Chris Mackay

Field Trials Manager at Rothamsted Research. Tweets are my own views. Passionate about sustainable agriculture and wildlife.

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@blackshelpteam help me out! Evri (Hermes) delivery from you saying not possible to deliver since Sunday! No way they have even tried. Desperate for my stuff

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

I like to delve into this fantastic book when I get a chance. Rackham’s knowledge of the British countryside is incredible. I like the “vandal hand of tidiness” sentence as it’s something I bang on about all the time. The desire for tidiness in the countryside is wildlife’s enemy

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

Can anyone tell me how much of the wheat grown in the UK is fed to livestock? Not trying to start any debates, just curious #agriculture #ukagriculture

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

We have a block of land that has been direct drilled for several years (5 I think) and it’s really starting to improve. Walking across it the other day I noticed that every last bit of linseed straw had been gathered up by the worms. Great establish this year (just not in photo!)

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@Seedsman1986 @LSPBLtd What sort of drill did you drill that with?

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@willheygate @agricontract I use a length of guttering under the spout. Feeds it straight back into the bag 👌

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@HMcGrath93 Congratulations Hannah! Can’t wait for the summary thread

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@parker419 Would be very interested to hear what the nutrition is

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@kelly_jowett @franzanth @MyFrogCroaked That’s amazing! Good luck with submission

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@HMcGrath93 @SamCook_IPM @SamCook_IPM is there a summary available of ASSIST findings so far?

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

Great discussion on flowering margins. I’d love to see some data on how in field margins affect overall productivity (increase or decrease) of a field if anyone can direct me to some?

[Martin Lines @LinesMartin]

Insect & biodiversity friendly folk of Twitter I would like some help & advice please. Is adding grass & flower strips like below across our arable fields the right thing or is just flowers better? Planning on adding them across all fields over the next 2 years.

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@HMcGrath93 @SamCook_IPM Do you have the pdf of that paper @HMcGrath93 ?

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@HMcGrath93 @SamCook_IPM Thanks both. Would love to discuss further. I think we should be doing these things regardless of the economics, but demonstrating the economic benefit is the only way to persuade some people to do it

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@LinesMartin Thanks @LinesMartin

[Common Agricultural People @commonagpeople]

But the black grass…

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@BoycefieldFarm Do you use a pre-em herbicide in this system? Field I’m planning to do this in will be following linseed and not sure I will be able to take out linseed volunteers without killing the clover

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@BoycefieldFarm Looks great! Do you think it’s important to drill into clover that has already been established? Or do you think you could drill the clover at the same time as the wheat?

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@BoycefieldFarm @Farmer_Tom_UK @FarmersOfTheUK Why did you use Kyleo and not just straight glyphosate? Isn’t glyphosate enough to knock the clover back sufficiently?

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@SamCook_IPM if you read the part about OSR in this, the grower undersows (sort of) hybrid OSR with conventional. Flea beetle prefer conventional and hybrid grows away. Seems to work. He got 6.5t/ha from sept sowing!
https://t.co/fdD476Dnv9

[Chris Mackay @chrismack4y]

@AlisonDeb @StAlbansCath @Hertsbirds @RSPBStAlbans @HMWTBadger @VerValleySoc That’s amazing. Was there a nest on the cathedral this year?