the farming year
the farming year | facts and figures | farmland birds | guidance for landowners | SheepKeep | surveys

• Fruit trees are pruned to ensure a good crop later in the year
• Some flocks start lambing indoors to produce lamb ready for the traditional Easter market
• Conservation works take place such as planting, coppicing and laying of hedges; also work in farm woods, before the birds start nesting
• Farm maintenance of buildings, tracks, fences and machinery
• Shooting season draws to a close

• Early lambing continues
• Orchard pruning continues
• Fungicide sprays are applied to crops showing signs of disease
  
• First top dressings of fertiliser are applied to winter sown arable crops
• Winter stubbles are ploughed and a seed bed is prepared for spring crops if the ground is dry enough
  

march

• Farmers continue planting spring cereal crops, barley, wheat and oats
• Main lambing season starts and housed ewes go out to grass
• Spring calving of dairy and beef cows
• Spring beef cattle sales held at livestock markets

• Fruit orchards begin to blossom
• Crop planting continues – maize, linseed, vining peas and game cover crops
• Turnout of winter housed dairy herds and beef cattle
• Grass and arable crops are fertilised

• Fruit orchards in full blossom
• Oil seed rape in flower
• Arable crops are checked regularly for pests and disease and sprayed if required
• First silage of the year made from surplus grass to be fed to cattle over winter
• Sheep shearing begins
• Early strawberries harvested
• Arable crops checked regularly for pests and disease and are sprayed if required
• Lambing season finishes

june

• Salad vegetables and soft fruit harvested (cherries, gooseberries and strawberries)
• Hay making in full swing
• Second grass silage cut of the year taken
• Sheep shearing continues
• Dairy and beef cows mated now for calving in the spring

july

• Harvesting of winter sown arable crops (oil seed rape, barley and wheat) commences using combine harvesters
• Grain is taken from the fields to the farm by trailer
• Baling of crop residues (mainly straw) starts
• Harvesting of soft fruit continues (raspberries, cherries, blueberries and black/redcurrants)

• Harvesting of arable crops reaches its peak
• Straw is transported to livestock farms to be used for winter bedding and feeding
• Early cultivations (ploughing, seedbed cultivations, liming etc) and sowing of arable crops begins
• Third cuts of grass silage taken (depending on how well grass has grown)
  

• Harvesting of top fruit (apples, pears and plums) reaches its peak
• Harvesting of late varieties of soft fruit (raspberries and blackberries)
• Maize harvested to make into silage for winter feeding to cattle
• Tupping starts - Ewes are mated with rams for spring lambing
• Autumn calving of dairy cows
• Spreading of farmyard manure onto farmland before autumn cultivations
• Autumn cultivations (ploughing, seedbed preparations, liming etc) and the sowing of arable crops (winter barley, oats and wheat) in full swing
• Herbicide sprays are applied to crops if required, to kill emerging weeds
• Local and county ploughing matches take place

• Grape picking and wine making commences. There are several vineyards producing quality award-winning wine in the Chilterns region
• Autumn cultivations (ploughing, seedbed preparations, liming etc) and the sowing of arable crops (winter barley, oats and wheat) continue
• Summer grazed dairy and beef cows are housed for the winter and fed preserved crops (grass and maize silage) and supplementary concentrated feed
• Ewes are mated with rams for spring lambing
• Autumn calving of dairy cows
• Harvest festivals held across the region
• Pheasant shooting season starts

• Autumn cultivations to prepare the ground for planting crops near completion
  Harvesting of winter vegetables (cauliflowers, beetroot, swede, parsnips and leeks)
• Summer grazed dairy and beef cows are housed for the winter and fed preserved crops (grass and maize silage) and supplementary concentrated feed
• Christmas trees are harvested

december

• Harvesting of winter vegetables (cauliflowers, beetroot, swede, parsnips and leeks)
• Turkeys and geese plucked in preparation for Christmas market. See local produce section
• Conservation works take place such as planting, coppicing and laying of hedges; also work in farm woods, before the birds start nesting
• Farm maintenance of buildings, tracks, fences and machinery
• Holly and ivy gathering for Christmas decorations
• Fatstock shows are staged at major livestock markets

some activities go on throughout the year…

• Dairy herds produce milk all year round. Each cow has a calf every year and gives milk for the next 300 days
• Poultry units produce meat and eggs
• Pig units, both indoor and outdoor produce pork and bacon
• Beef cattle are fattened for market