James S. Peck Nuffield Scholar 2010

6 Metre measuring tape

2012-03-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

So we can measure for the Trimble RTK we are using a 6 metre boom. We will use the JD Gator and measuring boom to map all of the fields and cropping areas as well as setting the A and B lines. This is the first step in Controlled traffic farming. We will hopefully complete the mapping this month before the crops grow to big. The boom was constructed by Graham at Mark Weatherheads.

Norfolk farming conference

2012-02-26T05:43:00.001-08:00

Monday Fiona and I went for the first scan. The baby will be due on the 27th August. I'm hoping It will be an early harvest this year ready for the new arrival.
Norfolk farming conference on Thursday where they played a video of me at harvest and the team. Guy Smith as chairman asked us questions afterwards and then opened up to the floor. I'll put the video on pxfarms1 on YouTube if you'd like to view.
We have managed this week to start fertilising. The oilseed rape and second wheats have been completed and We aim to start the first wheats next week.
The second bay of the new building has been erected. I hope to see the third completed by the second week in March.

Bateman demo

2012-02-17T06:36:00.001-08:00

Bateman sprayers where kind enough to bring up two sprayers for us to demo. The RB55 and RB35 a 5000 litre and 4000 litre both 36 metres. Wonderful machines. Only need to be in PX green.

The Store is progressing

2012-02-16T13:19:00.001-08:00

The panels for the first bay are nearly completed.

Cambridgeshire under snow

2012-02-11T11:42:00.001-08:00

I watched 18 hares playing in the snow. It's was a wonderful winters afternoon.

4wd lorry

2012-02-08T08:44:00.001-08:00

This is the ultimate lorry for getting around in the snow. High clearance 4wd. I got it from southern Ireland. Only downside is it is left hand drive.

Polish drivers take a wrong turn

2012-02-07T06:51:00.001-08:00

Two polish drivers decided to drive down the office drive which isn't suitable for Artic lorries without the snow. It took 2 hours to get them out.

Ice truckers

2012-02-07T06:48:00.001-08:00

Caroline Stocks Nuffield Scholar had to hitch a lift with Andy in J4 PXF. Rob, Andy and Tony had to dig the lorries out to make the Sunday deliveries.

Berwick is underway

2012-01-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

The new grainstore is underway, the rear frame wall and concrete panels are being constructed.

FarmTech12

2012-01-27T03:58:00.000-08:00

(Picture only shows half of the room as the wide angle lens from the stage is not wide enough. Think of it like a butterfly image.) I've completed my two talks at Farm Tech12 in Edmonton Alberta Canada, one as a keynote speaker on PX Farms and the other on my Nuffield travels. Standing in front of 1600 people to give an hour talk, stretched me, which is what Nuffield is about. I was told "do something everyday that takes you out of your comfort zone". I shall remember this adventure for along time to come. I'm awake at 3 am Canadian time as i haven't been able to climatise to the time which considering I'm returning home today is a good thing. Ive never been to an event like it. 1600 people for 3 days listening to keynote speakers and break out sessions. Its a well run event and there is a lot of younger farmers present and also positive feeling towards the future of Canadian agriculture. Google Farmtech12 and see the program. I spent some time with Steve Larocque a Canadian Scholar who is a Canadian Controlled Traffic Farming pioneer.

FarmTech 12

2012-01-25T02:01:00.001-08:00

I'm currently in Canada, Edmonton in Alberta at FarmTech12 a conference and agricultural showcase.
I've never seen anything quiet like it.
1600 farmers for 3 days listening to keynote speakers in the main room pictured below and then break out seasons were you chose one of 4 talks to go to each hour. The venue is enormous.

My keynote talk is for an hour on running an agribusiness in the uk is on Thursday morning in front of 1600 people and then a break out session at 3.30 for an hour on my Nuffield, Arable farming where next?

This is like the Oxford farming conference on steroids.

Location:102A Ave NW,Edmonton,Canada

Nuffield irish conference

2012-01-15T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Irish nuffield conference was on Friday afternoon with presentations from Julian, Kevin, Kevin, bill and bill. Caroline made it from the Uk as well. Good papers by all.

On saturday Steve and i went hunting for the day with the island pack of hounds. We hired two horses and went hunting with Julians brother Frank and met at paddys farm near carlow. Steve hadn't ridden a horse for 15 years but was a jackaroo in Australia for 2 years. We had a good days hunting jumping 5 bar gates, bank and ditches. Steve only fell off once, he has more sticking power than super glue.

CTF conference at PX Farms

2012-01-12T13:27:00.001-08:00

Excellent conference on CTF and my Nuffield adventure. Very grateful for all the presenters and farmers that attended. We had a turn out of over 80 people. Tim Chamen and his wife worked hard on the day. We had Robert Camps from the catchment sensitive project, Rtk farming, David White and Chris Ashcroft, Will Mumford from As communications, Stephen Burcham from Horsch, Jo Franklin from Agrovista, Mark Kitson from AGCO.
In the afternoon Tim Chamen gave a working demonstration on soils, Robin Purser on solar panels, Luke Stanbridge on the automatic grain drier. I showed the machinery lined out showing the track marks laid out by chalk to demonstrate how the machinery will work in a field situation.

