Real Results Grower: Mark Doble
M & S Doble, Hurcott Farm, Ilminster, Somerset
Hurcott Farm covers 160ha and is farmed by Mark and Sue Doble alongside their son Andrew.
The two main soil types dictate how the land is farmed. One is straight sand which has a habit of slumping and the other is a sandy clay brash which can go down hard like concrete, both of which need some form of primary cultivation to get air back into the ground; plough or subsoiler.
Winter wheat, oilseed rape, winter linseed, maize and potatoes are grown at Hurcott and they are in the process of moving the farm to 50% break crops and 50% wheat, to maximise the seed contract. Mark is proud to have grown cover crops on over wintering stubbles for many years.
The Dobles try to get the potential out of all the crops that are grown. Having done trials in wheat over the last 30 years, Mark has found the more you put in the more you get out whether that’s in terms of feeding or protecting the crop.
About Hurcott Farm and the Doble Family
Mark began working on the farm the moment he left school and is the second generation on the agricultural holdings’ act tenancy. His grandfather came to the farm in 1933. His father took over in 1966 and Mark took over in 1998. It is very much a family farm with Mark, his wife Sue and son Andrew in partnership. Mark and Andrew carry out the day-to-day work and Sue helps during busy times including driving tractors. Mark and Sue’s other Son; Philip is studying at Harper Adams University.
The two main soil types dictate how the land is farmed. One is straight sand which has a habit of slumping and the other is a sandy clay brash which can go down hard like concrete, both of which need some form of primary cultivation; plough or subsoiler.
Mark said, “I don’t think that minimum tillage would suit the ground we farm, we need to get air back into the ground because it slumps and is very prone to erosion.”
Mark is proud to have grown cover crops on over wintering stubbles for many years, even before any funding was available to do so. Doing so provides green manure, wildlife habitat and is aesthetically pleasing from the road. We work in an industry where our every move is watched and judged.
Involvement in Real Results Circle
“I have always been involved with trials and the Real Results Circle is a continuation of that process. It gives me real information that is relevant to our business and location. All the trial work is done on our farm, under our conditions, management, and systems. There is a lot of time spent doing it, especially putting on different fungicides etc but I think it balances itself out with the benefits we get. The Cereals Event is too far away, how a variety looks at Cereals bears no relationship to how it will perform down here.”
Sustainability and looking to the future of Hurcott Farm
What are you doing to ensure your farming operation remains sustainable and resilient for the future?
“YEN has taught us that attention to detail is crucial, so we must monitor the crop regularly, work with our agronomist closely and to not cut corners. We should all be striving for that extra 1 or 2 % to make a profit. We try to maximise the crops as best we can, we have found that the more you put in, the more you get out, whether that is feeding, or protecting the crop from disease.”
How is IPM integrated into your farming operation?
“Over the last few years, we have trialled various companion crops in the OSR and this year we have drilled a Clearfield rape variety with buckwheat and fenugreek. Last year we sprayed on nematodes to a strip of OSR in a trial, the theory being that they would attack adult CSFB. My wife didn’t find it amusing to know we had live bugs stored in our fridge waiting to be applied to the field!”
What most excites you about the future of farming and agriculture?
“We are being pushed more and more as an industry to supply public goods for public money. As an industry we need to maximise the land which crops are able to thrive, whilst taking the poorer quality land out of production, we need to work together as an industry closer to have a balance of these things. Growing food needs to have the same business viability as growing environmental crops. The country needs to eat, and it needs to eat sustainably.”
Why farming is the Biggest Job on Earth?
“Farming quite literally is the biggest job on earth. We have such a mammoth task ahead of us to feed an ever-growing population from a smaller area of land. The more houses and infrastructure that is built, the more environmental schemes that are installed, the less area that is available to grow food.”