Arable Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Demise of tree business and Leaf frustrationWith no spring cropping to undertake, and therefore no expensive diesel required, our arable enterprise is currently in a good position. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our Sitka… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Field work and nursery pick-ups keep us busyOur spring drilling campaign began on 16 March, our earliest start in recent memory. Ground conditions have improved significantly since my last update, and any late winter ploughing has started… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Sunshine, fert spreading and photosynthesisThis is my favourite season of the year, with autumn being a close second. To see new life evolving, with the birds pairing up and the light nights returning –… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Yield will be essential for 2026 gross marginsSpring is here and it’s a joy to see. Longer days, brighter weather; the whole countryside is starting to march forward into another season. Crops have responded very well to… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: We must take resilience more seriouslyDonald Trump’s war with Iran has rocked fuel prices. The initial rises are a worry, but securing supply during peak periods is a far bigger concern. Input security costs money,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Evapotranspiration metrics are bringing me joyThe past month has been extremely busy at Shimpling Park Farm, and so has the weather. We’ve had snow, wind, rain, as well as some glorious sunshine. My favourite screen… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Having a farm secretary is so importantIn a frustrating world of politics, weather and war, the sight of sunshine and sound of songbirds is a welcome sign of positivity. I’ve done a fair bit of number crunching… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Fertiliser reshuffle and yellow rust alertWith the rain finally stopping at the end of February, we were able to get our fertiliser on. My original plan was to apply 35kg N/ha and 15kg S/ha at… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: We're always jumping the next farming hurdleAnd they’re off…the tractors are racing around again locally, albeit with the odd pull-up. It’s not so much that we’re getting huge amounts or rain, but when it drizzles and… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: More SFI mess and a small addition to fleetWell the rain has finally stopped and, when you consider the amount we’ve had over the past three months, I’m pleasantly surprised how well crops look and how well they… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: The world just got a whole lot more unstableThe government doesn’t appear to care for primary industry in this country. Their preference seems to be outsourcing the problem overseas. The trouble is, when there’s peril on the seas,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Crop performance strong despite rainOnce again, the season begins with a conversation about the weather. To date, we have recorded just under 300mm of rainfall – almost one-third of our annual average. Including November… More articles