Mother had been baking for a week and we all enjoyed tea and cakes in the afternoon.

Location:Scotland farm

Oxford farming conference

2012-01-04T09:05:00.001-08:00

At the Oxford farming conference for the next 2 days, listening to world speakers.

Christmas dinner

2011-12-21T06:01:00.000-08:00

Last night it was the PX Christmas Dinner at the Chinese restaurant. Wonderful evening.

Keep to the roads

2011-11-17T17:22:00.001-08:00

The result of Student labour used for harvesting.

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Silo bags

2011-11-17T06:59:00.001-08:00

Storing harvest in the field. 250 tonnes per bag. 75 metres by 5 metres.

Warning do not exceed the stretch of the bag or it will rip to the end. Measure the plastic expanding strip.

The tractor is left in neutral and brakes are applied on the machine to give resistance so the grain fills the bag and pushes the tractor forward. The grain is loaded into the hopper via chaser bin.

Home made tractor

2011-11-15T17:52:00.001-08:00

If you don't wanted to continue buying tractors from leading manufactures then build your own. This tractor has a Bedford tk cab.

On the way to Hyden to see one of David's farms about 4.5 hours from his base and 11 hours by tractor we called into see Will Hull from england who's family farm in Essex Malden. One of the smartest farm yards I've seen here. He showed me a simple but effective seed cleaning plant.

One of the few farms which have grainstores in large sheds and silos. To fill the sheds they use an 84 ft auger, they remove a roof sheet to surcharge the grain. Its the simple approach to solving problems i enjoy in Australia. The workshop building was super and has driven me to improve ours.

Claas 13.5 mt

2011-11-15T17:40:00.001-08:00

David Cox at water hatch farms in Esperance has a new Claas combine fitted with a 13.5mt vario. Fantastic

YouTube Video

Measures 13.46 mt inside cutting width.

WA busselton

2011-11-11T23:52:00.001-08:00

I've arrived in western Australia. Ed cox is busy getting the silage in for the 1000 cows. He has just taken on an additional 3000 acres on an FBT. I pray for this to happen in the UK.

The white v6 ford falcon sports hatch is my hire car.

The artic lorries are used for silage cart.

An English man Tim who used to work on a neighbours farm in england is the main machinery man for Ed, it's a small world.
Claas machinery is making a mark in Oz. This one has had a new engine as the last one dropped a value, it cost 15000 dollars to fly from Brisbane to Perth and get to Busselton.

PX at the docks

2011-11-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

A proud moment for me as all 8 lorries in convoy tip at the port.

Village magazine

2011-11-08T00:07:00.001-08:00

November edition of the dry drayton village magazine.

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Filming at PX

2011-11-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

This is the way not to do an interview. Anglia tv have sent this to me of the highlights of the past year interview looking at seasons, look at the weight lose.

End of the Nuffield conference

2011-10-30T02:58:00.001-07:00

The Nuffield conference is over. Two days of everyone presenting. Congratulations to all scholars.

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Harvest Festival

2011-10-17T02:11:00.000-07:00

2011 celebration for the end of harvest festival. We had a hog and beef roast and puddings. When you get everyone who is involved with PX it soon becomes a small army. The weather was a saving grace with the sun shining and no wind. It was wonderful to be able to host everyone at the farmhouse. What a wonderful day, i very much enjoyed the afternoon. Well done to Ailis for organising the day.

Demo unimog

2011-10-11T00:25:00.001-07:00

John from the local Mercedes Unimog dealer bought a demo 400 around to show us.

Our plan of attack is convert into our new fuel bowser and spray mixer tank. With capability to travel at 56 mph, tow a trailed cultivator to the challengers.

Digging for a new grainstore store

2011-10-09T02:28:00.001-07:00

Work has started. We are digging for a new grainstore alone side aberdeen store.

Rick is working hard digging the soil and driving the lorry as the dump truck. The new store will be completed by end of May. It is part of the plan to segregate different grains as premiums are establishing.

Subsoiler demo

2011-10-09T02:17:00.001-07:00

Tim Howard bought a subsoiler for demonstration. It was at 20" deep and the subsoiler with a 6" wings and narrower leg than our current. An intended 11 leg machine trailed is proposed.

We currently have a 9 leg hydraulic folding fully mounted.

The disadvantage is the only machines to carry the subsoiler between farms is a cat challenger which causes unnecessary wear and tear on the tracks.

This subsoiler doesn't roar the land up causing as much soil disturbance and upsetting structure. I believe this machine with the correct legs could be used after drilling to remove headland compaction.

The drawbar will be fitted with a liquid fertiliser tank and nozzles fitted to each leg.

The Vaderstad bio drill will be fitted to the rear for applying the oil seed rape with radar.

This machine will work well when subsoiling is required and drilling oil seed rape at the same time. Land will take time to come around to controlled traffic and the subsoiler will be a key machine to wipe the slate clean. When going onto new farms this will be a key machine to start the process and will able to be used on all crops reducing cost and speeding up the process.

Operation wise is seems easier to use due to pin location for depth not threaded links. The legs come complete with points and wings. So only changing one part. This alone should speed up the wearing parts down time. Shear bolts are changeable by pin and R clip.

