Blogs

In your field: Charles Bruce - 'Store lambs look very dear, but there is plenty of grass aftermath available'

Farm Life

In your field: Charles Bruce - 'Store lambs look very dear, but there is plenty of grass aftermath available'

With the Roundup now applied to some of the spring barley crops, we are on the short countdown to harvest.

clock 18 August 2020 • 2 min read
Farming Matters: Caroline Millar - 'Holidays on a farm have never been as popular'

Farm Life

Farming Matters: Caroline Millar - 'Holidays on a farm have never been as popular'

When we were in lockdown, one of the key challenges for our agritourism business and for others was not knowing how long the lockdown would last.

clock 13 August 2020 • 4 min read
In your field: Thomas Carrick - 'Sheep farming is enjoying a purple patch at the moment'

Farm Life

In your field: Thomas Carrick - 'Sheep farming is enjoying a purple patch at the moment'

Well, as per usual, July has flown by. All silage is baled and although it has been a catchy and frustrating time, we have ended up with plenty of decent crop.

clock 12 August 2020 • 3 min read
In your field: Rachel Coates - The cancellation of summer shows has left an empty space in our lives

Farm Life

In your field: Rachel Coates - The cancellation of summer shows has left an empty space in our lives

We are only a few months into our venture and after setting up the milk hut in a morning, I get on with my regular farm jobs, such as calf feeding and the like.

clock 11 August 2020 • 2 min read
In your field: Kate Beavan - 'When we mow the rain usually starts to fall'

Livestock

In your field: Kate Beavan - 'When we mow the rain usually starts to fall'

An Irishman, a Welshman and an Englishman travelled to Scotland to shear sheep and this month the young shearers hit their goal, each shearing 400 plus sheep in a day. Well done lads.

clock 03 August 2020 • 2 min read
In your field: Ian Garnett - 'Preparations for this year's crop of turkeys are about to start'

Farm Life

In your field: Ian Garnett - 'Preparations for this year's crop of turkeys are about to start'

It has been a funny old month. At the last time of writing, early second cuts were being clamped while we still had a week or so left of growing.

clock 01 August 2020 • 3 min read
In your field: Jon Stanley - 'I am delighted our farming practices are supporting barn owl numbers'

Farm Life

In your field: Jon Stanley - 'I am delighted our farming practices are supporting barn owl numbers'

This year is turning out to be a bit of a weather rollercoaster here in Dorset. The decent amount of rain we had a few weeks ago did us the world of good, but has quickly gone and we are again desperate for rain and struggling for grazing grass.

clock 25 July 2020 • 2 min read
In Your Field: Tom Clarke - 'Many a grand farmhouse has a dusty portrait of a peasant in the attic'

Farm Life

In Your Field: Tom Clarke - 'Many a grand farmhouse has a dusty portrait of a peasant in the attic'

Being food producers, farmers know there is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone somewhere has worked hard to provide such generosity.

clock 24 July 2020 • 2 min read
In Your Field: Charles Bruce - 'We've bought a hydraulic tractor-mounted cow catching pen'

Arable

In Your Field: Charles Bruce - 'We've bought a hydraulic tractor-mounted cow catching pen'

As we approach the middle of July, our preparations for harvest in the north east of Scotland get into gear, with sheds to muck and wash, combines to be serviced and guttering to clean and repair.

clock 20 July 2020 • 3 min read
In Your Field: Marie Prebble - 'My world record shearing attempt has been cancelled for 2020'

Livestock

In Your Field: Marie Prebble - 'My world record shearing attempt has been cancelled for 2020'

The progress made through the shearing season across the UK has shown us there are a huge number of very capable and talented shearers here on home soil, which is something we ought to be proud of.

clock 19 July 2020 • 2 min read