ground just right to build on, more and more green fields are being built on, the ransom is some social housing built to get permission, the social housing they build is dire, closely packed too small, the benefit of social housing is not balanced against the loss of greenfield
@@Taz6688 I was thinking this. Farmers paid a subsidy to convert their arable land into land worth less for farming (paying farmers to do so) they hold onto the land for 5 years, get this £450 a hectare then sell the land to developers for a tidy profit.
The day will come when many people ,the one's that forget where the food comes from, will sit at there dinner tables and learn that you can't eat shopping malls, parking lots,and condominiums houses.Too often, especially here in the USA ,thats where the farms are going in my state of New Jersey we use to be called `THE GARDEN STATE,Today it looks like one big slate of asphalt. Keep up the good work Harry ,I enjoy all off you're videos, so enthusiastically educational and fun to watch.
Our sons geography teacher told the class he doesn't care where his food comes from he just gets it from a shop, it's a very rural school and I think a lot of the kids took a very dim veiw of what he said,
the local councils have chucked the farmers of their land for masses of housing housing is no good if there is not enough food to feed all. big mistake with the shortage now typical of this country they don't think they just think they can get in from abroad say there is a war
any farmer that goes against government advice is doing the right thing. they have no idea how to run the farming industry , leave it to the people who know, not a bunch of clowns who think they know. love your opinion.
@@markitoxi on the other hand, we need government rules to make damn sure Harry doesn't get his way, or he'd be spraying Glyphosate and insecticides over every square foot of the country and turning Britain into an arable monoculture with no bees to pollinate the crops...
Other than getting girls he is not married to up the duff and getting other people "he does not know" to pay for his holiday, what else does our PM have a clue about?
Well government and farming has always been hand in gloves. At least 300 years. Don't think the present government is against farming. Far from it. What is happening is the phasing out of the standing payments that were EU driven and why the UK went into the common market in the first place. It always was a 'common agricultural agreement' that drove Ted Heath's party to join in the first place. Farmers and farming have always had a possible disproportionate influence over Tory governments. The current Government understands that most voters do not live on farms anymore. Farms cannot support them anyway the way they did 120years ago. Mechanisation showed that, and people left farms in their droves between 1901 and 1921....
@@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834 Oh yes it is, our PM is a deeply dishonest journalist who would have joined the Socialist Workers Party if he thought it would have got him into No10. The consequences of this should never be suppressed.
Harry, oh Harry, how could I educate my youngsters on food production without you. They learn and understand that the ignorance that drives most of the new hippies of the environment is just pure madness. I hope you may continue to show us, black on white, how the real world works and what we can really do to keep our environment. Thank you.
What a stupid comment. It's not a matter of ignorance or naivety, it's a matter of how much yield you can get with the lowest expense to produce your crop. It's entirely possible and sustainable and better for the environment to grow organically, but the consumer has to pay more for the product. It's not a universal law that maximizing yield at any cost is the best option. It's a question of whether you're willing to produce or consume a little bit less for the greater good. No what's really ignorant is being stuck in the old ways even if it's evidently destroying the ecosystems that support life on this planet. And then blaming it on the young people who are inheriting an earth that's on fire.
@@scroogemcduck1462 Poisoning the wildlife and products we consume seems to have little effect on the thinking of those who are concerned with methods of producing ag products. The bottom line seems to be all that is considered by those who are still continuing to produce in the markets that remain. The fact that we allow the consideration of cost as a primary function of feeding people, seems the issue we need to face, as the sources of food become more industrialized. What is essential, Economy or Humanity?
Harry, i’m a sheep RU-vidr. No experience or knowledge of arable farming but this was brilliant. Totally agree with your views on feeding the planet and avoiding grassland schemes. Let us Scottish / Northern farmers do the grass and you guys keep up the good work with the crops on that great soil. Subscribed and looking forward to watching a few more! Cammy
I find it incredulous that the government is persisting with the arable reversion scheme in the wake of the pandemic and subsequent global supply chain meltdown. How big of an eye-opener do they need to realise that we need to be MORE self sufficient in terms of food production and LESS vulnerable the whims of logistical challenges.
