Shows / The Tillage Edge
The Tillage Edge
The Tillage Edge is Teagasc's weekly tillage podcast, presented by Michael Hennessy, bringing you weekly episodes covering the agronomy needs of crops throughout the season with input from Teagasc researchers and views from across the industry. The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com
Episodes
The Tillage EdgeUpdate from Don Somers’ farm in Wexford
The poor spring weather was a key topic on the latest Tillage Edge podcast when Michael Hennessy chatted to both Don Somers, a farmer from Wexford, who is also…
The Tillage EdgeSpring cereal weed control and preventing resistance on your farm
Weed control is as important as ever in spring cereals and Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both Tillage specialists in Teagasc, along with Vijaya Bhaskar, a…
The Tillage EdgeHow to prepare for your BISS application consultation
With a substantial amount of BISS applications still to be submitted, there is growing pressure on all advisors to ensure farmer consultations are efficient so…
The Tillage EdgeLate sown spring cereals at high risk of BYDV in 2023
Late planted spring crops are at a higher risk of BYDV infection this year, as Dr. Louise McNamara, an entomologist in Oak Park Teagasc, explains on this…
The Tillage EdgeCritical crop agronomy for late April and early May
Planting of spring crops continues at pace but there is still a substantial amount of planting to be completed especially in the north east of the country…
The Tillage EdgeJim McCarthy update from Romania
On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Irishman Jim McCarthy, who manages a large tract of land in northern Romania, talks to Michael Hennessy about spring…
The Tillage EdgeCritical crop agronomy for mid-April
All tillage farmers have a long list of crop management tasks which needs to be completed as soon as possible and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Ciaran…
The Tillage EdgeA view of current UK agricultural policies with Andy Mahon, a Dubliner farming in the UK
Andy Mahon, a Dubliner and farm manager of a large farm in the UK, joins Michael Hennessy on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to talk about the UK’s agriculture…
The Tillage EdgeThe Potential of Protein Crops Part 4: Growing the right protein in the right place for the right market
In the final episode of the four-part series on the potential of protein crops, this week’s Tillage Edge podcast looks at how a new European project Valpro…
The Tillage EdgeDarren Allen from Ballymaloe Farm on improving farm efficiency & the environment
All tillage farmers can make small changes to reduce the farms environmental impact and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Darren Allen, a farmer from…
The Tillage EdgeSetting your fertiliser spreader for Urea
The switch to urea on tillage farms comes with the added risk of uneven spreading and on the latest Tillage Edge podcast, Francis Quigley, a Machinery…
The Tillage EdgeThe Potential of Protein Crops Part 3: How to increase the value of protein crops
In the third part of a four part series looking at protein crops, on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast we examine if Irish protein crops can be transformed to…
The Tillage EdgeHow to claim the Eco Scheme in 2023
The Eco Scheme is part of the new CAP 2023-2027 and will make up a significant part of farmers payments this year and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Shay…
The Tillage EdgeThe Potential of Protein Crops Part 2: The existing use of beans in the market
In the second part of our four part series looking at protein crops, the Tillage Edge podcast catches up with members of the National Protein Stakeholder Group…
The Tillage EdgeBuying urea will save you thousands of euros on a typical farm
The cost of nitrogen is stubbornly high but the cost differential between CAN and urea can be exploited to cut costs this year on tillage farms. Dr. Richie…
The Tillage EdgeWinter Crop Agronomy
As the soils dry out, farmers are beginning to venture into fields to plough, plant and in some cases fertilise crops. Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both…
The Tillage EdgeThe Potential of Protein Crops Part 1: Growing Beans in 2023
This is the first of four episodes looking at protein production in Ireland and how it can be developed over the next number of years. In Part 1 of the series…
The Tillage EdgeThe Fundamentals of Soils Part 4: How to Improve Soil Health
This is this final episode of four for The Tillage Edge’s special soil series and this week we return to Professor Mike McLaughlin, from the University of…
The Tillage EdgeThe Fundamentals of Soils Part 3: Soil Testing
