As with most farm breakages we tend to look elsewhere for a candidate to shift the blame to.

In this case the agronomist was named and blamed for using too much chlormequat – leaving the straw so stiff it bent the booms.

However, in actual fact the "spring tine" that prevents the booms from grounding caught on a wire "stay" that keeps a telegraph pole in the upright position.

The little bolts holding the spring on my booms remained intact, but the big buggers that secure the boom to the back of the sprayer didn't!

Repairs came to £9,000 so thank god for insurance. Having been around this pole four times previously this season, Mr Smith does feel that perhaps the pole did jump towards him on this occasion.

Previous wreckers:
Setting the world on fire
The decline of Welsh hill farming
Unloading New Zealand style