Arable Crops

Oats are a cereal crop. They are a strain of grass that are cultivated and harvested for their grain. Oats were commonly fed to cattle and horses. The production of oats has declined since the mechanisation of farming and the replacement of the horse by the tractor. The decline has also come about because barley … Read more

Oilseed rape is known as canola in America.  Oilseed rape is grown for the oil extracted from it’s black seeds. It can be used as a break crop in a rotation mainly based on cereals. Oilseed rape can be Spring sown but it is mainly Autumn sown. Autumn sown rape has a higher yield and … Read more

  Wheat is a cereal crop which typically yields 3.5 tonnes per acre. It is a strain of grass that is cultivated and harvested for it’s grain. An ear of wheat contains an average of 54 grains. Wheat is a popular crop because it is used to make bread, breakfast cereals and biscuits. It is also … Read more

  Hay is mature grass that has been cut and allowed to dry in the field. Haymaking is the traditional way of storing grass. June/July is when the hay is made. The hay must be turned each day for approximately six days before it is dry. It is usually collected in bales and stored in a … Read more

Silage is grass that has been preserved by pickling rather than drying. This pickling process is similar to pickling onions. To make silage The grass is cut and left to wilt. It is then collected using a forage harvester or collected in bales. The 500kg bales are then wrapped in polythene. Storing silage in airtight … Read more

                                Arable farming is the production of crops. It is predominant in lowland areas where the soils are more fertile and the climate is drier. The major crops grown in the Uk are wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape, potatoes  and sugar beet. Vegetables and salad crops are also grown for human and animal consumption. No Tags