organic farming

Could I get a 60% grant through OCIS for a two wheel tractor type mulcher? I know the horticulture lads can, but in the other sections it talks about self propelled?

I've nothing to mount it too, that's why the two wheel tractor

Horticulture only.

Indeed - a strong smell of BS off that!!

It

Into year 3 of organics, struggling to grow grass in most of the fields this time of year. Silage fields are the only ones growing grass (getting all the slurry and some of the FYM). Fields are completely overcome with rushes now, even silage fields are covered in them.
West of Ireland land and weather does not suit organic farming if you can’t spray rushes to try control them. Have been mulching and mowing rushes for bales the last two years to try control them

The old generation used far less chemicals if any, used much lighter machinery and likely far lighter cattle better suited to the ground they had. Other than that I guess meticulously hand dug drains would have been common as well, can't see us going back to that somehow!

Rushes is a bit more of a problem for myself these days awell. Looking into improving soil indices with some dung and possibly lime to discourage them from growing. Also a lot of topping to get them under control.

I'm into year 4. I never sprayed much rushes anyway, so they're no worse. Bracken ferns are my biggest enemy.. it depends on your land and you have my sympathy because particularly the soft rush is very difficult to kill or control on heavy land. Constant cutting and lime. Dexters will eat rushes I find if fed ration outside in an area. But you've to be careful with that crack because poaching is the one thing that drives them mad.

Grass is very slow this year (extreme SW here) in any field without lots of shelter. I've silage ground closed that got slurry, that's doing well.

I've ground closed for lambing (next week) that also got slurry but that's very slow. Sheep only need a pick of grass though, and a drop of rain anytime in the next week or so would save the day.

Cows will gtfo as soon as there's a sprout on the coarse ground, maybe a bale with them just to keep me happy that I'm not starving them but I doubt they'll eat much of it.

I shook CAN the 20th of Feb a few years back and saw nothing out of it. The animals lived that year, and it taught me a valuable lesson that I put into action 4 years ago - much fertiliser is wasted.

I don't agree with this "poisoning the land" outlook on organics. I like money, and between the payment and the saving I'm far far ahead financially since I converted.

I will say though, that you have to get mean with ration, which I hate being and raise a stock type that will mostly do without it.

Year 4 organics, sold yearlings at Sixmilebridge last Saturday got serious prices, I was surprised at how well they weighed considering they were on very limited amount of nuts.

Grass is slow this year so far, I think the nights have been too cold. I'm well back on the amount of slurry and fym I have and will be looking to import some.
Had the inspection last week, all good, inspector told me about whey liquid from the coops that you can get, I must look into that. Also Sulphate of Potash from target, anyone use this and what prices?

I've also put in for a new mower, haybob and loader in Tams, the grant on the Tams for the mower costings is above the price for the mower and haybob but below for the loader

Yep, loads of conventional buyers stuck around the organic ring last Saturday they outbid the Organic buyers on several lots

Didn't know there was a flat price on offer, thanks. Have stock booked in for June and July. Maybe some should go later and put on more weight.

Sent cattle to the factory today at 8.40 .i think its a great price.long may it last but i doubt it will.

Yes 8.40 flat.they were a angus heifers q assured 2yrs old ,r and o g grade and circa 310 kgs dead weight.

I checked the conventional route out and coudnt get a quote for this week or next week as they said they were killing their own feed lot cattle these 2 weeks ,but then im not a regular customer of theirs so maybe they had no interest in me.I did get the impression from the factories that they were trying to stall the cattle price being paid but then i could be totally wrong on that.