Stubble fields are reportedly remaining for longer periods after harvest as farmers adjust their practices. These post-harvest acres of short straws are being managed in different ways across the UK.
In some areas, such as below Cleve Hill Down, tractors are drilling winter wheat directly into bare seedbeds among the stubble. These fields are often sprayed with herbicide, leaving them free of weeds or other green growth. Historically, stubble would have been left with weeds, birds, and insects until midwinter ploughing.
Conversely, at Wexcombe, the Hosier family is implementing regenerative farming techniques to enhance soil health. Their stubble fields are drilled with cover crops, including fodder radish, phacelia, buckwheat, clover, and vetches, while the combine is still harvesting the previous wheat crop. These cover crops are intended to feed, cover, and protect the soil, with some being grazed by cows over winter before spring barley is planted.
The practice of stubble burning, which was banned in 1993, was previously used to kill weeds but also caused pollution. While some traditional farms now leave stubble for better soil structure, these bare fields can be vulnerable to erosion and offer limited value for wildlife.