Harry, a great explanation, we must keep farming, don't let the government economist's ruin our country, we need to farm, it is the correct direction for UK food production and ecology, great stuff.
Having just retired from the Meat business, I have always puzzled at the notion of being paid to do nothing. Set a side, stewardship etc. The more we ( i.e. British Farmers ) can produce the better as far I am concerned. We recently spent a long weekend in our caravan near Charlbury in the cotswolds. It is a wonderful part of the country. I really enjoy your farm videos to. Keep it up Harry and thanks. Regards Nick
@@richardharrold9736 So what's your "Ecological" solution? And can you list the damage done and provide links to evidence your claims? Think about this, in the last 40 years the UK population has increased by around 50%, but the infrastructure hasn't! We do not use 50% more land for farming, we actually, as Harry explained, are reducing the amount of land used! So anyone with a rudimentary grasp of mathematics should be able to see the looming problem? A bit like most of the artificially manufactured problems this Gov't seems to be directing us towards! Every year there are around 350,000 more people living in this once green and pleasant land, (That we Know About)! How do you propose to keep all those people fed, watered, warm and healthy without increasing your production? Importing it is just stupid, as the energy used to transport it, ships and trucks basically, will add much more DESTRUCTION, your words, to the process, than growing it where it is needed!
@@rogerblackwood8815 the ecological solution is for all farmers to go organic, to practice crop rotation, grow a wider variety of crops to help fix nitrogen in the soil instead of using nitrates which run off into water courses and cause toxic algal blooms, and move rapidly to decarbonise transport - there are countries with the luxury of vast swathes of waste land bigger than Britain itself where a lot of agricultural improvements are possible even using purely organic methods. Oh, and perhaps we as a species could try to stop breeding for a bit?
Another good video Harry. I have been growing continuous spring barley on my small patch for 3 years now. Costs kept to a bare minimum. No insecticides, mollucicides, residual herbicides and home saved seed (C4 this year) but with no dressing. Shallow autumn cultivation followed by glyphosate and direct drilling in the spring. A low risk, low cost approach which doesn’t need big yields to be profitable!
Thanks Harry for another engaging and interesting video. I was a farmers son, growing up on a mixed farm during the seventies and eighties. I went to Agri college in early nineties, tried different types of farming but it wasn't for me as I discovered I like working with people. I still love the countryside and your videos have shown just how much farming has changed in the last thirty years. Farmers are the hidden frontline workers who do so much for our nation, get scrutinised for everything they do, highly regulated and are underappreciated or understood. J Clarkeson has shone a brilliant light on the industry and I hope people have a renewed respect and appreciation of our countryside and how it's cared for.
Yeah, well, I suppose you COULD plan things like that, Harry... It does sound sensible... Here on Elli's Farm in the north of England the 2022 plans are far more extreme. Yep. I shall continue to keep my 6 (rescue) hens and enjoy their free eggs; I shall plant 5 (five) tomato plants instead of a mere 3 (three); I'll grow a few more spuds, sweet peppers and (hopefully) apples, and an extra couple of hot chilli plants. Mmmm, chillies... This year I grew Tabasco, Bishop's Crown, and Trinidad Scorpion, and got the most ridiculously vast crops of all three varieties. Umpteen pounds of the darned things. I'll have to cut back on the Scorpions next year, though; they're so hot ☠️ that they scare me. I haven't worked out yet how I can fit a tractor and a combine into my 25' garden + 8' lean-to greenhouse set-up without running over a hen. 🐔 👀
This John Deere commercial could just have been made for you: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bCVH7XK6ktk.html . Keyline (spoiler alert) "plows your garden in 4.5 seconds". (Teach your hens how to fly first!)
The biggest problem with glyphosate ( roundup) is just how much is used, continuously .. Pre- ploughing a Ley , pretilling for a stale seed bed - preharvest to help dry the crop - it's everywhere ..
Glyphosate is also a known carcinogen if I'm not mistaken. It will screw up your gut bacterial like nothing else... it's also partially to blame for so many of us become such lard asses here in the USA. I personally think it should be banned.