We will use a tractor to move the machine between farms for the cat challengers, improving efficiency and cost.

2011 drilling has finished

2011-10-06T12:35:00.001-07:00

Ye ha, it's all over, we have finished drilling. I'm really pleased, the heavens can open.

The boys are off for a well earned rest. Julian is off next week to Australia and Chris G to New Zealand. Chris B has gone on a four day sleep.

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Painting the farm

2011-10-02T06:18:00.001-07:00

Andy is busy getting the farm painted. Going for a fresh new look. Andy told me 'he used to love painting'. He's never seen some much to paint.

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Keep the troops going

2011-10-02T06:14:00.001-07:00

Using the converted RAF fuel truck to deliver fuel to the Challenger in minutes.

Drilling an average of 205 acres a day.

Straw all stacked for winter

2011-09-25T05:40:00.001-07:00

This years straw for the power station is all stacked away ready for the winter. The lights in Cambridgeshire will burn bright with the help of PX.

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High winds in usa

2011-09-22T00:18:00.000-07:00

Tim Richter a farmer i visited in the USA sent this picture of his son stood in his maize crop after the high winds. He reports the yield is still high if he can pick it off the floor.

The picture demonstrates the joys of farming. When you think you've got everything right the weather throws you a curve ball.

I imagine my self stood in the field and the first thought that comes to mind after thank goodness i'm not the combine driver is a saying we learnt in the USA at the Nuffield contemporay scholars conference, Adopt, Innovate and Overcome.!

New branding unleashed

2011-09-14T12:20:00.001-07:00

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Location:Scotland farm

Loading efficiency on a local farm.

2011-09-14T08:39:00.001-07:00

We were sent this photo by Wellgrain. How to load a lorry in 7 mins.

Location:Somewhere in Bedfordshire

Ploughing for potatoes

2011-09-14T08:32:00.001-07:00

Ploughing is a medieval action which we are custom ploughing for potatoes at 12-13" deep. Using a demonstrator plough from Ben Burgess.

YouTube Video

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CLA business magazine

2011-09-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Secondary cultivations

2011-08-29T10:41:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for drilling the wheat in a week.
Oil seed rape is all in and starting to come through.
Julian is busy pressing the land to level and consolidate to encourage blackgrass to grow on one of the challengers.

Rexius Vaderstad twin press

Sad day as my favourite machine leaves

2011-08-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

The founder member of the PX Farms museum leaves for a new life. Im going to keep tabs of its history so i can buy back in 20 years to put in the museum.

A comedian in every company

2011-08-25T08:13:00.001-07:00

Jim Mcgarry drives J7 PXF

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Cultivation and osr drilling

2011-08-23T12:04:00.001-07:00

Chris and Chris using two 550 hp cat challengers.

Drilling osr with two 8 metre drills, one Vaderstad the other a Horsch. 85-100 ha each a day. The one on the right is the new member to the fleet. New 12 metre Horsch drill for next year has been ordered.

Automatic grain dryer

2011-08-19T02:57:00.000-07:00

First in the world, automatic grain dryer. working with Z tech we have invented a automatic grain dryer. Retro fitted to any grain dryer with electric speed discharge. Set the out moisture to wheat at 15% mc and the dryer measures the moisture in and calculates the speeds and measures the moisture out. works on all crops. Technology uses microwave probes to measure the moisture. This will save labour and lost moisture. Estimated at savings of £40000 a year here along.

Solar panels makes the Press.

2011-08-19T02:29:00.000-07:00

Baling for electricity

2011-08-19T02:18:00.000-07:00

Richard James and Chris Nunn came from Ousden nr Newmarket Suffolk to bale the straw for the power station at Ely. Straw yields where variable depending on first or second wheat crop or previous crop ie beans or osr. The best result we had was 3.66 bales at 620 kg a bale, the worst isnt worth mentioning.

Combining

2011-08-19T01:59:00.000-07:00

250 acres a day average, 1000 tonnes a day carted back to the store. We where clearing farms not fields this year. The chaser bin driver kept up with the two combines. The unloading time makes all the difference. Compaction was combated by running the bin on the cat challenger. We need to get the auger made longer or an adaption on the bin to get the chaser on the previous combines wheelings for controlled traffic.

Horsch Chaser bin

2011-08-19T01:53:00.000-07:00

Corn carting with the artic lorries and horsch chaser bin on the Cat challenger 75E. Chaser bin holds 28 tonne and unloads in 2.41 minutes. Theres no room for error at 170 kg a second.

2011 Nuffield Aussies

2011-07-22T13:27:00.001-07:00

Michael Foss from Western Australia, Bruce rock. Craig Duffield from South Australia, Ramco.

Touring around East Anglia's farming businesses.

We have lift off

2011-07-14T11:25:00.001-07:00

Solar tracking panels have been turned on. We are producing power.

Clay land farmers came for a farming tour and opened the solar panels. 49 kw/hr solar panels with up to an additional 35% uplift due to tracking the sun.

Harvest 2011

2011-07-09T12:42:00.001-07:00

Here we go, are you ready to rumble.

Chaser bin and lexion and the cultivator one run behind.