This is the third episode of four for The Tillage Edge’s special soil series and this week, Dr Karen Daly, a soil scientist from Teagasc, joins Michael…
The Tillage EdgeThe Fundamentals of Soils Part 2: Soil Nutrients
The second part of The Tillage Edge’s special soil series sees Professor Mike McLaughlin continue his in-depth look at soil and its functionality with…
The Tillage EdgeThe Fundamentals of Soils Part 1: Soil Make-Up & Chemistry
Soils are the most important resource the human race has. Without a productive soil there wouldn’t be any farming or food production. Understanding the core…
The Tillage EdgeFarmplan and the importance of digital recording on tillage farms
With the year coming to an end, you may be reflecting on the good and bad points of 2022, trying to remember the areas where improvement on your farm is…
The Tillage EdgeThe Tillage Outlook for 2023
As the year draws to a close, the Teagasc outlook is predicting tillage income to halve in 2023 in comparison to 2022 with many farms close to a break-even…
The Tillage EdgeA Review of 2022 for Tillage Farmers
Tillage farmers were part of a roller coaster year in 2022. The year started out with uncertainty due to high costs, then to very high grain prices in…
The Tillage EdgeCareer Opportunities in the Tillage Industry
There are many different career paths people can take within the tillage industry, from tillage farming to all the way to becoming the CEO of large businesses…
The Tillage EdgeDisease Control in Oilseed Rape
Despite the very wet weather over the past two months, winter oilseed rape has grown strongly but these conditions are also good for foliar disease…
The Tillage EdgeThe New CAP Regulations – Conditionality for Tillage Farmers
The new CAP starts in January 2023 and it brings with it new rules which farmers need to follow to receive their payments. Michael Moloney, from the Department…
The Tillage EdgeControlling slugs in cereals
The wet autumn has slowed crop emergence and given soil pests such as slugs an upper hand to inflict damage on emerging crops and on this week’s Tillage Edge…
The Tillage EdgeWhat you need to know about the DAFM Fertiliser Register in 2023
Tillage farmers will be required to register for the Fertiliser Database with the Department of Agriculture from January next year. Finbarr Regan from the…
The Tillage EdgeReduced potato yields with 30% still to be harvested
The weather through 2022 has adversely affected potato yields and a reduction of at least 15% is expected. The very wet weather has delayed harvest and more…
The Tillage EdgeManagement of later sown winter cereals
Later sown crops that did not receive a pre-emergence herbicide present more challenges for growers to control grass weeds this autumn and Ciaran Collins, a…
The Tillage EdgeThe Pros & Cons of Converting to Organic
Ireland has a relatively small organic sector and the number of tillage farmers within this is smaller again, however there is now a sustained drive from the…
The Tillage EdgeStrategies to deal with the threat posed by aphids
Winter cereal plantings are continuing apace this week, albeit growers are grabbing every chance they have through the bands of rain every 2-3 days. Last year…
The Tillage EdgeWaterford farmer, Bill Shanahan, on the benefits of his non-plough based tillage system
Continuing a series of interviews with tillage farmers who are involved with the various programmes in Teagasc, on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Michael…
The Tillage EdgeThe Crops Forum Part 2: Fertiliser Supply & Costs
Following on from the Crops Forum which was held recently, on this week’s episode of the Tillage Edge podcast, you’ll hear from moderator Andy Doyle discussing…
The Tillage EdgeThe Crops Forum Part 1: the Financial Risks for the Year Ahead
The Crops Forum was held recently with an excellent line up and a very interesting discussion from a panel of experts across the country. And on this week’s…
The Tillage EdgeHere’s how you can help shape the new pesticide regulations
Application of pesticides is highly regulated but new rules are coming down the track which are being formulated by the EU at the moment and Anne Marie Dillon…
The Tillage EdgeHow this Meath Signpost farmer aims to minimise pesticide use
Vincent Macken is a Tillage Signpost farmer in county Meath and along with his Teagasc advisor, Shane Kennedy, he joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s…
The Tillage EdgeChoose your herbicides carefully for weed control in oilseed rape
The dry soils are making oilseed rape weed control difficult and choosing the correct options will maximise control but also minimise crop effects. On this…
The Tillage EdgeIs solar electricity a good option for tillage farmers?
