cultivating (preparing the ground for planting crops), drilling (planting crops), fertilizing (feeding crops) and spraying (protecting from pests). The glorious weather has put everyone in a good mood and work is happening a pace. The ground has dried out quickly and Tom has drilled spring barley where the sugarbeet was lifted last month so all looking good. The next thing will be drilling sugarbeet but that happens soon. We are also very pleased that George Long has started working with us this month and has made a brilliant start. George has done a bit of work for Tom and Peter before and brings his experience from other local farms too. Welcome to the team!
Farming is even happening at Allerton where I work too, where normally stuff happens a lot later. This year we have started drilling 56 days earlier than last year, which gives you an idea of the impact of the weather and particularly last years wet Spring. Fingers crossed it continues to be kind.
This joie de vivre was somewhat dampened yesterday evening by the news that the government has decided to pull the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme entirely. The Sustainable Farming Scheme allows farmers to apply for funding for more regenerative practices within the field and create habitat areas around the farm. It took eight years to develop after leaving the EU, and whilst some of the administration of it wasn’t perfect, it was encouraging so many more farmers to put areas over to wildlife and take risks on new more regenerative techniques. However it appears it was actually working, farmers were taking it up, they have run out of money and now it is closed. No more nature.
They have billed it as a positive (which is even more infuriating) and say they are reforming it to launch in 2026 (don’t know when) and it will be focused on areas “where there is greatest potential to do more for nature and where there is the least ability to access decent returns from agricultural markets”. So, no nature needed in Cambridgeshire, we will all have to go to the uplands to see that. If I sound cross, its because I am.
On a more positive note……(thank GOODNESS) we are planning on hosting two events on the farm this year!
We love the sun! But apparently “it won’t be too long before we’ll be needing some rain”