@@ThyCorylus That's one thought as I watched the video. I mean, qe know Roundup isn't great. It's carcinogenic, it's been tied to the gluten intolerance pandemic, and it does havoc to waterways. Is it worth the economic benefits to harm humanity? But then again, it lowers diesel usage? I'm really not sure. It honestly seems like a dilemma to me.
@@Mctwist42 It's quite the conundrum but there are alternatives to post-ww2 industrialised methods. They need to be communicated to the farming community in a non-judgmental and economically sound format.
Fascinating stuff as ever Harry…not sure why importing food is deemed a sensible strategy given what we are learning every day about the fragility of supply chains. Wheat for the win
@@GTfour01 nah, they’ll place them in upscale pods in the cities whilst native white European’s get the snaller micro-pods on account of their “white privilege.”
Yep, I'm from Germany and in our area, we got a ban on Glyphosate basically over night. Sooo back to ploughing, you can't help it... I was always interested in No-Till, but with the ban on Glyphosate in sight (should have been around 2024 and not now), we've never gone further then Min-Till. Let's see what the future has to offer. Glad to hear, you got milling wheat, our wheat was 100% Feed. Protein was enough, but kg/hl was around 65, so not even close to milling wheat.
As ever you talk alot of common sense, why is the government always hell bent on messing about with farming. We need to grow more food here Cheers Harry keep up the good work
I’m always gripped by these films Harry, and constantly fascinated at the strategies you have to employ to make a half decent living from farming! Keep em coming.
Ah, the joys of British Franken-farming. Does anyone remember Mad Cow Disease? Come to central Europe, we still plow our fields - and the food (bread/beer/pork) tastes great. We sometimes joke that the Brits became such good sailors because they wanted to escape the bad food back home, not risk was too high :). Your videos are great, Harry - I hope that you can put up with my differing opinions and a pinch of East European sarcasm.
Thanks Harry for the education, we definitely need someone like you who tells it as it really is, not as a joke, great seeing someone love the land, and be up with all the news. Brilliant, thanks
We're part of the ELM pilot programme, but are down in devon, and are a 100% grassland farm. We've been part of Stewdarship for a long time with a lot of land in HLS. Be interesting to see what people end up doing. A lot of farms will be reducing production by the sounds of it, and some farms which cannot match up with these new schemes may fall though. Crazy times, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
The more farmers take the government up on the Stewardship deal, the lower the supply, the higher the price for the same demand. Even higher if demand increases (as you point out). I would say it makes sense to double down on the wheat. You already have the equipment and the expertise. Added benefit that you're creating jobs in the supply chain by farming the land. Really looking forward to hearing more about the bees as well! Thanks for the excellent content as always!
Oustanding video Harry, as all your video's are top rate, but this one is the most, enlightning, informative, refreshingly honest, educational, fascinating.
Bravo Harry I'm a new subscriber and I totally agree with you. Gone should be the days where farmers work hard on doing nothing with their fields. Forestry and farming needs to increase in the United Kingdom
As always very informative video. Thanks very much for producing them. I would be interested to know how much the c2 seed cost compared to the self saved and dressed seed cost to produce.
It is never bored to listen to Harry's talking/briefing in all his videos be it in Automobile or Farming topics......He is more then a Lecturer in fields that he is in......He can talk for hours without running short of topics.....Well done Harry ......! Just can't wait for your next episode.....!
