CLASSIC SILAGE MAKING AT BROUGHSHANE

摘要

As with life generally, the pace of change within agriculture continues relentlessly. Take silage making -farmers moved from a simple buckrake to collect the mown grass in the field; to single chop harvesters; to double chop and then precision chop machines. As the cost of machinery increases and, perhaps more significantly, sourcing labour becomes more difficult, most farmers now use contractors. Contractors have taken the operation onto a new plane altogether. With self propelled mowers and forage harvesters, work rates of 150 acres per day are not uncommon. There are many positive aspects to these developments but I can't help thinking that silage making has lost the sense of occasion which accompanied it when I was a young boy. What once took up to a week's work is now all over in a couple of hours.