Why is this Farmer growing Sunflowers?

grebeman

Old Codgers Group
Sorry guys but I don't know, hopefully it's part of an agri-environment scheme and they will provide winter feed for birds. There's what I think is Linseed and Mustard in there as well, both would provide some food, although it's not a big area, just a corner of a field. I'll have to keep an eye on it and see what happens.

1010827.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


1010828.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


Panasonic G1 with 45mm, f/2.8 Leica DG Macro-Elmarit

Barrie
 
Sorry guys but I don't know, hopefully it's part of an agri-environment scheme and they will provide winter feed for birds. There's what I think is Linseed and Mustard in there as well, both would provide some food, although it's not a big area, just a corner of a field. I'll have to keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Barrie

If it is just a corner of field and those are short sunflowers with a mixture of other seed plants and maybe some brassicas then it is a game cover for pheasants surely? You call it "an agri-environment scheme" with "winter feed for birds" though ;)
 
If it is just a corner of field and those are short sunflowers with a mixture of other seed plants and maybe some brassicas then it is a game cover for pheasants surely? You call it "an agri-environment scheme" with "winter feed for birds" though ;)

Hi Richard,

I made an assumption that it was an agri-environmental scheme based on it being a small area. I'm not sure of the changes that have occured in recent years. I used to be au fait with the old stewardship scheme having surveyed a local farm for birds over several years, that was one of the first in the scheme back in the mid 1990's. I have also surveyed game cover crops over a 3 year period at the end of the 1990's, part of a nationwide survey by the British Trust for Ornithology. The area covered was probably 100x the area of this plot, so it wouldn't hold many game birds.
I shall have to have a word with a friend of mine who is responsible for the entry and higher level schemes here in south Devon.
Whatever, thanks for your interest.

Barrie
 
Hi Barrie

I have just re-read my post and see that I mistyped the last sentence so it come across as sarcastic about the "agri-environment scheme" which was not my intention! I always enjoy your posts. I have seen a lot of very small game cover plots [as well as big ones obviously] and I am not sure of the strategy for those.
 
Hi Barrie

I have just re-read my post and see that I mistyped the last sentence so it come across as sarcastic about the "agri-environment scheme" which was not my intention! I always enjoy your posts. I have seen a lot of very small game cover plots [as well as big ones obviously] and I am not sure of the strategy for those.

No problem Richard. It's a 10 minute walk from home (although it's 200+ feet higher in elevation :() so I'll be able to kep an eye on it, be interested to see what it holds.

Barrie
 
Fascinating - the whole agri-environment scheme thing. I'm sure we have similar things here in the states in the rural areas, but I'm ignorant of them. I'll be interested to hear what you find out, Barrie and to continue to follow visually as well.

Sunflowers always make me feel happy and hopeful - both of which are very worth while to my own environmental needs.(y)
 
Hopefully this farmer is NOT growing sunflower for animal feed but in an attempt to improve his profit yield. Both sunflower and pumpkin seeds can be added to bread flour to very good advantages, and there is a world shortage of bread flour currently with little hope of things changing in the near or middle future. These include both health and financial profit gains not to mention intrinsic product enhancement of making a quality 'niche' bread.
 
Lovely - those little lavender flowers and the details of the grasses make an awfully pretty juxtaposition against those bright face sunflowers. Great view, Barrie - and sunshine no less!
 
Here in the states there is a good market for commercial sunflowers. Oil, livestock feed and people food. the seeds are very good when lightly rosted and seasoned. We had some couple weeks ago. Large fields are grown and machine harvested, the same as other grains.
 
Back
Top