Solar electricity from Photo Voltaic (PV) panels can be suitable for tillage farmers who are using a lot of energy such as potato or grain stores and on this…
The Tillage EdgeWhy oilseed rape is a good choice for 2023
Oilseed rape will give comparable margins in 2023 to winter wheat and is a crop worth consideration on most farms and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Shay…
The Tillage EdgeUK harvest almost finished - the latest from Dubliner, Andy Mahon
The Tillage Edge chatted to Andy Mahon, who is a farm manager in North Bedfordshire in the UK. Andy, originally from Dublin, is almost finished the harvest…
The Tillage EdgeIs stubble cultivation necessary on your farm this harvest ?
Ted Massey, from the Nitrates Section at the Department of Agriculture, joined the Tillage Edge this week to discuss the new rules around stubble cultivation…
The Tillage EdgeWheat yields down 43% - harvest update from Jim McCarthy in Romania
Jim McCarthy joined the Tillage Edge podcast from Romania this week to give an update on the progress of his harvest and an overview of the harvest in his part…
The Tillage EdgeHarvest 2022: the progress so far
The harvest so far has been a mixed affair with relatively poor winter barley yields across the country. On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, John Pettit and…
The Tillage EdgeThe combine harvester settings to harvest crops more efficiently
Shay Phelan talks to Dermot Forristal and Brendan Burke from Oak Park on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss combine harvester settings to ensure that…
The Tillage EdgeHow to control potato blight
Dr. Steven Kildea joins Shay Phelan on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to talk about potato blight. Steven describes the conditions that favour the…
The Tillage EdgeThe Value of Straw in 2022
Input prices have skyrocketed but at the same time the value of outputs have also increased. The value of chemical P and K has doubled, therefore the value of…
The Tillage EdgeIs a record harvest on the cards?
Ciarán Collins and Shay Phelan, both Tillage Specialists in Teagasc, joined Michael Hennessy on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to discuss how crops have…
The Tillage EdgeSuccessfully managing grassweeds in tillage
Grassweeds in tillage crops are becoming more common but John Mahon,Teagasc ECT advisor, is on this week’s episode of the Tillage Edge podcast and says that…
The Tillage EdgeBYDV - how bad is it this year?
This year BYDV is evident in both winter and spring crops despite many farmers’ best efforts trying to control aphids which spread the virus. On this week’s…
The Tillage EdgeA new prediction tool for Potato Blight spread
Potato blight can be every bit as damaging in 2022 as it was in 1845. Blight is a devastating organism but relatively predictable as it needs specific…
The Tillage EdgeControlling foliar disease in crops
‘A wet and windy May fills the barn with corn and hay’ is a saying that all growers are aware of and hope will come true this year. However, wet conditions in…
The Tillage EdgeA Preview of the World Potato Congress in Ireland
Ireland will host the World Potato Congress on May 30th to June 2nd in the RDS, Dublin and this week’s Tillage Edge podcast previews the event with Liam…
The Tillage EdgeInsights on the Current Global Grain Market
Phelim Dolan from Comex McKinnon joined the Tillage Edge podcast this week to talk about the current grain market and the prospects for the coming months…
The Tillage EdgeUpdate from Jim McCarthy in Romania on spring crop conditions and Ukrainian harvests
Irish farmer in Romania, Jim McCarthy, re-joins Michael Hennessy on the Tillage Edge podcast this week to discuss the continued effects of the Ukrainian…
The Tillage EdgePolish farming update with Tim Bergin
The latest Tillage Edge podcast catches up again with Tim Bergin who is a Dubliner farming in north Poland. Tim talks about how the conflict in Ukraine has…
The Tillage EdgeCrop Update and action to be completed in crops now
Crops are racing through their growth stages and many crops require critical inputs to ensure they reach their yield potential. Ciarán Collins and Shay Phelan…
The Tillage EdgePrecision farming with fertiliser spreaders
Precision placement of fertilisers is critical to ensure farmers get the maximum returns and on this week’s episode of the Tillage Edge podcast, Craig England…
The Tillage EdgeManaging Malting Barley
Eoin Lyons, the Teagasc Boortmalt joint program advisor, joined this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss the management of malting barley over the coming…