CRT farmers adapting to another dry summer as lessons from last year’s drought pay off

After another long spell of hot, dry weather, farmers across the CRT’s farms are once again facing the challenge of climate change and coming up with new ways to deal with drought conditions.  

While this year's heatwaves are proving testing in many areas, some CRT tenants say the experience of last year's drought has helped them prepare better, with earlier feed purchases, changes to grazing management and longer-term plans to make their farms more resilient to a changing climate. 

For livestock farmers, planning ahead has made a significant difference. 

Wheat at Lark Rise that wouldn't usually be this colour until August

Bail grazing at Brays Farm

Chicory in an otherwise dry field at Pierrepont Farm

Matt Elphick, who runs regenerative Nutfield Dairy at Brays Farm in Surrey, said his grass has all but disappeared. 

“We have absolutely no decent grass here now and have started bale grazing. However, it's not as bad as last year because we are better set up. 

“We needed a plan for this extreme weather and longer periods of drought so we bought more food earlier on so we have enough haylage to see us through a period where we have to feed due to the lack of rain. But it's just another financial burden.” 

Matt is looking beyond immediate challenges and investing in measures to improve the farm’s resilience. 

“We have an application ready to go for the capital grant schemes for more hedgerows and will split the fields up and create more shade, which is good for the cows and keeps the soil cooler too.  

“We would also like to improve the fertility of the soil in general with a seaweed fertiliser to help with root structure and become more drought resistant. In the future, we would like to go into agroforestry but we will get the hedgerows done first.” 

At Pierrepont Farm in Surrey, dairy farmer Kayleigh Robb said the drought has arrived even earlier than last year, but preparation has helped reduce some of the pressure. 

“We are definitely in a drought earlier this year than last year. It is the same story as last year with no grass and we will need to use feed again. The good thing is I could see it coming this year so I already have plans in place. We have been more prepared with feed. I have left some fields with standing hay but it is already burning off. 

“But I have managed to source some good quality feed with maize and silage bales." 

Kayleigh believes repeated dry summers mean farmers must now adapt rather than hope conditions improve. 

“One year of drought you can think it's a fluke, two years is a pattern and three years is the norm, so this is the norm now and it's about planning how to manage it. This year has had higher peaks of 38°C than last year. This also affects fertility and milk yield.” 

She has also begun introducing herbal ley, which has remained noticeably greener than conventional grass throughout the dry weather. 

"You can see it is greener than the rest so it definitely works,” she added. 

This autumn she plans to reseed around 50 hectares with herbal leys. She has also split her Jersey herd into spring and autumn calving groups, meaning only half the herd is currently milking, helping to reduce pressure on cows during periods of extreme heat. 

At Twyford Farm in West Sussex, mixed farmer Bob Felton has so far escaped the worst effects of the drought, although he expects to begin supplementary feeding within days. 

“We made our hay earlier than usual and we have a reasonable amount. I have some silage and I keep telling myself it's not as bad as 1976 yet. 

"We're okay. We are desperate for rain generally but it's not caused us any problems. We are surrounded by trees so all the animals have plenty of shade and water." 

Bob said he expects to put out a bale for his cattle in the next day or two. 

For arable farmers, the outlook is more concerning 

At Lark Rise Farm in Cambridgeshire, Tim Scott said harvest results are already showing the impact of the prolonged dry weather. 

“I would suspect many businesses will not be able to sustain yet another disastrous harvest. The margins for all of us are very slim in the first place. The commodity prices are a tad bit better than last year but are still not covering the cost of production.” 

Having harvested just one field of winter barley so far, yields are around 30 per cent below expectations. 

“I would have been expecting three tonnes per acre and I have 2.2 tonnes. Winter barley does ripen early so the impact of the drought is less on barley than wheat. In a nutshell, the one field I have combined, and it did look like a good crop beforehand, was 30 per cent down. That 30 per cent would be my profit so I've basically grown the crop for love." 

Tim fears spring crops will fare worse. 

“I have not harvested them yet but I can see them dying before my eyes. I would expect three tonnes per acre but if I get one tonne I will be amazed. Everything I have done to grow the crop will outweigh the remuneration. This will be repeated across the farm.” 

He is also concerned that financial pressures may lead many farmers to stop growing spring crops altogether, which is not good for wildlife. 

“Spring crops are less intensive and give ground-nesting birds a chance but the profitability is so low. It is generally looking pretty bleak.” 

Despite difficult conditions, farmers across CRT farms are increasingly adapting their management plans to cope with a future where drought is becoming more common.  

Earlier feed planning, herbal leys, improved soil health, additional hedgerows, shade for livestock and more resilient farming systems are all part of the response. 

While this year's weather is putting pressure on farms, many say the lessons learned from last summer have left them better prepared for heatwaves like the ones we have seen for the last few years.