Archive Article: 2000/02/04
Andrew Keeler
HERE at Church Farm we aim to produce crops for specific markets. For example, Maris Otter malting barley and Desiree potatoes for the bag trade. But to obtain the best results and keep the land in good condition inputs of fertiliser, lime and trace elements can only be trimmed to a certain extent or yields and quality will be put at risk.
On such a small farm spreading costs over large areas is not an option either, so other economies have to be found. One method is to buy good used machinery that matches our scale. A machine that only has one or two seasons work left in it on a large farm can last for years here.
Another saving comes from producing the best crop you possibly can. There is little excuse for not performing all operations, especially planting and harvesting when conditions are ideal. To do this we have built up a relatively modern range of equipment to plant and harvest all our corn and root crops.
Some would properly throw up their hands in horror at the equipment we now own, and say a contractor could do all the work for us with his large up-to-date equipment. That may be true, but can we rely on them to be on our farm when conditions are right? I doubt it. With our small area we would be left until their larger clients, work was done. Crops would be late planted and harvested, damaging soil structure, yield and quality. In turn that leads to extra cost with future cultivations, and reduced prices for poorer quality produce.
By making use of equipment that on larger units is no longer viable, we can plant and harvest at the ideal time and get the best value for our produce. Land is looked after and in the long term gross margins can be maintained. Besides, what would I do if a contractor did the work – pay myself to sit and watch them work?
Some say machinery ownership isnt viable on a farm of our size, says Andrew Keeler of Church Farm, near Aylsham, Norfolk. He disagrees.
Andrew Keeler farms with
his parents at Church Farm,
Aylsham, Norfolk. Sugar
beet, potatoes, winter
wheat and premium malting
barley are grown on the
32ha (80-acre) farm