Just ahead of the new season, farmers’ attention focuses on the Oxford farming conferences. So is it just the landscape that’s going green? asks Tim Field
THE torpor of a sleeping countryside is broken and the new growing season dawning. Green tinges appear as the hawthorn leaves unfurl, while the white highlights of a frosty morning are replaced by unmistakable puffs of cottonwool as the blackthorn bravely bursts into flower; beneath the hedgerows, snowdrops are superseded by primroses.
The winter crops of oil seed rape, wheat, beans, oats or barley have all provided the terrestrial dwellers with a green blanket for the harsher winter months and now attention turns to the spring crops. Cover crops are destroyed with chemistry, machinery, hungry livestock or a combination of any of the above, in preparation for a seedbed and the new season’s drillings. For some, calving and lambing is already underway and the newborn livestock will soon benefit from the flush of grass growth as daylight gets longer, more intense and a sunny day rewards us with a hint of warmth in the air.
Denne historien er fra March 2018-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra March 2018-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners