FARMERFOCUS
FARMERFOCUS
John Jeffrey
John Jeffrey runs two
tenanted farms in
partnership with his father
from Kersknowe, near Kelso
in the Scottish Borders.
Two-thirds of the 730ha
(1800 acres) is arable,
growing seed potatoes, oilseed rape, wheat and
winter and spring barley
EVERYTHING is at a standstill. Even in Scotland you are not meant to get over 100mm (4in) of rain in 72 hours in early August. Parts of the farm are still lying under water.
However, we managed to start harvest a fortnight ago when, after months of feverish excitement, my all-singing, all-dancing, new combine finally made its debut. Air-conditioning, automatic controls, monitors, alarms and all sorts of fancy gadgets meant all I had to do was steer. Nine hours and some 25ha (65 acres) later I was as fresh as a daisy. My only complaint is that despite having a TV screen in the cab I couldnt tune it in to the Grand Prix.
With all its aero-dynamic curves the CX860 itself resembles a Formula 1 racing car, and, as with all new machinery, it has generated a lot of local interest. This was all the more so as my neighbour was holding a large Sunday lunch party when I pulled into the field. Partly to justify splashing out on a new combine, but mainly due to bravado, I decided to put on a show for them as they sipped their Pimms and I drove my new toy like Michael Schumacher. They all seemed terribly impressed, but if I ever manage to get the straw baled ploughs will be straight in before tell-tale green strips appear.
The crop itself was not record breaking but better than expected considering the sunless summer. Muscat averaged a respectable 64kg/hl but Siberia will be banished from whence it came; it didnt even make a miserly 60kg/hl.
All this rain means plenty of time to mull over next years cropping. Due to the weather and poor prices, I must admit 50% set-aside looks very attractive. The locals were shocked last week to hear that one of the largest and wealthiest farmers in the Borders has had enough and has put his whole enterprise on the market. He is going to emigrate to New Zealand. If he cannot survive then what hope have we? *