7 metre topdown travelling at 12 km at 3" deep. Making a first class job.

Harvest 2011is on the way.

Movies on you tube under pxfarms1.

Location:Cambridge,United Kingdom

Sprinter 12 club

2011-07-07T10:18:00.001-07:00

Flew this morning to hungry to look at a sprinter 12 with Michael Horsch, Tom Hawthorne, Anthony Wiseman and Stephen Burcham.

Went to GSD a 16000 ha+ farm. Excellent management and farming rotation.

90000 tonnes of storage.

Cooling the grain in the silos drops the air by 15c to outside temperature.

YouTube Video

Combining osr with 6 combines.

Back on the farm

2011-07-05T13:23:00.001-07:00

Second combine turned up today.

Service truck ready for harvest. Fiesta van gets taken to the challenger each day for Chris to get home.

The first of five solar panels is bolted together.

Fingers cross, switched on Friday.

Ash cloud

2011-07-04T01:16:00.001-07:00

Planes cancelled due to the Ash cloud in chile. 500 people queueing for check out. Got an extra day in Buenos Aires I put it to good use and wrote 5000 words of my project. Stayed in a wonderful hotel called Alvear palace. Kevin got off to brazil.

Just arrived at Heathrow after 43.5 hours a wonderful time in Argentina.

Location:Argentina, Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

2011-06-29T20:49:00.001-07:00

Enjoying an evening out in a cigar shop learning about Cuban cigars and then for dinner with Bayer crop science.

Jim McCarthy took us today to his last farm a heavy land and rice growing area.

An interesting machine used for emptying the silo bags but also straight into the grain heap in store. A concept that could prove useful in england.

A simple machine used for applying seed dressing. In this case supplied by the contractor who does the seeding.

Contractors sleeping quarters when shift working while seeding.

Sleeping quarters for me was in the back of Jims car.

Location:Argentina

El descanso

2011-06-27T10:13:00.001-07:00

5437 ha.
No tilling into a mat of straw. The mat keeps the moisture locked into the soil and the weeds down. Only a disc drill would managed.

Blackboard shows the farm and the soil type dictating the fields and crops grown.

The house on the farm sleeps 12 with views over 400 cattle.

Fertiliser stored in grain bags.

Simplicity of machinery here is that it can be powered by electric or pto.

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3800 ha

2011-06-25T15:28:00.001-07:00

Planting wheat direct after soya bean. Low capital expenditure.

No gps just top operators.

A fellow Nuffield scholar Jim Mccarthy from ireland shows us around one of his farms in Argentina. About 600 km from Buenos Aires. The farm is roughly 10 km by 3.6 km. That's farming. All operations carried out by contractors. Fields have been put into different soil types so crops can be managed and inputs.
Grain is put into silo bags and stored for up to a year.

Bayer crop science

2011-06-25T06:00:00.001-07:00

We had a 3 hour drive to Bayers crop station north of BA. A 40 ha site where they trail chemicals on a special licence from the government on cotton, maize, canola, wheat and soya bean. We met with Matias Pastore who introduced us to the station and his father who owns a farm and agronomy business supplying seed and inputs. We had an interesting introduction to farming in Argentina, land values, rental incomes, gross margin and rotation. Since 1996 when Gm roundup ready came into commercial use the rotation has gone to continuous soya bean. Rents have gone to 600 us dollars per ha. Income after all costs and taxes 35 us dollars per ha. Haulage and storage is based on 15% of published soya bean price. The government taxes the farmer 35% on world soya bean price. They own the processing plants to produce oil so it's a clever tax. Doesn't help the marginal land that produces low yield. It's big business here but the grass isn't greener. The round up ready crops are seeing a broadleaved weed becoming tolerant to roundup, different salts are proving effect in the roundup. Interesting broadleaved weed is seen in no till operations but not plough based. It's was an enjoyable day which we also spent with Phil a local farmer from Ireland who farms near Kevin and flew over that morning. I saw this sign in BA, but didn't want to hang around in this area incase I had a broke back mountain experience.

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Location:Argentina

Buenos aires

2011-06-25T05:26:00.001-07:00

Kevin and I went on a tour around Buenos Aires. One of the highlights was to see the crematorium where the rich and famous of BA are buried. It was interesting to learn that families sell the tombs, the old coffins get moved to another location. I found it creepy. The opera house which we passed is supposed to be perfect in sound. The famous pavorioti said the problem with the opera house is its so good that people can hear if your half a note out.
The university next to the port which is a brick building was bought from England brick by brick by ships. The roads are made of granite from Spain which was used as ballast in the ship. When BA was settled it was pampas grass, no stone or trees so materials had to be bought from europe. The original wealth from BA was in the leather industry until the French invented refrigeration on ships to get beef back to england.

We ended the day at the oldest cafe in BA the Gran Tortini, the cafe is so popular we had to queue to get in for 45 mins.

