Mike Cumming write his last Farmer Focus column in 2000

Mike Cumming manages 880ha of privately owned estate land with an additional 50ha of rented land for seed potato production 12 miles north of Dundee in central Scotland.

The main arable enterprises comprise of 90ha seed potatoes, 520ha of combinable crops with some land down to pasture for cattle

Mike, has seen some huge changes since his last contribution with the main one coming in 2005.

A founding member of AJA Growers, Mike highlighted this as being one of the greatest developments not only for himself, but other growers as well.

“One of the main objectives was to reduce grower member uncertainty by building direct trading relationships between AJAG and ware growers. I think this has been has been achieved with a substantial part of annual trading being repeat business,” says Mike.

On a personal front for Mike, Lour Farm has seen the potato rotation, extended from an average one in six years for 2001 to one in nine years, through a greater use of rented land.

The area of seed potato production has also increased by 25% and coupled with this investment in the infrastructure has been prevalent over the years with a 1,100t cold store being constructed in 2003 followed by a second 1,350t in 2008.

Mike has progressed with his farming techniques as well, evolving the use of precision farming. As well as using wide spacing min till oilseed rape establishment using a homemade Sumo Trio rig.

“All wheat established after potatoes is now done by non-inversion cultivation using a Sumo Trio to avoid burying field leavings and thus reducing groundskeepers.

“This is part of our strategy to protect the potato cyst nematode status of farm, which is becoming an increasingly important asset and one which may put a ceiling on Scottish seed production,” he says.

“I’ve extended the grain store in 2009 in order to increase marketing options and reduce the inevitable bottlenecks spring malting barley production presents us with.”

As well as the investments in infrastructure, Mike has updated his machinery moving from two combines to one back in 2008 and currently considering options to replace his 18 year old potato grading line.

In such a harsh year it’s been a real relief to have something else to fall back on and this is exactly what Mike has produced with a number of diversification projects coming to fruition.

“We’ve erected a 80Kw wind turbine this summer and as a result of a number of improvements on the estate’s 15 traditional let properties, combined rental income of holiday/traditional lets, has doubled since 2001, helping support the farming business in the tough seasons,” he says.