CTF day at PX Farms

53 farmers from as far as Kent and Wales came for an afternoon of Controlled traffic farming at Scotland Farm. Edd Banks bought his shielded sprayer which he is in second year trails on sugar beet.  We looked at the process over the last three years on how we have adopted to a 11.9 mt CTF system. 

Diesel theft again!

Five lorries had fuel stolen over night 2500 lts. Help needed to find the thieves. 

Px training course

We completed a training course for CPC for the lorry drivers and farm staff for Manual Handling and working from height. Part of our professional improvement scheme for the staff. Chris Gage took the course organised through Saffron Walden training group. An enjoyable day focusing on the basics and looking after our backs. 

Quad bike has been stolen

Fiona found this morning the quad bike had been stolen over night and the office at the stables broken into and the paperwork taken. The quad was only 5 months old and Caesar tag marked.

The police told me that crime is down by 4.6% on last year. Every week we have had a crime since Christmas and loses of over £56,000 to date in 2013. I'm finding this unpleasant behaviour boring and lacking in justice.

PX Bees have arrived.

We have had our 18 hives arrive to aid with the annual pollination at Scotland Farm. We have 42 hives across the farms. A 20% yield increase has been recorded from having bees on the farm.

This last week the announcement from the Eu and decision to suspend neonicotinoids (used in seed dressings) for two years after its food safety experts said they posed an "acute risk to bee health".
I feel strongly for protecting the environment and must importantly the bee, which with out we won't have a thriving agriculture, but we need research before jumping to media stories and suspending chemicals. The suspension comes into force on the 1st December which is ridiculous as seed will be sown this autumn with the dressing still on. We will not use the product until its cleared again as the bee population is too important to us.

I took the pictures at a distance as the bees were out in the sun and I didn't fancy being chased.

PX at Truckfest

Phil on J1, Jason on J2, and Tony on J7 took their lorries to Truckfest at Peterborough.