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Argentina

2011-06-23T08:24:00.001-07:00

My last Nuffield trip is to Argentina, 13.5 hour night flight. I've arrived with Kevin Nolan JNR(its true he is junior)from Nuffield Ireland. As you can see it cold and wet, 12c. Kevin has found another small Nuffield car to hire and is nervous of my driving, im sure anyone who has driven with me cant believe it.
You can see that he is wearing shorts. My one travel bag sadly has limited winter clothes. Note to all future travellers, google the weather of your destination do not listern to your irish companion on clothes needed.
We are currently sat in a cafe' sticking to the slim fast diet or thats what my wife thinks, waiting for the tour bus to take us around Buenos Aires. Hopefully going for dinner with Bayer tonight. We are 4 hours behind in time. Going to eat an apple pie and buy a jumper.

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Solar panels at Scotland Farm

2011-06-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

A 49 kw solar panel system on trackers is being built at scotland farm. Frames and trackers are up. We hope to have switched on, on the 4th July 2011. There are 5 posts being built at the back of the grainstore to deliver power to run the grain drier and elevators. This is a step towards zero carbon grain. The panels will be delivered and installed tomorrow. The trackers follow the sun as its moves to maximise on efficiency of the panels. Im looking forward to this working and generating electricity back to the grid when we aren't using the electricity. Grainstores and solar panels work well as the power requirement is in the summer when the must electric is generated.

1st Wellgrain Newsletter

2011-06-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

PX Farms Ltd are featured in the 1st edition of WellNews Spring/Summer showing the unrivalled commitment made by both parties. This relationship strengthens and enhances for my contract farmers, delivering back higher profitablity.

Youngest ever CLA Chairman

2011-06-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ive become the youngest ever CLA chairman.

20 years to young. Article was taken from the national Cla magazine. The industry is changing, im looking forward to this role and hope i can do it justice. Cambridgeshire and bedfordshire AGM at Shuttleworth college was an enjoyable day with our Regional President Andrew Pym giving the tour.

wedding

2011-06-17T02:58:00.000-07:00

June 4th 2011. The last man standing gets married. Enjoyable day, wonderful weather. Thankyou all who attended.

Must people said they never believed they would see the day. Nuffield changes your life. Im grateful for all the help everyone put in. Michael Dungworth blowing the hunting horn 'gone away' as we left the church. Julian drove us in Great Grandfathers Rolls Royce and Chris Young behind in grandfathers old Daimler car with the bridesmaids. Auntie Joan for the wonderful flowers in the church. The string quartet for the beautiful music in the garden. Dominic the best man with the help of Michael Harwood in Australia who where both restrained in there speeches. Catering company and the band. Father, mother, heather, sigi and louise put lots of effect in and thank you. Ailis was a star, keeping the wheels turning. Fiona went to a recording studio to sing the last dance. 3.53 seconds we had to dance on our own not one person joined in. 200 people watching my john travolta dance moves. When 12 oclock struck the remaining party goers formed an arch and fiona and i started our married life and off to Maderia to Reids Palace for our honey moon.

Morning of the 4th

2011-06-05T11:31:00.001-07:00

Two ushers and a best man relaxing before the wedding on my birthday. We went to watch the race horses on the gallops and then swam and relaxed. We met in the dry drayton pub at 12.30 and strolled over at 2.30 for the wedding.

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Location:Newmarket

It rained

2011-06-02T03:44:00.001-07:00

After 14.5 weeks it rained. 9 mm. We are competing with the Australia's.

We had foundations dug to 4 ft for the new PV system and the ground in the wheat crop was bone dry with cracks down to 3 ft and wheat roots to 4 ft into the gault clay. Where we dug outside of the wheat field it was still moist, it's amazing how the crops have dry the land out so deep. It's a good sign of soil structure. Picture shows Paul Reid from NZ inspecting the profile pit.

Nuffield arable group adventure in hampshire

2011-05-23T02:33:00.001-07:00

The Nuffield arable meet on thursday noon the day after my stag party. I wasn't firing on all cylinders. We looked around the Janaway enterprise and meet the family and had an enjoyable meal in the garden. It was interesting how the family each had a department and the success they where making in farming. Gavin one of the sons has taken the potatoe enterprise from 250 acres to 2000 acres.
The next day we visited frontier Southampton docks with a farmer collaboration grain drying plant. Andrew flux the grain procurement manager gave a good presentation and handed the Nuffield questions well. I suspect we will be seeing more of Andrew leading the likes of Frontier.
In the afternoon we visited david Miller at southwood farm who was a farmers weekly runner up last year.
In the evening we had our annual dinner with mike Adams from frontier as our evening speaker.
Saturday we had a morning visit at G Horn and sons where we saw high levels of attention to detail. Our afternoon visit was to Hampshire grain where rob Sanderson gave a talk on co op storage. Finding hampshire grain should go as a Nuffield test at interview stage.

Sarah and Richard Burt did a wonderful job of organising a wonderful few days.

Southampton docks full automation of grain plant.

Drier automation

Stag party fly fishing

2011-05-23T02:14:00.001-07:00

Fly fishing at Avington lakes in hampshire. Only Adam west missing in the photo, he couldn't fit.

Father and his first fish of the day.

Can't disclose anymore about the day due to wife protection scheme.

Desiree

2011-05-14T11:30:00.001-07:00

Desiree Nuffield scholar from New Zealand has come to stay while she has a look at Oxford MBA course. Good luck to her I hope she gets in.
Fiona is on her way home with sushi for tea, it's all part of the James Peck diet. If it works I'll be a millionaire. So far it hasn't.

