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Farmer Tõnis

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Farmer Tõnis

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farmer.tonis

🇪🇪 Farmer from Estonia
🌱 I create humorous and educational farming content
⬇️ Follow along

Had to put something something on the field after

Had to put something something on the field after winter wheat and winter triticale has shown that it is better choice than winter wheat.

Triticale is a mixed breed of wheat and rye, and according to farmers growing it, it could
combat "cereals after cereals" situation better.

Planted it on 13th of september in 2025. Came up satisfyingly and used only autumn herbicide on it!

In spring 2026, it looked a bit down but thought that it could create some tillers and fill the gaps. Unfortunately no rain in almost two months from when vegetation began.

@paultech_esoil soil station showed drought stress and nitrogen I applied didnt solve properly.
The rains came later but it was too late I think

Crop grew only about knee high without any significant tillers.

As it looked not so good in spring and didn't improve, I almost didn't use any other inputs except herbicides and 97 kgs of nitrogen.

It yields about 6 tons in lower places of the field and 4 tons on higher places, so there has to be moisture issue...

Maybe about 5 tons of yield isn't so bad after all?

Over 45m of cutting width 5 combines CR 8.90 2xC

Over 45m of cutting width

5 combines
CR 8.90
2xCX8.90
CX8080
CX8090

📸 @sven_eerik
@tatoli_as
@newhollandag

#FarmerTonis

I went to the field on July 27, and the hail-damag

I went to the field on July 27, and the hail-damaged hemp crop completely surprised me. After the damage, it looked as though the field was finished, but the broken plants have started growing again, they are flowering, and the field once again looks like a hemp field.

Of course, the crop is no longer as dense or as beautiful as the undamaged hemp, and the yield loss will probably be significant. More weeds have also emerged in the thinner crop. But considering that at one point it seemed the entire harvest had been destroyed, the recovery is truly incredible.

My journey into hemp cultivation is supported with advice and expertise by the Estonian company Nordic Hemp

#farmertonis

Bonus points if you said six hours ago that you’d

Bonus points if you said six hours ago that you’d be home in no time.

#FarmerTonis

Hey, atleast they are useful! #farmertonis

Hey, atleast they are useful!

#farmertonis

I am just going to leave it here for a moment…

I am just going to leave it here for a moment...

#farmertonis

Durum wheat vs soft wheat 🌾 I am trying out a ver

Durum wheat vs soft wheat 🌾

I am trying out a very small scale durum wheat growing of my field

Durum wheat is hard, golden and high in protein. It is mainly used for pasta, couscous and bulgur because it holds its shape well.

Soft wheat is lighter and more delicate. It is better suited for cakes, biscuits, pastries and other soft baked goods.

In simple terms:

🍝 Durum wheat = pasta
🍰 Soft wheat = baking

Same crop family, very different uses.

#FarmerTonis

Farming: the most expensive hobby in the world? #

Farming: the most expensive hobby in the world?

#FarmerTonis

Once a year, on a weekend in July, both smaller an

Once a year, on a weekend in July, both smaller and larger farms open their doors in 🇪🇪

Each farm has its own programme, revealing its distinctive features.

Ohtla Lihaveis (Beef) is raising Charolais cattle

Visitors can meet farm animals, explore fields, join tours and workshops, taste local food, buy farm products and discover both modern and historic machinery.

#farmertonis

🌾 This year, I am taking part in the Estonian Crop

🌾 This year, I am taking part in the Estonian Crop Competition for the first time with the Estonian spring wheat variety ‘Hiie’.

The Estonian Crop Competition is an annual event where farmers compare their crop-growing skills, technologies and results.

It is not only about achieving the highest yield. The competition also focuses on crop quality, profitability, efficient use of inputs and more sustainable farming practices.

Participants test different varieties, fertilisation strategies, crop protection programmes and cultivation methods. By comparing the results, both competitors and other farmers gain valuable practical knowledge.

