Tuesday the 6th November I paid a visit to Hurrell and McLean my seed suppliers, to sort out some invoices, see what they are up to and find out whats in prospect for 2013.
I was taken on a visit to their farm where they have put massive investment into a seed drying plant and this season of all they grow their first crop -all be it a small one- of agricultural rye grass.
Here you can See Nick Gladstone Hurrell's MD stood on the ventilated floor with the crop in the back ground. The floor has perforated metal insets between the hard wood floor through which air blows to dry the seed after harvest.
The gantry which houses the enormous fan which blows the air through the system.
The air blows down this tunnel and in every bay that you can see is a vent which can be opened to allow airflow through and under the floor.
This is a massive financial investment and shows Hurrell's commitment to the seed industry, I was certainly very impressed.
Here's what happens when the fan is turned on like a snow storm.
I grow some seed trials for Hurrell's here are a couple of photos that my daughter Beverley took for me showing seed that was sown on the 1st October and taken on the 4th November grown outside these two samples were 34 days old.
The greener more vigorous one on the left is a mix of 50-50 Topgun and Colosseum both dwarf perennial rye grass with the one on the right being Carnac and Colosseum.
Watch out for Topgun its is an American cultivar with lots of advantages, that I am not going to bore you with now but I have all the history if you want details I have them all to hand so email me and I will let you have them.
You might think that this is an advert which it clearly is but I think it is important that you groundsmen know what is out there.
What else have I been up to?
Ha yes I was asked to spike the square at Pudsey Congs main ground at Fullneck School home for the 3rd team I forgot to take photos at the main ground but here are a few from the School.
You may remember I deep scarified this pitch -see post 25th September- and the grass cover is good for this Autumn when every one I have spoken to in this region has had poor germination.
Close up of the holes.
The other Bradford League Pudsey that is Pudsey St. Lawrence were concerned about poor germination they are on Surrey loam and it was so wet I was very late to get the seed in.
So I told them I would try germinate some seed and get that on. I returned on Monday this week and put it down. It was very hard to do as when I touched the loam to try get a bit of a seed bed it all just stuck to the folk or rake in a right mess so I put it down with a little loam on the top, best I could do and they were going to put the germ sheets back on over the ends only.
One of the three buckets of pre-germinated seed I put down.
It rained as I was on with the job so I struggled to get a loam covering on all of it., ho yes I remember I also put some more seed down at the same time.
We have got some seed that has pushed it way through the cold wet Surrey loam as can be seen above.
It has two choices either it grows or it doesn't I have done my best.
Back on home ground and the leaves are a right mess so Tuesday I spent some time clearing them up.
Not rocket science but time consuming.
Still plenty to go at.
Because the grass is only just making an appearance the leaves are sticking to the wet loam so they have to be cleared away too.
Not done too bad.
Wednesday morning I was on one of my two visits to Headingley in two days to have a look at the New pitch construction that was taking place I went with Keith Boyce and was shown round by head groundsman Jason Booth it is all very impressive I didn't take any photos but here is a link to Ryan's blog showing the construction stage by stage.
http://www.therhinos.co.uk/news/20754.php
Wednesday night I attended the IOG West Yorkshire Branch meeting at Cleckheaton Sports Club the speaker was Mark Waite of Playrite the artificial turf carpet manufacturer based just down the road from Cleckheaton. Very interesting talk and they have their uses but I feel a sadness inside every time grass is dug up and replaced with artificial, maybe I am just an old Romantic.
What is also note worthy is the
attendance, which was a branch record of recent times 49 people showed up. Top effort by those who came, top effort by David and Rod who do the organising and top effort by Keith and John who sort out the catering. I don't know how they do it they never have a clue as to how many will turn up but they must have been well prepared because John was trying to give two loaves of bread away at the end of the night. Well done all concerned.
Thursday morning at 11-00am I was back at Headingley for an IOG
"North Region Steering Group Meeting" I left at 2-00 pm and it was just winding up.
Tomorrow Friday I am Hollow tining a Bowling green and as far forward as Wednesday the 21 st Nov I am giving a talk to the "Lincolnshire Cricket Groundsman's Association"
Not sure they know what they have let themselves in for.
Need to prepare the power point presentation........ I am far better at cutting grass.
Catch you all soon.
Hodgy