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Location:Farm house

Harvest is coming

2011-05-13T10:44:00.001-07:00

Love it, the chaser bin has arrived. I waved good by to the Richard western we had used for 10 years. The mighty 27 tonne Horsch chaser bin has become a proud member of the PX fleet. It feels as if harvest has started. If it doesn't rain it won't be long.

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Australia Nuffield visits

2011-05-13T10:39:00.001-07:00

Helen Thomas a 2010 Nuffield Scholar from Australia called in for two nights with husband Wayne. They are touring the Uk and europe for 7 weeks.

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Location:Scotland farm

Trimble following JD

2011-05-06T11:25:00.001-07:00

Local farmer Ed Banks kindly sent Anthony with his Case tractor and Trimble steering through RTK farming. We down loaded the A and B lines from the John Deere box to the Trimble through gatekeeper. To see how far out from the line drawn by the John Deere rear hitch we followed with a technical method using Chris on the farm with a metal bar.

John Deere following the Trimble. See the cracks in the clay land.

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Location:Scotland Farm

Crops and Farmers weekly article

2011-05-04T03:42:00.000-07:00

This article appeared in the Crops and Farmers Weekly magazines last week. Farming is moving forward in great leaps and bounds with technology.
Still no rain, im even going to have to break my promise to be defeated and start complaining with other farmers about the weather, i think ill hold off just one more week and stay postive.

Royal wedding

2011-04-29T02:37:00.001-07:00

We are flying the flag. We have set up the board room with fresh cream scones, tea and BBC inplayer on the big screen.

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Collar bone broken

2011-04-26T08:21:00.001-07:00

Fiona said as your back can you try out a race horse to see if it would play polo. I jumped on, my hunting horse stood beside, shot off and the thoroughbred I was on took off rearing and bucking and galloping, I has no control as the bridle I had on was a halter, I decided to jump off amidst all the action. The ground is hard as hell, I hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. My goodness it hurt, I was struggling for breath and my right hand side was in difficulties. An ambulance came after 40 minutes as I refused to call or consent. Off I went to the hospital. My hip was x-rayed and chest, the doctor appeared and said there's nothing wrong with you. I limped out the Hospital with my pride battered and struggling to breath.
Today I sat in the office and got a call from the hospital, they had made a mistake I had a broken collar bone and two broken ribs. My pride has been restored.

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Holy water in Ukraine

2011-04-24T06:37:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday and crowds of people with plastic bottles making there way to drink the holy water. Andrew and I stopped off to sample. It's said to protect you from illness and give you a long life. Andrew was concerned as the pipe comes out of the railway embankment and 'what makes this suspected drain so holy'. I can confirm after drinking the water that it's not evian.

Stopped off for lunch in The Royal Hotel in Budapest for old times sake, while on route to Bratislava.

Drilling in the Ukraine

2011-04-23T05:39:00.001-07:00

18 metre Canadian built drill covering 15 ha/hour. Seen here planting spring wheat a Ukraine variety. Watching large machinery operating in large fields is fantastic. Carrier 8 metre used for rolling the land.

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Farm visit on direct drilling in East Germany.

2011-04-23T05:31:00.003-07:00

Went to a direct drilling and controlled traffic farming visit on a farm in east Germany with michael Horsch. There where two of Michael's drills there for direct drilling, one called the sprinter NT which is know in production. Fertiliser was applied by disc and a single tine followed to place the seed. I was impressed by this design as it wasn't prone to straw raking or blockages. We looked at barley, osr, first wheats and second wheats drilled with this system over 1000's of acres. The first wheat and barley looked superb but the cold wet weather has affected the osr. The where many farmers taking an interest to see if it was a route they would pursue. Fertiliser is key in this approach.
On this farm the buildings roofs where covered in solar panels on a large scale. Germany seems ahead in leaps and bounds on electric production. We went next to one of Michael's factories to see the pronto drill in manufacture and to his trails site where he trails all manner of drilling techniques and cultivations.

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Sprinter NT

2011-04-23T05:31:00.001-07:00

Fantastic time was had looking at the Horsch factories, trail sites, and farms. I would like to specially thank michael for giving up two days of his time to drive me around and show me his projects.
It was interesting to see the level of R and D in seeding techniques. I'm grateful for the one to one time with one of the leading minds in this area in the world.

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Bio gas in Hungary

2011-04-23T05:30:00.003-07:00

I punched in Hungary into the GPS and it said 5.5 hours and to Australian standards this is only around the corner so off I went. I arrived at Andrew Hunters a Nuffield scholar who farms in Hungary near Gyor about 130 km from Budapest, to find him with three of the farms directors two who are Nuffield scholars showing them the nearly completed biogas projects and aims for switch on next week. For a arable boy this was amazing to see bolted onto the diary to handle slurry and produce electricity.
Andrews arable manager Ryan stones an ex Writtle boy like me showed me around the farm and potatoe packing sheds.

The sun was out and all looks well, but like England becoming very dry and causing problems with spring plantings.