Harry, I dropped a coment with Ollyblogs yesterday following watching the latest Jake Freestone video that it would be interesting to have the three of you produce a series of lectures/webinars on the future of arable farming. I for one would certainly interested in a patreon funded/webinar fee for the series because I think it is an exciting time with what we are learning about how to protect and work with the soil to increase yields with minimum enviromental impact. With all three of you, your approach is to look at the whole picture (as with todays video where you talk about the offset between round up vs diesel burn) and it is a fascinating subject
I wish more politicians and city people would look at the enviroment the same way You and I and a lot of other farmers do. It is not sustainable to have a green country, facing the would, but having to import all we need to live, from countries, that just pollutes even more, to keep up with demand
Do totally agree however I think the new schemes being brought in to encourage grasslands and pollen and nectar mixes etc certainly have their place. Every farm has areas and odd shaped which are, on their own, unproductive fields which can be put into a scheme, which benefits the farm and environment. Just as long as they aren’t being relied on 100%
A really interesting film Harry, on lot’s of fronts. I run a poultry processing factory so wheat prices are crucial to me. Also what is interesting is the fertiliser issue. The EA have now banned us from putting sludge from our water treatment plant, a perfectly good fertiliser, so we are having to explore AD at twice the cost. Our gas costs have risen hugely and we have just re-negotiated our electric contract at a 75% increase. There is also talk of the UK poultry sector having to reduce stocking densities by a further 20% when there is not enough growing capacity in the country. It rather feels as if the government is actually out to destroy UK food production. Of course the by-product of fertiliser production is CO2, used in humane stunning of poultry and pigs, as well as gas flushing meat to prolong shelf life, it’s all quite a worrying set of scenarios. Keep up the informative content, I wish you well!
IMO Harry’s Farm Business plan for the future Sowing and Harvesting is 100% Correct when looking at the facts . Informative and as entertaining as ever 👍
To the untrained eye, it always puzzles me, on the one hand, the amount of grassland you see driving around the UK and on the other, the forecast of food shortages.
I find it fascinating and educational. Never too old to learn . I agree with locally produced food as I do with goods . I do due diligence to make sure I buy from the UK . This is including what I use in my work .
Super video. Clear and very informative. Thank you Harry very much. Someone who really understands the soil but has not spent $1.00 on fertilisers or on sprays in the last fifty years, but still manages to turn over US $1,000,000 plus per year from his small 400 acre farm in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, USA is Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms. So highly thought of is he that he has visited the UK at least twice in recent years to lecture on his methods. His meat from his cattle, turkeys, chickens, pigs are all highly praised for their taste. The Smithsonian tested his eggs, and they were off the scale for quality! All very well looked after. A model family man too. A really nice guy. Worth a look. Joel Salatin. Harry is already leaning towards him with his lovely cattle!
A point of view from another farmer: round up is not needed at all for modern farming. Too many farmers rely on it because it's easy and affordable. It is absolute not needed though for modern farming. Also, anyone who has studied it clearly knows that it's detrimental to the environment and human health. I'm not an organic farmer, but I still recognise the damage of roundup.
@@mmxxi4323 read any study on the environmental and health implications from long term use of pesticides, specifically glyphosate. There are many out there and they're readily accessible. Harry presents a very limited view here. He doesn't say that blackgrass became such a huge problem exactly because people moved away from ploughing and towards min-till. He doesn't mention that the min-till methods consistently involve higher usage of all sprays and slug pellets. He doesn't mention that glyphosate resistance is a very real thing and becoming more prevalent around the world. In terms of ensuring soil health(of course it's comment knowledge that any form of cultivation damages the soil) then a better method would be to have temporary grass(say 4 or 5 years) in the rotation and graze it with sheep or cattle. A true break from cultivation and allow all weed seeds in below to die away before being ploughed again. Also spread FYM...absolutely the best thing to add organic matter to soils.
@@douglasnisbet1189 Thanks for your reply Douglas. I thought you would have maybe provided a good link. I am on the wall of yeh or nae for glyphosate but what I do know is that the UK is heading for under production of food and one way to maintain or increase that supply is through higher yields. That will only be possible with good crop husbandry and animal health. Much of our arable acreage would find it hard to break with grass leys unless they have access to digestate plants. Only problem with that is loss of actual food production. It’s one thing to talk about energy production and it’s benefits & income but our country needs food from quality sustainable farming…..not imports.
@@mmxxi4323 put livestock on the grass leys. No loss of food production. Actually an increase. Grass is a fantastic break crop and the added organic matter increases subsequent crop yields. Grow cover crops during winter and graze them too on what would otherwise be bare stubbles. More fertile soil and more grazing for the livestock. Continous wheat is not the way to increase food production in the long term.
