Sowing sunflowers using Irisa and Marítimo seeds

A few weeks ago, we sowed the sunflowers, as we’ve been showing you in the videos posted on Instagram and YouTube. The main change this time is that we have switched seed brands and started using Syngenta.

As we have mentioned in previous blog posts, sunflower cultivation in our region is a fairly marginal crop. Hardly any farmers grow sunflowers because we rotate with pulse crops. We continue to keep it because it gives us an extra crop and because it means we can spend more time working on these fields where we sow sunflowers. What’s more, we have more options for controlling weeds. Another problem with growing sunflowers is that in our area the summer is very dry and there is practically no rain from sowing until harvest. That is why we switched to a different variety and tried SY Irisa AR and SY Marítimo AR. These seed varieties are notable for their good yields under water stress, so we’ll keep you updated on how our crop is progressing.

Another point worth noting is that, before heading out to the field to sow the seeds, we carried out some preparatory work at home using Syngenta’s Seed Selector tool. This tool helped us to select the seed variety best suited to the conditions on our fields (agronomic and climatic conditions). A free and very user-friendly tool that we really liked and think is very useful.

If we take a closer look at the two varieties grown, we can highlight the following about each of them:

SY Irisa AR

• High-yield hybridLinoleic variety.
• Excellent emergence vigour.
• High yield and good oil content.
• It is the earliest-flowering hybrid among the herbicide-tolerant varieties (Express™ and Clearfield®).
• High tolerance to both Imazamox (Clearfield®/Clearfield® Plus) and Tribenuron methyl (ExpressTM system) herbicides.
• Flowering: Early.
• Physiological maturity: Early.
• Resistance to Jopo: Very high.
• Resistance to downy mildew: Very high.
• Drought tolerance: Very high.
• Germination vigour: Very high.
• Height: Medium.

SY Marítimo AR

• The first A.I.R.™ high-oleic variety on the market.
• A highly productive hybrid in all growing conditions, performing particularly well under drought and heat stress.
• Strong emergence vigour.
• Good oleic acid content.
• High tolerance to Veriticilium.
• Flowering: Medium.
• Physiological maturity: Medium.
• Resistance to Jopo: Very high.
• Resistance to downy mildew: Very high.
• Drought tolerance: Very high.
• Vigorous emergence: Very high.
• Height: Tall.
• Oil content: Medium-high.

And finally, we’ll mention a few details about the A.I.R.™ technology featured in the two varieties we’ve sowed. This technology is notable for providing strong tolerance to herbicides containing imazamox/imazapyr and tribenuron-methyl, enabling better control of all weed problems. It therefore offers flexibility in the application window for these herbicides, keeping a wide range of weeds and broadleaf weeds under control.

Versión en español.

First mechanised harvest work in our olive grove

At this time of year, it is normal to talk about planting or sowing... but whenever you plant, you harvest, which is what happens with olive groves. The last harvest we do throughout the year is the olive harvest (the work we show you is from December) and for us, on this occasion, it is a milestone as it is the first time we have done mechanised harvesting in our olive grove... quite an advance!

Until now, we have always harvested manually, as the olives on one tree were not yet producing. Last year, these one tree olive trees were harvested, but we did it manually so as not to damage the trunks, as they were a bit thin. This year, we decided to mechanise harvesting work, and it has been a complete success.

It has been a great success, as it significantly reduces the time required and because mechanised harvesting is cheaper than doing it manually. In terms of time, we completed the harvest in two days, whereas previously it took us almost four days. As for costs, manual harvesting costs us 0.2€/kg, whereas mechanisation has reduced this to 0.08€/kg. This cost can even be improved when we have higher production, as the olive trees are young and production is set to increase in the coming years.

Finally, we would like to thank Juan Pedro for his excellent work operating the harvesting machine (umbrella).

Versión en español.

Baling days with the Krone BiG Pack 1270 5th Generation

After the harvest comes a new task: collecting cereal straw… it’s baling time. On this occasion, we visited our friend Fernando Martín at his farm in Valverde de Campos (Valladolid), where we had the chance to see the new Krone BiG Pack 1270 5th Generation big baler in action, working alongside his John Deere 6250R. It was a fantastic afternoon. Here, we will tell you what we saw.

We arrived early in the afternoon while Fernando and Nacho were preparing the baler, oiling it and replacing the rope. There we were able to see the new Krone, and they explained its main features to us, as you can see in this video. Once the setup was complete, we headed to one of the fields where oats were being harvested and where we were able to see the new Krone BiG Pack 1270 5th Generation in full operation.

It was quite a show. The working conditions were far from ideal, mainly due to the temperature and the large amount of oat straw, which is always more challenging to handle. Even so, as you can see in the video, the big baler did an extraordinary job, working at a speed of about 8 km/h and producing bales weighing around 350 kg (240 cm).

Below are the main features of the new Krone BiG Pack 1270 5th Generation:

• Krone VFS: Larger and variable baling chamber (configurable from the display). 
• VariCut: Different knife banks are available with 26 or 51 knives. 
• PowerClean: Continuous cleaning of knotters using two hydraulic turbines
• ISOBUS-compatible: Full integration with all ISOBUS systems
• Active Pick-up: The Active Pick-up without eccentric. 
• New rope containers: Compatible with 15 kg reels. The side panels open and close hydraulically.
• KRONE's new double knot technology: that trims the ends of the twine. 
• Larger flywheel: smoother operation and reduced load peaks in the train drive. 
• Auto lubricator: as standard equipment.
• Tandem axle with guided rear wheels: When reversing or at high speeds, the steering axle straightens automatically and is locked hydraulically. 
• 80 ball hitch.
• Moisture sensor in the baling chamber and weighing system: in the bale chute.

From here, we wish Fernando the best of luck with his new big baler so that he can make those 70,000 bales with virtually no maintenance... Keep us posted on how it performs!

Versión en español.