4 acre field what to sow

valtra8150

i have a 4 acre field that needs ploughing grass gone bad but i dont need the field for grass i was woundering if i could sow any crop in it but not oats or barley as i allready sow this but something that could benifit the farm maybee even sell on again after harvesting and make a profit

yellow50HX

valtra8150 wrote: »

i have a 4 acre field that needs ploughing grass gone bad but i dont need the field for grass i was woundering if i could sow any crop in it but not oats or barley as i allready sow this but something that could benifit the farm maybee even sell on again after harvesting and make a profit

Beet if you can sell it for feeding. Kale, fodder beet, or suedes if you can out winter.

valtra8150

yellow50HX wrote: »

Beet if you can sell it for feeding. Kale, fodder beet, or suedes if you can out winter.

how do you mean out winter, and what is suedes

yellow50HX

Turnips.

If you have cattle you can strip feed them on land over winter

Gingernuts31

Could you plant trees? Either harvest them yourself for firewood, 1 acre per year and replant when you harvest. Might be a few years before you could get good growth though thats the only thing.

valtra8150

Gingernuts31 wrote: »

Could you plant trees? Either harvest them yourself for firewood, 1 acre per year and replant when you harvest. Might be a few years before you could get good growth though thats the only thing.

you couldnt plant this land its way too good for that

valtra8150

and if i planted turnips beet or fother beet how would i harvest it

yellow50HX

Fodder beet can be harvestered with an Ordinary beet harvester, turnips too, but with a chain lifter. Also you could just pick them by hand.

valtra8150

would a potato picker do for beet or turnips one like this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/3992298. or a potato spinner like this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/4065772
and where would one get beet or turnip seed and how would you sow and when to sow it

yellow50HX

valtra8150 wrote: »

would a potato picker do for beet or turnips one like this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/3992298. or a potato spinner like this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/4065772
and where would one get beet or turnip seed and how would you sow and when to sow it

No need, you can just pull them instead of using these. These just lift the spuds and put them back onto the ground to be picked by hand.

Belt harvester like this, plenty around from the sugar beet days.
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/4013275

Chain harvester like, again loads around.
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/4067579

You can get seed from any merchant, plenty of varities around. You set, grow and harvest fodder beet like sugar beet. The difference between sugar and folder beet is that sugar beet needs to be chopped to be fed while the cattle can break up the fodder beet themselves.

If your in a tillage area there should be a few lads around that grew it before.

garageman165

i must ask around, the only thing is that them harvesters are awful dear id bee looking for a very cheap one. what time of year do you sow fother beet and how long it usually takes to grow

yellow50HX

same as growing sugar beet, its just a different variety. usually plant in april. harvesting starts from october. lad next door harvestered his 1st load yesterday. if the leaves survive all winter you can still pick in the new year. i know a lad that grows about 100 acres for selling as feed over the winter. he bought an old tyrgod chain lifter to go with belt lifter so he can harvest after the leaves start of break away.

yellow50HX

garageman165 wrote: »

i must ask around, the only thing is that them harvesters are awful dear id bee looking for a very cheap one. what time of year do you sow fother beet and how long it usually takes to grow

plenty of old armer belt yokes around. some lads just backed them into a shed and they are still there. lots of them have only done a bit over the last few years
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/otherfarmmachinery/3946362

valtra8150

and when there harvestered do they last long before they go off well say

6480

does it cost much to put a crop of beet in ie ( seed, fertilzer,sprays ) and do u need good land to grow the crop

yellow50HX

valtra8150 wrote: »

and when there harvestered do they last long before they go off well say

the beet will last for ages, main worry is frost. you cant feed it if its frost damaged. most fellas store it in the yard but plenty of fellas store it under straw or even inside sheds to protect it. most years its not an issue but a lot was ruined during the bad winters a few years ago.

garageman165

thats what im trying to find out. i coulnt see there being much spray having to be used, wouldnt be as much anywase as barley or oats

yellow50HX

6480 wrote: »

does it cost much to put a crop of beet in ie ( seed, fertilzer,sprays ) and do u need good land to grow the crop

yeah not cheap i suppose as you need to plough, rotovate, set, and spray. but then again you need to do around that same with barely. this year was a rubbish year growth wise but most crops were behind. most years you'll get about 30-35 ton/acre for fodder beet all going well. sugar feet would be about 20-25 ton/acre but there is a much higher content in the sugar beet.

beet is a great break crop or corn so there is plenty of knowlege out there. if your in a area that grew it then there should be plenty of lads around that will fill you in on what needs to be done.

yellow50HX

garageman165 wrote: »

thats what im trying to find out. i coulnt see there being much spray having to be used, wouldnt be as much anywase as barley or oats

we usually spray twice, sometimes you can get away with once other times you might need 3. we usually spray when the weeds start to appear to kill them off which will give the beet a chance to grow an stifle the weeds.

bob charles

6480 wrote: »

does it cost much to put a crop of beet in ie ( seed, fertilzer,sprays ) and do u need good land to grow the crop

€800 incl rent and best have good land