Harry, what are your thoughts of doing as they are doing in Sweden in areas where they do not have a history and infrastructure of livestock of using Herbal Leys to fix nitrogen in the soil and replacing the grazing animals with cutting forage to feed an anebolic digester, from which they use the mineral rich digestate as fertiliser and a "cash crop" of liquidfied natural (bio) gas. Is this the way forward in a world where carbon taxes will make conventional nitrogen fertiliser too expensive?
@@pdwcave But with a digester you do not release the methane into the atmosphere where it will over 20 years break down into Co2, as methane it has a far greater impact on the climate, you use it as fuel where it goes straight to Co2. As the plants took the Co2 out the atmosphere it is a carbon neutral cycle.
Anaerobic digestion has its value in the waste and renewable energy sector but I don't believe it has a place where that land is being taken out of food production farming. At least in this country where, as Harry states, we don't have a lot of available arable area. The issue with using marginal land for energy cropping is that it is marginal for a reason already, most often because it is too difficult or expensive to take crops off. That in turn makes cropping for energy from this land unappealing to those who would have to pay to do it. In the last 15 years or so, most suitable 'waste' products have been diverted into biogas production, only those that are impure/ unsuitable/ contractually tied up or have a value for another purpose are still out there, and the value of these 'wastes' as a product for another process has driven up the price for them in many cases. I do however think we are seeing a market now in many parts of the country where ex-livestock farms are able to take energy crops off that land and market them reliably, so what you describe is beginning to happen to some extent.
@@jncg2311 You missed the point of my comment, this where land is used as part of a crop rotation as an increasing number of farms are doing in the UK using a 2 to 4 year Herbal Ley as part of a crop rotation to fix nitrogen and minerals in the soil instead of using artificial fertilizers. Typically these leys are mob grazed by cattle, but this has the issue of putting methane into the atmosphere, instead the anabolic digester captures the methane as useful fuel and so avoids releasing it as methane to the atmosphere. In a world where artificial carbon intensive fertilizer is if it is still allowed is going to carry such a penalty in carbon offset / renewable energy costs in future it will probably not be a viable alternative using herbal leys (you might have noticed, it just became unviable this year and needs a government subsidy). Anaerobic digester will eliminate potential penalties farmers will face for methane emissions and eliminate the complexities of keeping animals, would hus I think be an attractive solution to many farmers.
@@grahamariss2111 I think did miss your angle there, sorry. I agree fundamentally however the risk in the idea is that an anaerobic digester on a farm, like a herd of cows, needs feeding constantly. That requirement is a significant amount too given the economies of scale for the infrastructure required. This would make a break crop covering a small percentage of a given farm's acreage insufficient for the job of making an anaerobic digester on that farm viable. This is why many arable farms with anaerobic digesters diversify a significant proportion of their land's output into energy cropping, away from food production. If these ley crops were harvested across a number of farms in an area, to be sold as a product to a local centralised anaerobic digestion facility in return for a proportion of the nutrient rich digestate product, that could work. The transport distance (both ways) and spreading rules for products derived off the farm are a consideration so it wouldn't happen overnight. That was in part what I was referring to when I mentioned the phenomenon of farmers who now grow energy crops in contract to supply to local anaerobic digester operators. I have seen it in ex-livestock/ dairy units where the infrastructure exists to grow and harvest a forage crop for cows, but is instead meeting a local energy crop demand. It wouldn't be a large step to consider how this could extend into herbal ley rotation as long as the infrastructure, and incentive to support it existed.
Total administration over actual application.wonderful insight into Harry's thoughts would the government find the the time to hear our farmers not only trying to make a living but also custodians of the land and being in their blood want to ensure the future of farming in the UK stays on a sensible and sustainable path.harry as always the voice of reason and brilliant videos of what's going on in the industry.
If Ethanol production requires the wheat, as suggested, that same wheat is, therefore, also removed from the human food production chain...the results of which, will be very dangerous indeed. Cui bono??
@@lemmy9996 Correct. But if feed wheat goes to ethanol -> less feed wheat goes to actual chiken / pig/ beef feed -> less meat produced or same volume produced but with higher price (need to replace feed wheat with smth else).
So we care more about soil health and reduced use of Diesel fuel than putting Roundup poison in the food we eat? If I'm understanding that correctly, I'll choose having less soil health and using more diesel fuel than eating poison in my wheat.