The aim of the competition is to show what Estonian farmers and fields are capable of, encourage innovation and share the best crop production experience across the agricultural sector. In 2026, the competition is being held for the 22nd time. 🌱🚜

#farmertonis

On 21 June, a very narrow but intense hailstorm hi

On 21 June, a very narrow but intense hailstorm hit one of the hemp fields.
Hailstones up to 2 cm in diameter battered the crop within minutes, leaving the field looking as though it had been mown down.

At the same time, another field just 15 metres away was left almost completely untouched.

I’m now trying to help the damaged plants recover with amino acids, micronutrients and seaweed extract.

I’ll continue monitoring the field and share updates on how well the plants recover and how much of the yield potential can still be preserved.

Do you think the hemp will recover from this level of hail damage?

How Field Scouting (Nearly) Ruined Our Family Vaca

How Field Scouting (Nearly) Ruined Our Family Vacation

This whole adventure started with one unlucky drive across a field. Grass wrapped itself around the driveshaft, and although I managed to cut it all free, the damage had already been done.

A few days later we had to leave to vacation with a caravan.
By the time we reached Saaremaa, I noticed oil leaking from the rear differential. A local workshop in Kuressaare managed to replace the seal the next morning, but after a test drive, it was still leaking a bit. The mechanic suspected a faulty replacement seal and kindly didn’t charge us.

But I thought that as before there was only grass instead of seal, it is now better. Mechanic filled the differential with new oil and everything seemed to be atleast in such working order to reach home.

We changed our plans, stayed longer on Saaremaa and then continued to Hiiumaa, checking the car constantly. Everything seemed manageable until we realised we had badly miscalculated the drive to the ferry. Navigation showed an arrival time three minutes after departure.

After a shortcut and a slightly faster drive, we made it - but the differential was clearly running hot.

We let the car cool down and continued carefully toward home. Then, about 20 kilometres after Haapsalu, there was a loud bang and the car stopped moving completely.

A friend brought another car, we transferred the caravan, and the Lexus was taken away by a tow truck. We still had to hurry to return the caravan because the next customers were already waiting for it.

The children were tired and hungry, but handled the whole situation incredibly well. One slept through the breakdown, while the other finally fell asleep during the rescue mission.

It was quite incredible that from breakdown to have car towed and caravan hitched to new car took only about hour. Thanks to super nice friend!

Quite an adventure - and apparently it still isn’t over.

🌽 I need your opinion on this one. This corn field

🌽 I need your opinion on this one.
This corn field has me scratching my head.
The headlands and outer passes look healthy, but the inside of the field is clearly struggling. The lower parts are especially affected, with small plants and purple leaves, while on the higher parts and lighter soils the plants look much better.
Herbicide programs:
�🔹 Outside of the field:�• Botiga 1.0 L/ha�(Pyridate 300 g/L + Mesotrione 90 g/L)
🔹 Inside of the field:�• MaisTer Power 1.2 L/ha�(Foramsulfuron 31.5 g/L + Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium 1.0 g/L + Thiencarbazone-methyl 10.0 g/L)�+�• Botiga 0.5 L/ha

Field history:
Previous crop: rye
Autumn 2024: diflufenican herbicide applied to the rye
Harvested in autumn 2025
Spring 2026: stubble cultivated before planting corn
So what's going on here?

🤔 My current theories:�
• Herbicide residues in the soil causing a stronger reaction with MaisTer Power?
�• Soil compaction making the crop more sensitive to the ALS herbicides?�
• Cold, wet conditions limiting root growth and phosphorus uptake?�
• Something completely different?

I'd really like to hear your thoughts. Have you seen a pattern like this before? What would be your first thing to investigate?

Was I wrong when I warned that a drought was just

I had a great chance, thanks to @vaderstadestonia

I had a great chance, thanks to @vaderstadestonia , to visit @vaderstad 's world of manufacturing and innovating agricultural machinery in 🇸🇪

The visit took us through the company's history, manufacturing facilities, live machine demonstrations and the latest developments in precision planting technology.