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Ukraine

2011-04-23T05:30:00.001-07:00

I went with Andrew to the Ukraine to there 850 ha farm. At the border which was an experience we queued for 2 hours, the guards surrounded us for there inspection. The bonnet was lifted to check the engine belonged to the car. The boot was inspected and my wash bag and breif case was rigously searched. Just when I thought it was all over a guard opened the passenger door leaned over and popped the glove box open. What andrew had forgotten was he had seven thousand pounds of petty cash. We went from tourists to suspected drug runners with new friends. Andrews skill and well practiced talks allowed us to curse to no mans land to the Ukraine border. At this point I was now sitting on the money. We arrived at our restaurant at midnight and the joys of picking off a menu that you don't understand or cant pick any words with meaning to the English language. Luckily it was a pork dish.

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Cz

2011-04-19T23:10:00.001-07:00

6.30 came and michael Horsch picked me up to drive to one of his farms in Cz the otherside of Prague. 3.5 hrs of driving at speeds a range rover couldn't travel my right arm seized from hanging on to the door handle and my right leg exercised from my pretend brake peddle we made it. The boys where seeding maize with an 18 mt drill and the second team busy spraying. We looked at soil structure and compaction effects from cultivations and historical cultivation methods. I saw some amazing machines with power harrows built on cultivators and tracks on chaser bins. The farm is fantastic with large fields no hedges and few obstacles. Heavy land as well no boys land here. The difference in cz in ten years is tremendous. With the border gone you'd struggle to see the difference between Germany and cz. With yield increases from 5 or 6 tonnes a ha to 10 tonnes average on maize these boys mean business.

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Germany

2011-04-19T22:50:00.001-07:00

Just like a James bond movie I woke to find a message from Michael Horsch to say get yourself to Germany. I booked my flight to Munich for later that day and the second message came, hire a car and drive to Prague. When I stood at the airport and the lady called over the speakers gate 14 to Prague or gate 4 to Munich I torn as to which gate. Luckily I went to Munich as the third message came meet me at a hotel at 6.30am which was only 160 km from Munich. When I arrived at 11pm I reflected on my day as a Nuffield. In the morning I had been about the farm, then meet the assistant chief constable at the police Hq to discuss rural crime on behalf of the Cla, two meetings at the farm and then sprinting to stansted to catch the plane once landed I was handed keys to a BMW, I sat in the car for about 10 minutes trying to work out what to do and how to get the GPS to speak English. I even down loaded a german to English app but it was hopeless. After driving around the multi storey carpark I found a man who could speak English. The gps was up and running and I was off. Cruising the autobahn at 180 km/hr. What a day!

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Visit from kevin

2011-03-28T13:00:00.001-07:00

Friday I was lucky to visit dick Goodwin a leading world expert on compaction from Silsoe university. Compaction focuses as a large part of my Nuffield scholarship I'm grateful for his time.
I've been blessed with Kevin beaty coming to stay for the night on his way to a cow meeting in Stamford, why would anyone organise a meeting for cows in a no cow friendly area could only be a levy board decision. Good to see him.

Up date on the farm. Michael has been working hard digging out ditches and finding new land drains. Chris young has been mole draining and will start drilling spring oilseed rape hopefully tomorrow. Chris Bullen has completed all of the fertilising and spraying to date. We are loading out 2030 tonnes of wheat for frontier this week. Julian is doing a sterling job keeping the rabbits of the crops and the pigeons from leaving the osr alone long enough to grow away.

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Location:Dry drayton

Farmers Weekly

2011-03-09T01:08:00.000-08:00

Made it into Farmers weekly looking slim.
Ive told Fiona this is how i looked before she started feeding me. Fiona Bruce is looking good. Edward Morgan a friend of mine told me i must go for the name, 'Bruce'.
It isn't until another person analysis your business you see the changes over a number of years. I'm pleased to see the same staff are present to today. Its interesting to look at a 10 year plan done 4 years ago and see the targets set and the projects long forgotten.
Wedding plans are going slowly, i cant see how anyone would get married twice. Organising a wedding is enough to put you off. Don't mention the W word or prices double and payment terms a month before the event. Been doing the wedding list, hope i don't forget anyone. I didn't realise how many family members I've collected.

Famous in Australia

2011-02-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

On my return yesterday from India, Julian Burman who had been working in Australia at another scholars farm bought back an article in the farming press of my time with the Canadian group looking at controlled traffic farming in Australia. I'll put the article on the PX website under the news section if anyone wants to read it.
I've had a message from Kevin that they are going great guns in India and are planning to go to the Taj Mahal, lucky devils.
On another note we have had some theft with 4 batteries being stolen which run our electric netting, im sure a caravan somewhere has power again. I won't report to the police as its not a speeding fine so they wont be interested and id rather poke myself in the eye than waste my time on hold.

Camping in the mountains

2011-02-09T07:20:00.001-08:00

Kevin and I shared a tent with a bolt on bathroom for two nights. It's been a long time since I've been camping. We all had a wonderful experience on this trip and learnt a great deal travelling around India and discovering what it must have been like for Englishmen 150 years ago as I believe little has changed in some areas. I would like to thank michael, Rona, Kevin and Tony for being great company and a special thank you to Tony for organising the trip.

