Glossary
All the terms you need to know to understand British Farming
Cover Crop
According to AHDB*, 'a cover crop is a non-cash crop grown primarily for the purpose of ‘protecting or improving’ between periods of regular crop production.' Read our article about cover cropping here
Cultivating
While some fields are ‘ploughed’ after being harvested, those which have been left ‘fallow’ (without a crop) are ‘pulled down’ or ‘cultivated’. The machine, which is pulled behind the tractor, has a series of ‘points’ which are dragged through the soil to remove weeds and turn the topsoil, and ‘rolls’ which flatten any clods. This reduces the need to use fertilisers and weed killers as well as prepare the soil for ‘drilling’ (sowing the seeds).
Drilling
Drilling is the act of sowing seeds into the ground for next year’s crop. The drill, which is pulled by a tractor, acts as a giant funnel with tubes feeding the seeds down into the ground. For us to sow the seeds, the ground and weather have to be just right. Too much sun and the ground risks being dry and unwelcoming to our seeds which may simply shrivel and die. Too wet and the seeds may be washed away, rot or worse still, we might get our tractor stuck!
Germination
Germination is when the plant grows from a seed and sprouts into a seedling. This is usually visible since green shoots appear through the earth creating a green carpet effect.
NFU
The National Farmers' Union or NFU is 'the most successful representation body for agriculture and horticulture in England and Wales'. They help and support farmers and growers by bridging the gap with decision-makers and consumers, putting British Agriculture and the countryside at the centre of the conversion. The current NFU Chairman is Minette Batters. Click here for the NFU Website
Ploughing
There are a few ways of preparing soil for new crops and ‘ploughing’ is one of them. A plough has several large ‘mouldboards’ which carve through the earth behind a tractor. The objective is to break down, cultivate and turn over the soil, as well as pull up weeds. You may notice a large set of ‘rolls’ being pulled behind a plough. These break down the larger clumps so that when it comes to sowing, the seeds are sown into fine soil, increasing the chance of roots forming and plant growth.