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available on the market, the company adds. Direct drilling can be very demanding on the machine so a strong chassis with fewer moving parts is important to reduce running costs and downtime whilst in the eld.

Moore Unidrill says: “Research and development is important to us; we are constantly implementing feedback from users so follow us on social media or visit www.moore-unidrill.com for new options and features coming soon.” FG

RapidAoffersgreatdesignandaseriesof innovationswhichreducethemaintenance, improvestheperformanceandmakesdrilling simpler.Rapidcanbeequippedwiththe uniqueSeedEyecountingtechnology. Farmerscannowsetthenumberofseeds persquaremetrewithoutneedingtoperform calibrationtests.

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Third generation farmer Tim Young was struggling to manage the irrigation and storage of high value crops, such as onions, which saw him reluctant to leave the farm in peak growing season in case he missed a problem with an irrigator. An internet search led him to a simple solution...

Tim Young’s family bought Grange Farm at Hockwold, near Thetford in Norfolk in 1964. The 185ha unit consists of typical ‘Breckland’ free-draining, sandy-loam soils and supports root crops including onions and sugar beet. Combinable peas, wheat and stewardship land also gure in the rotation. The farm is within a designated SSSI – the Breckland Farmland Site of Special Scienti c Interest.

Alongside farming, Tim (pictured) also works as an agricultural consultant, meaning time spent o -farm. In the past this has been di cult, especially in the peak summer growing season when high value crops such as onions require irrigation. Adding to Tim’s anxiety levels, albeit later in the year, were concerns regarding his onion storage facilities – were they holding the onions at the correct temperature and humidity to minimise wastage?

“Onions in particular are a high value crop,” Tim comments. “Managing irrigation to optimise yields is crucial. Then, when the crop is in storage, it is imperative that the ambient temperatures are controlled or the crop can be lost.

“The summer months, especially in times of drought, saw me increasingly reluctant to leave the farm in case I missed a problem with an irrigator. Likewise, I would go to bed with one ear open to listen to the irrigation pumps. Then in the autumn and winter, regular monitoring of the stored onions was tedious, time consuming and it was di cult to achieve accurate results across the store.”

Seeking a solution and some peace of mind, an internet search brought Tim to the website of SoilEssentials, the precision farming specialists and its range of 7Sense smart wireless sensors.

“I had an inkling that some sort of remote monitoring sensors, for the irrigators and for the onion store could make my life a lot easier. The sorts of systems I had previously come across did not seem as though they would be right for me. However, when I found the 7Sense sensors on the SoilEssentials website I could see their potential immediately.

“Following my initial enquiry to SoilEssentials they supplied me with 7Sense irrigation sensors. I can’t believe how easy to operate they are. They mounted on my existing rain guns and I now have complete control and monitoring without having to constantly go to the eld to check what’s happening. The GPS tracker in the sensor lets me monitor the exact position of the rain gun at all times; I am alerted if there is a drop in water pressure or ow and there is even an alert if the trolley ips over. Basically, I can now keep an eye on the irrigator from anywhere and respond straight away if the system reports a problem.

“I have also given my agronomists access to the sensor monitoring app, so nothing goes unnoticed.

“In the height of the heatwave last summer and the four-night only water restrictions, I had to make sure I capitalised fully when I was allowed to use water and that the irrigators worked accurately and consistently at those times. The 7Sense irrigation sensor allowed this to happen, which is satisfying, as I foresee more of the same extraordinary temperatures, and probable restrictions in the future.”

The next step for Tim, after solving his irrigator monitoring headache, was to speak to SoilEssentials again about options for onion store monitoring sensors.

“For the onion store, SoilEssentials supplied

7Sense sensors which monitor temperature, relative humidity, and CO2. Like the irrigator sensors these store sensors o er me 24/7 surveillance and peace of mind and will alert me if conditions in the store change. This system allows up to 32 sensors to be placed in locations throughout the store, all relaying information back to the app on my phone. What I’m particularly impressed with is how rugged and waterproof the sensors are and their ability to utilise wireless signals even through the walls and other obstructions around the stores.

“I am delighted with how both of my 7Sense systems have simpli ed my farming and allowed me to spend more time doing other things without worrying about onions! The recent FTE government grant helped to fund the sensors as the products fall within the productivity and sustainability precision farming arena. In the future I plan to add storage sensors to the grain store for registering the temperature, and relative humidity of the wheat, that will greatly help with my Red Tractor certi cation.”

He concludes: “SoilEssentials have their main o ce in north-east Scotland, but they have a consultant, Ed, less than an hour away from me and the advice and support I have had, and still get, from their whole team is great, making the distance between us irrelevant.” FG

After a hot and dry year when most farmers were unable to do any signi cant moling, it is time to plan what is needed for this year. We are hoping for an ideal moling year to catch up with the work missed last year. There is also a need to understand that the stability of some of the established moles will have su ered due to the extreme trauma that the land has been through. Farmers need to check the condition of the drainage system on their land and physically check the outfalls. Redundant drainage systems can be revitalised with rotational moling in heavy clay soils and ideal conditions. It is also worth considering moling in the crop when the land is drying out, especially in poorer crops.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive aims to encourage actions that improve soil health. Good drainage and regular/rotational moling go a long way towards improving soil structure and therefore a healthier soil for crop production and environmental improvement. Moling will help to deal with waterlogging, water runo and soil compaction as it helps to move water freely through the soil pro le into the drains and ditches.

Hankins Engineering Ltd has now been making mole drainers for over 40 years and the Maidwell Moler range consists of single, twin and three leg machines, mounted and trailed to t all needs. The machines are robust and have a unique pitch adjuster, incorporating a shear bolt for leg protection.

The Maidwell Molers are built and proven to withstand large tractors and crawlers and cope with trashy conditions due to a large swivelling disc. Press wheels are an additional feature if required. Hankins Engineering Ltd also stocks a wide range of moler spares at competitive prices and molers for hire. Ron is always available to o er help and advice if needed; contact him directly or visit the website or Facebook for further information: www.maidwellmoler.co.uk FG