Since 2010, James Peck has been researching and developing his CTF strategy. Awarded the Nuffield Farming Scholarship for six-month research project that took him to Australia, Argentina and the USA, James was determined to bring what he learned back to the UK to improve productivity and efficiency.
“During my time in Australia and the US, I saw the benefits that CTF brings to farming. Improvements in machine efficiency, reduced input costs and better soil structure means an 18% to 20% increase in yield for no additional costs. That’s pure profit,” enthuses James.
With 5670 acres of cultivated land under P.X. Farms’ stewardship, James prides himself on running an efficient operation. Wheat, winter and spring barley account for around 60% of the land while mustard, OSR, sugar beet, spring peas and beans make up the rest. All land starts with a digital mapping followed by subsoiling, cleaning up ditches and hedgerows before the CTF wheelings are set in place.
A 12m Horsch Joker cultivator is the final piece in P.X. Farms’ 12m system, which includes a Horsch Sprinter SW and Titan chaser bin. “Although we started in 2010, we have only run 100% CTF across the farm for the past three years, changing each piece of machinery at practical intervals. Over the past three years we’ve seen the farms’ soil structure improve greatly with more worm activity and crops advancing earlier,” he explains.
The full copy of Horsch’s ‘Talking CTF’ can be downloaded from their site at
CropTec 2015:
If you’re considering adopting more efficient cultivation techniques or looking at ways to improve the health of your soils to reduce your crop establishment costs, attending our new Crop Establishment Seminar, sponsored by Horsch, will pay dividends.
In addition to the free advice on offer at this topical, technical and practical seminar, there will be numerous exhibitors you can talk to regarding your cultivation and soil care strategy. This new and important area of CropTec is designed to help you boost yields further and reduce those all important unit costs of production
To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.
General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.
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