Agro in Action

Days gone by we could enjoy entertaining day at the New Holland Campus in Peñarubias del Pirón (Segovia). A few days ago, Conrado (presenter of the programme) called us to ask us if we could collaborate with the CyL TV programme called "Agro en Acción", as they were thinking of making a chapter about agro influencers.... For those who do not know “Agro en Acción”, it is a TV programme 100% focused on agricultural machinery. We were delighted to confirm our collaboration and told him that we would participate in whatever he needed. So, the recording we made yesterday, which will be broadcasted on 22 December.

There we met Conrado, the presenter, and Fernando, the cameraman, with whom we have already met at some trade fairs and we have even made a trip together to the Steyr factory (St. Valentin - Austria), so we knew each other before. Essentially, they are very great followers and we also watch all the “Agro en Acción” programmes. So we think the admiration for the work done is mutual.

On the other hand, we took the opportunity to return to the New Holland Campus. A beautiful rural house in the heart of Segovia where the Italian brand organizes many training events, demonstrations, marketing and sales courses, etc. It is always a pleasure to visit that Campus.

All in all, it was a very interesting day that we hope will be reflected in the “Agro en Acción” programme. We will let you know when the chapter is published, and we will also indicate the link so that you can watch it on Internet for all our followers who are outside Castilla y León.

Versión en español.

Sowing days 2023. Camelina

With the beginning of November, we start the sowing season with renewed hopes after a disastrous last season due to the drought we are suffering. In this way, we recharged our strength and hitched the seed drill to the tractor to start the cultivation of Camelina... this is a new crop for us, although some farmers have been sowing it in our village for years. Camelina cultivation will help us to meet the CAP requirements and we will be able to comply with the required rotations... and it also leaves a good fallow for the following year's cereal. 

Once we decided that we were going to sow Camelina, we contacted the Camelina Company that provided us with the seed. This company has been working with this crop in Spain for more than 10 years. They will give us technical advice during the crop life cycle and they also will buy the harvested crop. 

As for the sowing work that we show you in the video and our photos, we can highlight the size of the seed, which is the first thing that catches our attention. It is a micro seed, so we need to completely change the configuration of the seeder to throw 8 kg/ha and leave it as shallow as possible, although it shall be covered. In this respect, the Gil seed drill works exceptionally well and does an outstanding job. 

With respect to camelina, and in order to give you a better understanding of this crop, we can highlight the following characteristics: 

• Drought resistant crop. 
• Early sowing to reach about 6 leaves before winter frosts. 
• Crop that can be sown with the direct seeding (no-till) technique. 
• Average yield is around 1,200 kg/ha. 
• Background fertilisation is recommended and cover fertilisation is essential. 
• Rabbits do not attack this crop significantly. 
• As far as the CAP is concerned, it complies with the P3 and P5 Eco-regimes. 
• Camelina Company is the company that supplies the seed and buys the production once it has been harvested. 

We will monitor the crop and we will keep you posted on the blog and our social networks... the results are sure to be very interesting.

Versión en español.

New Makako-GF677 almond plantation

Once again, we will analyze different plantations and crops, focusing on woody crops to the detriment of cereals and pulse vegetables. It is true that our favorite woody crop is the olive grove, but, on this occasion, we have chosen the almond tree in order to diversify our farm . We have evaluated different plantation options and we have deduced that the field for this plantation is more favorable for almond trees. So, we are already involved in the cultivation of almond trees and even thinking that if these trees are doing well this year, we probably will expand our farm with more almond plants next year. 

The garden center where we always buy the plant, Viveros Casilla de Bayo, recommended planting the Makako variety, which is an extra late flowering variety (it will flower about 15 days later than usual). The rootstock we used was GF677. The hybrid GF677 has a medium tolerance to root asphyxia and drought, which is well adapted to chalky soils, it tolerates iron chlorosis, but it is a nematode sensitive rootstock. It confers high vigor. Therefore, we have followed the recommendations that Horacio (owner of the nursery) has made to us. 

Another decision to be taken was the planting frame. Our friend Juan, from Almendras Aljemí, encouraged us to plant in a frame of 7x6 meters in order to have a few more trees per hectare. Horacio also noted that he likes this planting frame for the almond tree and, in particular, for Makako as this variety does not involve a very bulky tree. But speaking to other farmers in our area, they all indicated that a 7x7 meter frame would be the best to be able to work without problems... so the definitive planting frame selected has been 7x7 meters. 

We are going to show you the evolution of the almond trees and we are sure that we will learn new things as the trees grow and share them with you.

Versión en español.