The highlight of the day? Getting behind the wheel of a vintage tractor pulling one of Väderstad's original steel harrows - with guidance from none other than Crister Stark, son of founder Rune Stark, owner of the company and Väderstad's Innovation Manager.

#farmertonis #väderstad #vaderstad

Today I put up a sign on my field because the stak

Today I put up a sign on my field because the stakes are higher than they have ever been.

I joined the campaign "Agriculture at the Crossroads".

For years, Estonia's agricultural subsidies have been more than 20% below the EU average. Our farmers have had to do more with less while others received greater support.

For the next funding period, the European Union has allocated €546 million to Estonia to help close the gap that our farmers have lived with for decades.

But that money will not automatically reach the fields. The 🇪🇪 government decides where it goes. And one possible outcome is that it may not reach agriculture at all.

If you drive along the highway this summer and see a sign at the edge of a field, remember that behind it stands a farmer asking for one simple thing: don't forget where your food comes from.

Security has a price. Food security does too.

#FarmerTonis #põllumajandusristteel #AgricultureAtTheCrossroads #FoodSecurityStartsInTheField

Most of the season, farmers run on just 3 hours of

Most of the season, farmers run on just 3 hours of sleep. 😅

#farmertonis

No sleep at night? You ☠️ #farmertonis

No sleep at night? You ☠️

#farmertonis

On May 10th, I asked a simple question: Are we he

On May 10th, I asked a simple question:

Are we heading into a drought?

Three weeks later - despite several rain events — I'm asking exactly the same question:

Are we still heading into a drought?

Short answer: yes.

I use three @paultech_esoil soil monitoring stations across my fields that track soil moisture, temperature, and nutrient availability. Some people watch football scores. I watch soil data.

So what happened between May 10th and May 31st?

🌧️ Rainfall recorded near my stations:

• 22 mm
• 30 mm
• 38 mm

Sounds decent, right?

Now compare that to the same period last year:

• 47 mm
• 55 mm
• 57 mm

That's 50–113% more rainfall than we've had this year.

What does that mean underground?

The surface tells one story.

The soil tells another.

One station is already showing drought stress.

A second station is getting dangerously close.

The third station — the one that received the most rain - is probably only about 10 days away from joining them.

When the recent rains arrived, I genuinely thought we'd been saved.

The data disagreed.

And what about nitrogen?

I've applied around 100 kg/ha of nitrogen.

Only the wettest field is showing very high nutrient availability.

The other two fields haven't responded nearly as much because nutrients need moisture to move into the root zone where plants can actually use them.

No water = no nutrient taxi service.

The uncomfortable conclusion

Lately I've heard a lot of people complaining about the weather.

And honestly, I've done my share of complaining too.

The wind has been annoying.

The rain has ruined plans.

The temperatures haven't exactly felt like summer.

But when I look below the surface, I see a very different reality.

So to all my non-farmer friends...

I'm sorry.

But for the sake of the crops, it would actually be best if this "bad weather" continued for a while longer.

Because the next few weeks may decide far more than most people realize.

🌾 The roads may be wet.

🌾 The puddles may look promising.

🌾 But the soil is still thirsty.

#farmertonis #paultechesoil #collaboration

I was happy to host UK farmers in my farm invited

I was happy to host UK farmers in my farm invited by @paultech_esoil

I presented them my journey as a farmer and influencer.

What are the challenges the 🇪🇪 farmers are facing? What technology I use and why? What I am hoping to make out of my flour project?

We had a nice discussion and the problems between 🇪🇪 and 🇬🇧 are virtually the same - low crop price, high inputs, climate change and excessive regulations!

We also visited my big winter wheat trial field and talked about our harsh climate and how these trials help to determine the best varieties which can withstand -29 degrees in winter and drought in spring 🫣

Thanks to all participating and asking questions 🙏

#farmertonis

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