For the last 5 years, in the spring when the Oilseed rape is in flower, I’ve had the privilege of travelling to a very different part of Kent to offer our contract drilling services (planting spring beans into grass) for another farmer. Nothing particularly interesting about that you might think? But there is something quite …
Harvest 2021 roundup at Hawk Mill, an EastAnglian perspective. In my first Farmer focus piece, I am writing to you about a new company which will revolutionise our farming businesses and one I have become personally involved in. It’s a company called Farmdeals (you will have probably seen the adverts) and where better to start …
I was kindly featured in the January 2020 issue of Direct Driller magazine under the Agricology umbrella which was really an overview of the farm, where we had come from and where we were now as regards to our predominately, although diversified, farming business. Being asked again for a contribution is a great opportunity to …
As I write at the end of February it is finally starting to feel like spring. I have even managed to go out without wellies and a coat for the first time in months. Since my last article in September, we have had rain, lots of it! 650mm since 24th of September. Parts of the …
A global pandemic has few positives, but if I were asked for any I would say the rise of the webinar. As soon as the first lockdown was imposed physical farm events were ended. Participation and involvement in farm shows, auctions and meetings could only be done by farmers and others using software applications such …
We are the Slow Farming Company, a fifth generation farming family outside Castle Cary in South Somerset. The farm is run by my stepfather Rob and mother Sally, and I work here part time along with my wife Camilla – our three young children like to get involved too! We are on a regenerative journey …
“It’s not about the machinery”, except once you get into cover crops and producing larger ones it is about machinery because without a drill that can cope with big volumes of vegetation cash crop establishment is compromised. An interesting video worth seeking out in the YouTube Horsch Live series showing on Feb 24th https://youtu. be/OoifwgXbEZ0 …
I’m finally and Agroforester! It has been 5 years in the making, but we have finally planted our first 16 hectare field of Agroforestry. We decided to do most of the work ourselves and I am so pleased we did. Farming has become quite an isolated world of technology, screens, twitter and stress along with …
As I sit down to write my latest article, I’m reminded that 8 years ago today I was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship. I was selected as part of the #Nuffield13 year group to study “The long-term benefits of no-till farming”. I remember walking onto the stage at the Nuffield conference to be presented with my …
Well, I am sitting here thinking of how the last eight months have been since my debut article back in April and I do not think there is any way to sugar coat it, it’s just been bloody moderate (in fact probably less than moderate) with all that is going on in the world but …
