Water John wrote: » I think you have to commit the same plot for the 6 years.
Qprmeath wrote: » Is there Glas payments dates set or is it just a make it up as they go along situation?
Base price wrote: » We ran into problems ploughing one of the 2 GLAS areas. Part of the plot (about an acre) is extremely stoney and the plough skidded over the top. I sprayed the area off yesterday and our slurry/baling contractor is going to try his 3m disc harrow across it tomorrow. We were thinking of spreading some smc on it before hand to help bulk up the soil. Do any of ye think that it's a good idea or not? Also does anyone know where I could buy wild flower seed, sowing rate and how much per kg. I know it's not part of the GLAS plans but I would like to sow a strip of it around the edges for the bees and insects.
ganmo wrote: » Why spread it when you're not going to get the benefit from it ? Maybe get it when you're putting it back into grass
Water John wrote: » You just don't do everything because of a grant. Wild flowers is a good idea on the headland, bees etc. Will look nice too.
Capercaillie wrote: » http://www.wildflowers.ie/design-by-nature/about.htm I have bought off them before, good quality seed. If you know your P,K lime levels you can get wilflowers seed that match your soil fertilty and will grow best.
Base price wrote: » I sent an email to that company today. They reckon that it is getting late to sow flower seeds but should be ok. I was thinking of going for a kg of their Biodiversity Wildflower Meadow Mixture (Special)mix and planting one area that borders a ditch but does not get flooded. The area forms a point and would suit as I could leave it undisturbed when tilling/replanting wbc next year. I also noticed that some of the seed mixes sold are not suitable for animal consumption as we intend to let cattle graze the wbc during the open season. I wonder will we be penalised if this small area is planted with flower seed and not planted with wbc?
Capercaillie wrote: » Corncockle seeds would be poisonous to cattle/sheep, but only if a beast ate a huge amount of pure seeds. You will only have small amounts in the seed mixture. Corncockle is an annual and will only grow in first year, unless you till the ground next year it will not grow again. I have most of those species in my hay meadow and no problem with toxicity. You would need to check with farm planner that you are putting in wildflowers in a small patch. That mixture would not provide much edible seed crop (for birds) compared to something like linseed/oats. I'm my opinion a mixture of WBC and wildflower mixture would be of greater benefit to a greater range of species than WBC on it's own. I'm not a farm planner! Pic from my hay meadow (July last year).
kollegeknight wrote: » I am in tranche 2. The only documentation I got was the acceptance letter. Is this normal?
drive it wrote: » What are the penalty's of pulling out of Glas , I am only in it since last year it the rented ground that I need to take out
Stan27 wrote: » Yes. Documents from dafm have not been sent out yet.
Muckit wrote: » The boyf looks a bit off his head there Kovu
Kovu wrote: » Seeds are sprouted, the linseed is well up, oats are behind. Need rain :eek: I'm not the best at this scarecrow lark though :pac:
Base price wrote: » :eek: Crows & Jackdaws are a problem and we were up this morning with the shotguns. Seems perverse that one is attempting to scare away crows in order for the seed to grow for "wild birds"!!
Birdnuts wrote: » I wouldn't worry about it - the aim of wild bird covers is to provide food and cover for species like yellowhammer, partridge etc that have been hit hard by the intensification of farming and associated loss of habitat etc. over the last few decades. Crows on the other hand have thrived in the modern farmed landscape so keeping them away from such areas is no harm at all.