I like your thinking and to be honest fully agree with you. We are only small and started farming 2 years ago ourselves and have built up a herd of pedigree longhorns renting ground of my father in law. We are focusing on quality neat locally produced straight to the customer as we are also related to the local slaughter house and butcher shops. If I can over the next few years I’ll try and get back to a proper mixed farming system not reliant on subsidy payments. A bold move I know but I m sure farming can be sustainable and profitable. I’ve been farming all my life and run a livestock contracting business alongside the farm so hopefully integrating both will be a success 🤞 and feed the locals and ourselves
What an incredible insight. I ve genuinely no idea where else you can lean about farming in such an Educational and engaging way. when my daughter is old enough i'll be insisting she subscribes to this channel!!
What about trying to remove weeds with either a fire weeder attachment or by trying out a weeding robot? This would also be very interesting in terms of content for the channel!
@@paulmarchant9231 I'm pretty sure they will eventually become the norm as workers will be too expensive and robots will be much more useful as they can operate 24/7 and won't complain. Maybe look up some videos of them as they look very promising
@@Thatsme849 Yes, but you do then disturb them when you drill the next crop, at that point you have the newly drilled crop, the weeds and volunteers from the previous crop all growing together and control becomes vey difficult indeed.
LOVE THIS VIDEO!! I'm originally from Cheltenham, but a "towny" with zero knowledge of farming. I have found this video so educational and enjoyable. Interesting from financial, management and scientific viewpoints. Super-impressed with your easy-to-understand explanations, your head for figures and effects of government policy. I now get how you came about your impressive car collection! I am subscribing to this channel too. Thank you.
👋 I’m 16yrs old and I’ve just today took my farm on from my anti I got a big farm still looking my land but I’ve days to use everything, thank u. 4 the info will help later next year crop
im not a farmer, but from a macroeconomic point of view, i think youve got it right on harry. shortages are increasing, higher prices are here to stay, to speak nothing of the fiscal and monetary policies being touted by the global central banks and governments. i think youll soon be sitting on a gold mine.
Good to know! My other concern is if I were to go for arable revision and stop growing crops, I would be completely reliant on the UK government for my main income in the form of a subsidy. It would only take a change in government, or for Covid-2 to come along, and my main income would disappear overnight. Food is always going to be wanted, so I think I'm best to go for that option over a big fat subsidy to do naff all. Strange world we're in right now..
@@harrysfarmvids Maybe the ministers in Government should watch your videos.. they might learn a thing or two...it always amazes me when they shuffle the cabinet or change parties, how the person in charge of a particular area is totally clueless but then go on to makes policies? i couldnt walk into a Bank and be a good Bank Manager, or a cake shop and be a Wedding cake decorator, its ridiculous. ..
Hi Harry, Writing from South Australia, we have been advised that China has stopped selling the world Fertiliser at the moment for the coming season . Have been advised that Fert could be $1200 a tonne.
That is a great video. First one I've seen. Harry makes it all very clear and easy to understand. We must all remember that politicians are ten years behind the times. They push things for too long and before we know it the world is short of food. Forward thinking like Harry is doing here is what we need. Keep Britain farming 👍
Another well presented and very interesting piece on the business choices that farmers today have to make inspite of the Westminster clowns running the show, who would not know one end of a pitch fork from the other, espcially the Chief clown of them all.
@@harrysfarmvids of course you do... the amount of shilling you do for agricorps, I can only conclude you must be a shareholder in most of them. The seed royalty fee is a monstrous iniquity which has pushed so many small farmers out of business and handed their farms to rapacious millionaire fatcats like you.
That's odd, why don't they include royalties in the price of the seed when you buy it? It's almost as if you are leasing the seed not actually buying it.
