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Blogs by Linda Watson
Low Arvie - a new skill?
6/28/2010 8:20:27 PM
Hey, I think I have found a skill I didn't know I had! After I wrote my blog yesterday about the lack of rain we were suffering here in SW Scotland, down it came! It was really good to see it - like an old friend that turns up unexpectedly on your doorstep. I even went outside and stood there feeling it cooling my face as it fell - 'the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath'. It just rained gently for about two hours and then the clouds cleared again, and that was just what we needed to get the grass started growing again and the ditches running.
Maybe I should advertise as a rainmaker! No, perhaps it wasn't me after all! I am sure that now it has begun, I will soon be blogging about an oversupply and trying to make it stop!
For the past week, I have had a large sack of grass drying on top of the Aga in the kitchen. We have to find out how much 'dry matter' (which contains the energy giving portion of the bale) there is in the silage and then I use the answer to calculate the amout of nutrients we have taken out of the soil in order to replenish them with the same amount of fertiliser. This is a 'nutrient budget' and I do it every year when we have made the silage. It ensures that we do not put too much fertiliser on the land as the excess would just leech out and pollute our water courses (and cost more than necessary). Every year the ratio of dry matter to water is different according to the amount of rain that has fallen and the amount of time that the cut grass has lain in the fields before baling (both books) and the higher the percentage the better the silage. In the nine years we have taken silage from the land, the lowest percentage of grass that has been in the bales is 24% - that was a very wet year when we had to cut and bale very quickly in between rainy days. Other years it has been aound 40-50%, but this year it is 74% - almost hay (which would be 100%). So we are very pleased with the product this year and R has put back just the requisite amount of fertiliser for the second cut due in September. Being scientists, we enjoy taking this scientific approach to our farming life - it adds interest and also saves money, but I don't suppose there are many farmers who have the time or inclination to do it.
Anyway, it looks as if the July rains have come early this year, as it has just begun to rain again, so it's probably the usual 'feast or famine' scenario in Galloway! Hey ho!
Take care,
Lxx
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More Blogs by Linda Watson
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• Low Arvie winter preparations - Saturday, November 13, 2010
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• Low Arvie first! - Monday, November 01, 2010
• New Low Arvie website - Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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• A sad week at Low Arvie - Monday, October 11, 2010
• Low, Arvie, Americans and the Ryder Cup! - Sunday, October 03, 2010
• `Low Arvie update - Wednesday, September 22, 2010
• No swallows at Low Arvie - Monday, September 13, 2010
• New arrivals at Low Arvie - Tuesday, September 07, 2010
• New Low Arvie website - Sunday, September 05, 2010
• Low Arvie silage - Done! - Wednesday, September 01, 2010
• Low Arvie -Smashwords news! - Sunday, August 29, 2010
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• 'The Ladies' updcate - Friday, August 27, 2010
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• New Low Arvie blog - Sunday, August 01, 2010
• Low Arvie -emarketing - Wednesday, July 28, 2010
• Low Arvie news - Monday, July 26, 2010
• Low Arvie Video - Friday, July 23, 2010
• Low Arvie Rainmaker! - Monday, July 19, 2010
• Low Arvie feature - Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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• Poor Tabitha - Tuesday, July 06, 2010
• Happy 4th July! - Saturday, July 03, 2010
• Low Arvie Ladies on the loose! - Thursday, July 01, 2010
• Low Arvie - a new skill? - Monday, June 28, 2010
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• Friday again at Low Arvie! - Thursday, June 24, 2010
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• A new Lady of Low Arvie - Saturday, June 19, 2010
• Low Arvie worries - Thursday, June 17, 2010
• Low Arvie Nature News - Tuesday, June 15, 2010
• Low Arvie News - Monday, June 14, 2010
• Low Arvie welcomes new arrivals - Thursday, June 10, 2010
• Linda's wedding yesterday - Sunday, June 06, 2010
• Warwick and Low Arvie - two exciting events! - Saturday, June 05, 2010
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• Botox and Low Arvie update - Tuesday, June 01, 2010
• A wonderful Friday in SW Scotland! - Friday, May 28, 2010
• Summer in Galloway - Monday, May 24, 2010
• Back at Low Arvie - Saturday, May 22, 2010
• More reviews - Friday, May 21, 2010
• More Reviews - Wednesday, May 19, 2010
• Spots - Wednesday, May 19, 2010
• Procrastination - Monday, May 17, 2010
• Good news and bad news - Sunday, May 16, 2010
• Verdict! - Sunday, May 16, 2010
• Life part 2 - Saturday, May 15, 2010
• A new outlet - Thursday, May 13, 2010
• Frosty weather, migraine and Arizona - Thursday, May 13, 2010
• Happy Day! - Wednesday, May 12, 2010
• Goodbye and good riddance to Mandelson!! - Tuesday, May 11, 2010
• Bliss! - Monday, May 10, 2010
• Sunday in Scotland - Saturday, May 08, 2010
• Low Arvie - Friday, May 07, 2010
• Low Arvie - Wednesday, April 28, 2010
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