Fine weather has bought a huge amount of activity on farms around Cambridge, and we have been busy drilling 110ha (272 acres) of Tipple spring barley on some lighter land.

To make sure we were fully awake and at the top of our game after the relatively quiet period we found ourselves challenged by broken tractors.

Our main beast of burden threw us a curve by having a continuing niggle which was finally sorted, only to be rapidly followed by its temporary replacement breaking out in sympathy and developing an axle problem.

Undaunted we pressed ahead and I can report that it has all been drilled into excellent seed-beds and rolled.

However, could this all be a thing of the past if the powers that be, in their infinite wisdom, decide to make us put in cover crops over winter or spring plough?

We are not even on ground that is particularly heavy for our spring cropping, but it would sound the death knell for crops like sugar beet on heavier soil.

Perhaps the DEFRA decision-makers would like to leave the warmth of their offices and come to a working farm to see what impact such moves would have.

If any of the aforementioned individuals actually read this they are welcome to contact me and I will happily conduct a tour around some local farms.

As I write, the estate is bathed in sunshine.

We are applying urea to wheat, having finished the oilseed rape, and I’m sure some will say we are plenty early enough. But after last year’s dry spell I want to make sure the plants have some N going into spring.

I must close now as I hear the siren call of the sprayer full of Atlantis summoning me from my own warm office.