Farm Life

Jeremy Clarkson’s venture into farming has seen him buy a 9 tonne Lamborghini tractor boasting an impressive 48 gears and 188 buttons.

’For many years, we have known that in order for the farm to survive, we had to diversify’ says Laura Lewis

Tributes have been paid to the former world ploughing champion Graeme Witty, who died in a farming incident at the age of 71.

Rural groups have warned farmers to be extra ‘vigilant’ following an alarming rise in large-scale sheep thefts during lockdown.

It is hard to remember a better climate for lambing. We have had six weeks of warm, dry days and, just as the last few hoggs lamb down, we had last week’s welcome rain to get the grass growing ahead of demand.

They say be careful what you wish for. We had been hoping for a break in the weather to get stuck in to some jobs and, crikey, we have been busy with fertiliser spreading, spraying, tanking, ploughing, subsoiling, power harrowing, drilling maize and spring barley, staff training, fencing and a few cows to milk. Even the dog is shattered.

Jessica Armitage, 25, from Oakham, Rutland, is a herdswoman at Keythorpe Organic Farms and is the owner and founder of PrOganic, a milk processing business.

The Government is ‘not getting the message’ that the conservation sector needs financial support to weather the Covid-19 storm, the head of the National Trust has said.

The Mack family farm in the heart of the Norfolk broads is home to an arable unit, thriving rapeseed oil business, farm shop, timeshare swimming pool and more recently a beef enterprise. Clemmie Gleeson reports.

The coronavirus outbreak has hit us all, affected each of us in an individual and unprecedented way. In the midst of all the heartache and chaos we find ourselves in, the selflessness and sacrifice of our key workers must remain a beacon of positivity.