Archived News

8th June 2010

The past few weeks have been busy on and off the farm.  Three of the family have spent time in hospital, planned and otherwise; the beef price dropped 10% in a matter of weeks and grain prices fluctuated as the new Government began to take shape.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Animal Health Inspection was completed after about three weeks on the farm.  Every cattle passport, ear-tag and animal was checked and cross referenced against computer records.  We know these inspections must take place, but they do take over from all other work and can effectively hinder production on a farm this size.

Cattle have gone out to grass which is always good to see in late spring/early summer. However, after just two weeks grazing at Churchfield Farm and no rain for a while, the grass soon ran out and those cattle had to move.

45 finished animals went to slaughter - just as the price fell – the worst news we could hear after rearing them for two years. It’s not a simple case of holding those animals back on the farm until the price rises again, as they will go past the conformation required by the purchaser and feed costs will continue.

The maize ground has been prepared and drilled and the recent rain and warm weather has helped the plants establish well.

Work has begun at Tyting Farm which is an area of just under 200 acres near Guildford. The dirt is not that good and will need some input to help it yield, but initially some old fences and scrubby trees have been removed and weedy grass sprayed off in the fields before ploughing.