Farmer Focus: Field work and nursery pick-ups keep us busy

Our spring drilling campaign began on 16 March, our earliest start in recent memory.

Ground conditions have improved significantly since my last update, and any late winter ploughing has started to dry out due to a spell of strong winds and welcomed sunshine.

With conditions turning in our favour, it felt like the right time to get going.

This season’s spring workload is relatively modest, with 150ha of spring barley and 12ha of spring oats to drill.

In addition, we have 82ha of vining peas to establish, although these are typically sown later, with drilling extending into May.

See also: Advice on key focus areas to ease pressure on arable margins

About the author

Annabel Hamilton

Annabel Hamilton farms 1,030ha of arable in the Scottish Borders with her parents. The arable area grows 65% winter and 35% spring crops. She is Basis and Facts qualified and runs a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. The farm finishes more than 300 Limousin cattle a year.  Follow Annabel on Twitter @annabelhami11

Read more articles by Annabel Hamilton

With one of our full-time team away on holiday, I stepped up to take the power harrow in front of the drill. It’s been a while since I was last doing tractor work, but it didn’t take long to get back into the swing of things.

I have to say, it felt great to be back out in the fields again. My tractor skills were only slightly less rusty than expected.

That said, days look a little different now. Alongside the work, there are nursery drop-offs and pick-ups to fit in, which keeps things busy and makes the day disappear fast.

It’s a constant balance between getting the job done and being there for the family, and some days the juggle is more noticeable than others.

Having a strong support network around me has made all the difference.

It’s what’s allowed me to step back into work, take on a bit more responsibility, and keep everything ticking along at home.

It’s hard not to reflect on the wider world at the moment, a constant reminder of just how volatile things can be, particularly within UK agriculture.

Still, it’s happening, and we must ride it out and make the most of fluctuating grain markets.

On a lighter note, some of you may have read that comedian Alan Carr has reportedly bought nearby Ayton Castle.

The headline local news was that he had bought a can of Fanta in the local shop. True or not, it’s sparked plenty of doorstep conversation. 

We all wait in suspense for Alan’s pending arrival.