Know How / Farm maintenance Must reads How to fix farm tracks with an adapted road grader Guide to ensuring electric fences are stockproof What to look for when buying and fitting a tractor dashcam How to build your own tractor autosteer system for £700 Case studiesSee all CEREAL DRILLSYorkshire farmer assembles a pair of tine drills for £10kRecent autumn drilling campaigns have been a real slog for crop producers, with periods of extreme weather limiting work windows and leading to poor establishment. And that's all the more… FARM MAINTENANCEBorders farmer takes drainage in-house with DIY tile ploughChain trenchers, drain jetters and mole ploughs are quickly becoming the must-have accessories for arable farms contending with unrelenting rainfall events. But several UK growers intent on keeping their drainage… WORKSHOP SKILLSLincs grower’s bespoke harvester lifts 70k pumpkins a dayEach autumn, millions of pumpkins are plucked from their fields, carved into ghoulish lanterns and displayed with tealights flickering at their core. The process of getting these orange gourds from… FARM MAINTENANCEWhy Cambs farm invested in its own tractor-mounted trencherWhen a portion of their land began identifying more as lake than field during winter months, Stephen and Richard Mead were forced to invest in some drainage. Quotes were sourced… WORKSHOP SKILLSHow a Wiltshire-based mechanic built his own hedgecutterLuke Compton likes a workshop challenge, so when he needed a new hedgecutter he decided it would be far more satisfying to build rather than buy one. Complex geometry and… FARM MAINTENANCEStaffs contractor rates Shelbourne's 'head memory' hedgecutterCrafting a pitch-perfect hedge is an art many attempt but not all master. Thousands of tiny tweaks must be made to keep the flail head at the desired angle as… Practical adviceSee all MACHINERY MAINTENANCE20-year-old John Deere telehandler gets perfect £20k refurbIt’s boom time for noughties farm machinery, with demand surging for mechanically sound workhorses devoid of the electronic and emissions-related aggravations of their successors. While John Deere, Case IH and… FARM MAINTENANCEWhat to look for when buying a farmyard CCTV systemAs the nights grow longer, darker and danker, so does the window of opportunity for unscrupulous ne’er-do-wells to pilfer from farmyards. Sadly, there’s no single answer to keeping undesirables out,… MACHINERY MAINTENANCELatest technology for putting out harvest machinery firesIt’s hard to imagine given the sogginess of the past 12 months, but there’s always a chance we could be in for a tinder-dry harvest, à la 2022. That year,… CULTIVATORSTips for picking the best cultivator wearing metalReplacing cultivator legs, wings and points can be a depressingly regular and ruinously expensive pastime for those working in the nation’s most abrasive soils. But instead of hunting around for… FARM MAINTENANCEHow to fix farm tracks with an adapted road graderBouncing along potholed farm tracks is an unpleasant business, putting unnecessary strain on tractors, implements and their operators. But with input costs through the roof and margins tight, shelling out… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTGuide to ensuring electric fences are stockproofChecking electric fence systems for faults should be a priority ahead of spring turnout to make paddocks and fields secure. From testing the flow of electricity to locating where overgrown… Machinery maintenance MACHINERY MAINTENANCE20-year-old John Deere telehandler gets perfect £20k refurbIt’s boom time for noughties farm machinery, with demand surging for mechanically sound workhorses devoid of the electronic and emissions-related aggravations of their successors. While John Deere, Case IH and… MACHINERY MAINTENANCEAgricast and Kuhn develop longer-lasting metal optionsSpare parts specialist Agricast has launched a new low-disturbance grassland point, reckoned to be its strongest ever. The GLX Ultra is a tougher version of the standard GLX, which quickly… MACHINERY7 common agricultural engine remapping questions answeredMore farmers are choosing sophisticated agricultural engine remapping technology to increase power, torque and work efficiencies from their tractors, combines and farm machinery. Avon Tuning HD has been offering professional… MACHINERY MAINTENANCERetrofit options for managing and securing diesel tanksControlled access, consumption records, fill-level alerts and protection against theft and contamination are all available to help farm businesses manage their fuel supplies this harvest. Farmers Weekly have rounded up… More articles Workshop skills WORKSHOP SKILLSWin up to £500 for your farm machinery inventionTime is running out to enter Farmers Weekly’s annual Farm Inventions Competition and be in with a chance of bagging a share of the £2,550 prize pot. As ever, we’re… CEREAL DRILLSYorkshire farmer assembles a pair of tine drills for £10kRecent autumn drilling campaigns have been a real slog for crop producers, with periods of extreme weather limiting work windows and leading to poor establishment. And that's all the more… WORKSHOP SKILLSWin a cash prize for your workshop inventionIf you’ve built something in the farm workshop that has saved you time, money or hassle then it’s time to enter the Farmers Weekly Farm Inventions Competition. The format of… WORKSHOP SKILLSFW Inventions Comp opens for entries with £2.5k prize potIt’s time for another season of Farmers Weekly’s long-running Farm Inventions Competition. With a back catalogue containing thousands of ingenious ideas, there’s nowhere better to read about workshop builds that have saved… More articles VideoSee all MACHINERYGetting the best from... a loader tractorIntro Tip 1 Tip 2 Tip 3 Tip 4 Tip 5 Tip 6 Tip 7 Tip 8 Tip 9 Tip 10 The humble loader tractor gets some stick. It runs… MACHINERYVideo: Effective upgrades for top-class trailer brakesThere are some adjustments you can make to trailer brakes that help keep them legal and won't break the bank but this time, we suss out some of the more… MACHINERYVIDEO: Nifty pto safety system[fwi_vidyard code="KWYr4dOzN-l54wlls9TbuQ"] Accidents involving pto shafts have maimed and killed many farmers and farm workers over the years, but two new simple protection products could save lives. Manufactuered by Irish… MACHINERYHow to service a Honda ATVGeneral Fluids & filters Engine Transmission Brakes & Tyres Suspension They're one of the most used pieces of kit on any livestock farm, but when was the last time you… InsightsSee all TOOLSHandy tools and equipment to ease farm fencing jobsA rich bounty of tools and equipment awaits those keen to ease the process of erecting agricultural fencing. Here are some of the options. See also: How to make fence posts… MACHINERYMajor trimming hedges and fuel costsYou could say that when it comes to hedge-cutting, Michael Tomlinson is a bit of a perfectionist. He’s been doing it since 1982 and serves a wide range of agricultural… MACHINERY MAINTENANCERetrofit options for managing and securing diesel tanksControlled access, consumption records, fill-level alerts and protection against theft and contamination are all available to help farm businesses manage their fuel supplies this harvest. Farmers Weekly have rounded up…