You are absolutely doing the right thing Harry going against this Governments advice. Career politician's have little grasp of agriculture and the best way to feed the nation. Relying on imports is very foolish which has been clearly demonstrated by gas prices and our lack of storage. Another benefit of not ploughing is maintaining a good soil structure that is far less prone to run off into ditches, streams and rivers. Really interesting video.👌
As a farmer too your views are a refreshing and invigorating I have land lost to hs2 talk in the area of solar parks and yes arable land going into grass environmental schemes a total dis regard of sense and a moral duty to use land to produce good well produced food
The reality of farming without subsidies these days is that it would be a zero profit model. Farmers should be allowed to set real prices based on making a profit of say a max value / % profit margin and let the government subsidy go to the tax payer in the form of lower taxes to offset it. At least then makes one industry viable. I definitely understand the need to use roundup but I will be blunt. I would eliminate it if I had my way because its bad for everyone. Anything that kills organic matter is definitely not good for humans and roundup has been found in multiple products in the USA when tested and I work in science and fully believe its bad bad news based on all of the data we have. I think I would prefer to have higher diesel vs roundup. That in time can be fixed with alternate forms of motive power (ethanol / hydrogen / electricity). The reality of this is that imported food will prob contain it anyway _/oo~ Nice to see bees
Farming SHOULD be a zero profit model. We have thousands using food banks because they can’t afford to buy food while Harry is buying exotic cars like they're going out of fashion. The poor farmer is a myth, they're mostly filthy stinking rich and profiteering from the misery of others and the destruction of our environment, and High-Impact Harry is far from a responsible steward of his 300 acres. A radical rethink of not just agriculture but the entire structure of land ownership is needed, to take farms away from fatcats like Harry and put them in the hands of local cooperatives to run them in a way that produces enough food for local needs without wrecking the environment...
@@bloke755 not remotely, my ideas have been around in the UK since the 19th century, and they're the only way we can actually meet the food needs of the country.
Re Stewardship, it seems to me that the Govt wants a picture postcard countryside without farmers "mucking" it up. Also, Govt cronies will scheme how to skim money off the top of more food imports. Food insecurity looming.
I was hoping for an argument as to why you think glyphosate is crucial. You didn't give it. If "modern farming" (agribusiness) is dependent on soaking the soil in a proven carcinogenic chemical, then you can keep it. I'd still opt for a shallow plough over that poison any day. To claim that the soil is a "happier place" for not having been disturbed, and then to spray it with Roundup, is a glaring inconsistency. I'm sorry but your soil is not happy. Your soil is dead.
@@douglasnisbet1189 I'm a farmer too and won't use it. It will end badly. Stuff should be banned. A farmer's wealth used to come from the health of his soil.
Another decision based on Green anti capitalist philosophy rather than science. Just as daft as some of the ultra liberalism of the swivel eyed tories.
The more self sufficient we can become the better. I go out for a drive in the evenings to relax through the farmlands near to where I live. The wheat crop (it's different variety to the one you grow) came out very very well, and was harvested extremely early this year [2022] (though Norfolk/Suffolk area, so it's drier than a lot of the Western counties). Yield seemed to look very good at passing or stopping in single track laybys to have a closer look. Micanthus is on the increase in this area though, and it's starting to become a prolific weed in domestic areas as a result!
Your theory is sounder than that of the government and I feel that it has to be worth a try for the next couple of years to see what happens. If you can diversify in other directions as well then you have the best of both worlds. I hope it all goes well for you and indeed for us as it’s our food you are producing and I look forward to seeing the results.
Another interesting presentation! Your analysis of the wheat market in the context of the transition to E10 petrol as a fuel makes a lot of sense. You never know, firms like the one you included that make fuel ethanol may raise the price of animal feed; won’t be popular in other branches of farming, though!
Harry I have learned more about farming from you and have a better understanding of how farms work both financially and day to day operations keep up the good work thanks
Such an interesting perspective here from Harry, it’s almost as if the various government departments are fighting against each other and in the long term the customer loses out! Surely to put all our eggs in one basket and rely mainly on food imports is not a good idea and actually almost as bad an idea as selling off our energy production to foreign investors and other countries which is the perfect recipe for us being held to ransom 😡. Thanks for sharing what you do Harry, top job 👏👍😀
Totally agree Harry. Turning arable land to grassland seems bonkers when we need to feed our own population. I would love to know what there game plan is. Keep the excellent videos coming.