DHF News: September 2024
I am pleased to announce that harvest 2024 at Dennington Hall Farms came to a close on 30th August, with all the crops safely in the shed. Harvest commenced on 14th July with Oilseed Rape, followed by Winter Barley, Wheat, Malting Barley, Beans, Wildfarmed Milling Wheat, and Spring Oats. Thanks to favourable weather conditions, we were able to minimise drying requirements. We did encounter some challenges with the Vining Peas due to over-ripening, which led to a reduced area harvested for frozen garden peas, the remaining area and crop will be repurposed as livestock feed. The harvesting of sugar beet is ongoing and will continue throughout October, we anticipate reaching the halfway mark by the time this newsletter reaches you.
Combine and Chaser in a field of Oilseed Rape
On 13th September, Dennington Hall Farms hosted a delightful end-of-harvest barbeque, welcoming over 160 residents from Dennington and Badingham. The evening was filled with burgers, hotdogs, beverages and engaging conversation, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect with the local community and share insights into our farming operations, we couldn’t have asked for better weather, with possibly the last warm, sunny evening of the summer. We extend our thanks to the Bruisyard Country Estate team for their exceptional catering service.
Welcoming residents of Badingham and Dennington to celebrate the end of Harvest
With the harvest now complete, our focus has shifted to cultivations and preparing the land for winter planting. We will soon be drilling Winter Wheat, Barley, and Beans. Oilseed Rape was successfully established in August and is currently benefitting from a companion crop of Buckwheat, Fenugreek, and Berseem Clover. This companion crop aims to deter the cabbage stem flea-beetle, a common pest of Oilseed Rape, by disrupting its feeding and breeding patterns. In recent weeks, we have established thriving overwinter cover crops. We plan to graze these crops with a flock of Poll Dorset sheep in the new year, prior to direct drilling Spring Oats, Wildfarmed Wheat, Wildfarmed Barley, and Mustard. This will be our first year growing Mustard, which will be processed into condiments for Colemans.
The companion crops we grow to protect the young oilseed rape plants
Our cattle have recently undergone pregnancy scanning, yielding an impressive 95% pregnancy rate. We eagerly anticipate the arrival of new Red Poll calves starting in January 2025. Be sure to follow our social media channels for delightful pictures of the new arrivals!
We appreciate your continued interest in the activities at Dennington Hall Farms and look forward to sharing further updates in the coming months, please follow our Instagram and Facebook pages to keep up to date.
