Any Farmers out there???

[Janice]

Does anyone know anything about Rapeseed??

I think it is in a field near us and I just wondered when it might be harvested?? I really dont know anything about it and just wondered if anyone had any info?

Thanks

 

[Goofyish]

Found this for you:

http://www.csl.gov.uk/ienica/data/Oilseed.htm

We have a large number of fields round us that have Rapeseed growing - it's lovely to see the the yellow fields in the spring.

 

[Penny12]

It might be nice to look at, but it's murder if you suffer from Hayfever

Penny

 

[caroley]

Not that it's relevant or anything, but I'm sure that I read somewhere that bees get very irritable if they've been in a rapefield.

Maybe bees get hayfever too?

 

[Scotfan]

Oilseed rape is planted either in autumn or spring depending on the variety and where in the country you are, it flowers in may or june for about 3-4 weeks, this is when most people complain of allergies or the smell. The flowers then die back and the pods of seeds are left to ripen. In autumn the crop is either sprayed to kill it or swathed and either way left to dry and then combined to collect the (by then) small black seeds which are eventually crushed to extract the oil.
If you need any more info fire away.

 

[Janice]

Well! I really didnt think this was get any response!

Thanks for the link Tim - very informative

Penny, I dont suffer with Hay Fever but both James and Katie do really badly and I know how awful it can be.

Carole! LOL

And Mo - what can I say, thank you for that information - I wonder if you could answer one more thing for me? When I put my washing on the line today - it was simply covered in very tiny black insects! Not nasty looking or anything - and they just fell off when I shook the washing - but do you know if these are because of the rapeseed growing in the field behind our house?

Not being Country folk - we have lots to learn!

 

[Kevin Stringer]

Bl**dy townies!

Don't worry Janice, you will just about be tolerated after you have been there 25 years.

Kev

 

[Janice]

LOL Kevin Baby!

If you've ever watched "A League of Gentlemen" then you'll know what I mean when I say "you're not from around 'ere are you?" LOL --- I get "that" look when I go in the Local Post Office and, I stopped to buy some Potatoes yesterday at a little farm shop.
There was a wooden Cubby Hole type Shed on the road edge - a notice said to help myself to potatoes and pop 30p per pound down the shute! (It was a piece of plastic Waste Pipe fixed in a hole through the shelf)

Bless!!

............and believe me when I say I am having the time of my life and I absolutely love it! It's just the size of the spiders!!!!! My goodness, they are huge!

 

[WDWfan uk]

I know exactly the little black bugs you mean Janice! They love yellow and white! Wait until you get the really small thunderbugs!! They adore anything white and they get everywhere. ( They usually put in an appearance end of Julyish!!)

We too have a lot of rape grown in fields around us and here they flower in May as Mo says. We hate the stuff, largely because of allergy - I also dislike the smell when the flowers are at their height. It also re-seeds everywhere and is very difficult to get rid of.

 

[BONZO]

This is a local shop for local people!

 

[Janice]

LOL Shaun! Thanks

I think I need a new tag in my signature "She's not from around 'ere!" LOL

 

[BONZO]

So,

Is it ROYSTON VASEY you've move to then?

LOL

 

[Scotfan]

Janice sounds like corn lice or thunderbugs (same thing, 2 names) we normally get them later in the season but being further south you may get them now! If you iron things when they are still on them they are a pain to get off next wash. Harmless though.
I'm married to a farmer who used to contract with an OSR swather every summer so I know a bit about it. He's doing 18 hour shifts at the moment to try and get the silage in whilst the weather holds.

 

[Janice]

LOL Shaun - actually its a village just North of Stowmarket

Mo - well I couldnt believe how many there were swarming today - I couldn't even step outside! I thought that maybe there was a storm brewing - so would that be Thunderbugs!!??

We were quite shocked when we moved in to see the field of Rape - obviously when we viewed between Christmas and New Year the field was just ............ a field! When I spoke to the lady we bought off - she said it was the first time the farmer had grown Rape during the time she had lived here (about 4 years I think) so maybe he only grows it every so often? Would that be feasable - or should we expect this every year? I dont mind - I just like to know what to expect.

Lol about the ironing - I shook them all off yesterday - and quickly put the clothes for a quick tumble in the dryer! How wicked? LOL

 

[Scotfan]

Janice it does sound like thunderbugs they do get a lot worse when it is thundery, hence the name.
Jamie rotates OSR in the fields once every 4 - 5 years so you should be ok there. He normally puts wheat in straight after, then Barley for a few years but it depends on what your local farmer grows obviously.
There are pros and cons of living next to any crop.
We used to grow Barley next to a housing estate and at harvest time we could be baling straw at one end, and the little darlings would be setting fire to them at the other. It was a race every year.
If you have kids (sorry cant remember) please try to keep them out of the fields, at least when there are crops growing until all bales are lifted. Accidents can happen so easily with all the big machinery that we have these days. I have just spent 2 days at the Highland Show doing guided tours for inner city school children, and when they saw the size of the tractors etc they were gobsmacked for want of a better word.

 

[Goofyish]

If you like the smell of the rape seed Janice just wait til the local farmers start muck spreading

 

[Janice]

Thanks Mo for the info - in fact, we got to speak to a neighbour this morning for the first time, and she has lived here since the houses were built 10 years ago - and she said this is the first time that Rape has been grown to her knowledge. Normally, its either Wheat, Barley, Corn or Peas.

The little flies were not so prolific today - but then it wasnt so 'close' - but really, it isnt a problem when you know what it is and that they are harmless.

We dont have any little ones Mo - but thanks for the warning, I'll bear it in mind should we have any toddlers visit - or even when the Grandchildren come along! (OMG - I cant believe I am even thinking in terms of Grandchildren!!!!!!!!!) LOL.

Tim! - so muck spreading I could live without! LOL Part of country life I suppose - and you do get accustomed to it after a while I would imagine.