2010 FW Awards: Farm Manager of the Year finalist – Alastair Brooks
Alastair Brooks took over a farming operation that needed to change. And in just over three years, the scale of his achievements is truly impressive.
As the first manager farming Waddesdon in-hand for many years, Alastair is under no illusions about what’s expected of him. “If I can’t make it work here, then we would probably go back to being run by a large farm management company.”
That would be enough to remind most farm managers that, despite the challenges that farming throws your way, they’ve got to remain good enough to meet them head on.
But “good enough” isn’t really the benchmark expected by Lord Rothschild at his private estate in Buckinghamshire. And while not an agricultural enthusiast himself, “The Boss” expects his farms to perform to the same high standards he demands everywhere else in his business empire, says Alastair.
And Alastair has proved he is more than equal to the task.
“Historically, this had been run as a traditional, mixed-farming estate. Until recently there were 600 dairy cows in three units and all were sold on the same day. The estate I came to was going through an immense amount of change.”
Soils are mostly Grade 3 Hanslope clays with some areas of better clay loams. Much of the estate lies in the floodplain of the River Thames, and the higher ground on one side of its valley. “It’s land that needs lifting, and you need to be on and off it as quickly as possible,” he says.
“There was a big soil compaction problem when I came here, with a lot of standing water and failed drains. But by changing the cultivations strategy we’ve begun to rectify a lot of these problems.”
His cropping policy has shifted to concentrate on milling wheats, with oilseed rape, beans and spring linseed as breaks. “I’m growing Solstice, Gallant, Cordiale and Oakley – which is my odd one out, but it tillers well and I’m convinced this is helping us tackle our blackgrass problem.”
There’s no doubt this is serious here. But working in partnership with his agronomist, progress is being made. “I’m disappointed if second wheats don’t yield 3.5t/acre here across the board. But my biggest single problem – and what will make second wheats marginal – is the blackgrass legacy.
Alastair’s grasp of detail means he can put a figure on almost any input or output from the top of his head.
Marketing of grain is done mostly on a forward basis with Alastair fixing a base price and looking for opportunities to add value.
Alastair’s style is to “deal hard, but fair”. “I trade something every day. But a deal is only a deal when both parties are happy. There is always another day.” Even so, he’s unfazed by negotiation and drives a hard bargain. “I expect to be in the lower quartile in terms of input prices.”
But that doesn’t mean skimping on chemistry. “If I grow a 4t/acre crop of 13% Solstice I’m prepared to put the money in, if it’s going to give me a return.
There’s no doubt about the strength of his commitment to Waddesdon. It’s a passion he shares with his team of six. “I have a fantastic team here.”
And he uses his team effectively. Each member of staff has a pocketbook in which they record machinery hours, operating speeds, fuel used and weed problems in specific areas.
But it’s clear he considers Waddesdon the culmination of his career. “I don’t have a job, I have a way of life. I thrive on what I do. And I get a real kick out of seeing the progress we’re making.”
FARM FACTS
• Type of enterprise: Predominantly arable with 700 ewe lambs, 80 Simmental suckler cows and followers
• Entry Level Stewardship and Countryside Stewardship
• Farm size: 4300 acres farmed in hand, plus 400 acres contract farmed
THE JUDGES LIKED
• Manages change effectively
• Leads by example
• Seizes new opportunities