On arriving at Delhi the others went off for more adventures and I went to the imperial hotel for high tea and luxury. Nuffield changes your life.

Camel pooh paper

2011-02-09T07:07:00.001-08:00

I didn't realise you could make paper out of pooh. Camel manure is milled and added to cotton fibres, pressed and left to dry. We where well looked after for two days and learnt about camels and had a local evening meal. Five of us went 7 km in a tuc tuc which was a slow and bumpy journey but worth the experience. We where returned in a Indian new build Suzuki 4wd. Tony I suspect will be the new importer to the Uk.

Never thought I'd see the day.

2011-02-09T06:57:00.001-08:00

On arriving at the field where camels where grazing we where given turbans to wear. This was an honour to be presented and fitted by a warrior.
The camels where in a large group. The arrangement for the travelling camel farmers was they where allowed to graze the fields before cultivation so that manure was spread over the land. The camel farmers made us camel tea which I tried to avoid. I managed to down the tea, but little did I know Tony was enquiring about the camels milk so before I had time to wonder off to inspect a neighbouring wheat field my cup was filled with milk. I must report, it wasn't bad. There was another pot on the boil with lumpy milk and if that was next to be served they wouldn't have caught me on a camel.

Location:Somewhere with camels

Indian sheep farming

2011-02-09T06:42:00.001-08:00

Indian sheep farming at it's best. Villagers work together to shear the sheep. Average farmer would have 52 sheep, this village had 120 each. Shearing with old fashioned shears would need to be paid on piece work as one sheep wasn't completed after 1.5 hours. I can't see the world shearing contest happening here. The sheep are taken up the hills at sun rise and the shepherd stays with them and they return at night fall. When you look around its amazing to see that they find something to eat, these sheep seem to enjoy sticks. The connection with livestock was fantastic. All the animals where well handled and where relaxed around humans, A perfect harmony. The Hindi people are vegetarians so the sheep are sold to a dealer who sells to the Muslim population which is about 10% of the 1.2 billion population. Another matter which interested me is that people all seemed to have mobile phones tucked away.

Golden hands

2011-02-06T19:33:00.001-08:00

Tony booked us in for two nights in a farm stay in deep roots a 30 acre wheat, rice and mangoes. He accidentally found the stay by researching mutton and it was on the menu.
Kanwal kindly looked after us well and organised us trips to two dairy farms, one being a dairy and processor on one site, which will be farming by 2012 20,000 milking cows plus replacements and a 2 mw bio digester. The chicken farm opposite the retreat was a three storey building which was unusual.
Labour is king over mechanisation, labour cost is £ 3 a day. Land values £60,000 an acre. Four Maize crops can be grown per year. 6 months wheat, 6 months rice in the same year is standard in this area. A scary fact is water in 1947 was 10 ft down, in 1962 was 40 ft and 2010 was 500 ft down. 44% of india's rice is grown in the Punjab region on 2% of india's agricultural land.
Kanwal father looked at our hands,my left hand showed I was going to have a happy and long marriage which is handy as I marry in June. I wonder what I would have done if it was in reverse. My right hand he called a golden hand which he hadn't seen before. Deep line from the bottom to the top which shows success and wealth and a happy destiny. Hail the golden boy.

Location:Chandigarh india.

India

2011-02-04T22:55:00.001-08:00

I've arrived in india, after arriving in Delhi I meet up with michael, Tony, Kevin and rona. We took another plane to Chandigarh which was one hours ride. Kingfisher airlines managed to lose my bag, but thank goodness it turned up 4 hours later. The hotel Tony booked into has blood on the bathroom Walls and Kevin had a wet bed. I slept with one eye open. We have been for a stroll around the town. India is as I imagined. So far an exciting place with new smells and sounds. It looks like I'm going to lose weight as I'm too scared to eat anything and get the Delhi belly.

Location:Chandigarh

Huniting with the Quorn

2011-01-31T00:31:00.000-08:00

Last week i went with my cousin michael to hunt with the belvoir hunt. we had a fantastic day jumping hedges 6ft plus with a 2 metre spread and post and rail in the the centre to give them strenght. I personnely hadnt jumped anything so large before and with ditches the overside just to top the hedge off. I must take my hat off to my horse willdo.
This Saturday we decided to go with the Quorn hunt in leicestershire a neighbouring pack to the Belvoir. The day started with josh hanbury the field master jumping forty plus hedges and fences. i learnt my level of fitness was poor. Being known for my patience id managed to get behind a line going through a gap on the hedge, i decided i hadn't time for this. So i jumped the hedge with sheep netting in front. As we where in the air i looked down to see the other side had electric netting. I don't remember anything past this point as the horse landed on top of me and knocked me out. I was taken to hospital, my elbow on the left was broken in two places and my head has had a hiding. I'm in high spirits but sore. My relationship with Fiona has gone to a new level as im unable to dress myself.

LAMMA

2011-01-20T13:31:00.000-08:00

Irish, Americans and English Nuffields get together for LAMMA Show. Wednesday was a good day at Lamma show, I meet Michael Horsch who was the highlight of the show with good decision on Controlled traffic farming. The show expands every year and will soon take over from cereals. Shame about the temperature, Only farmers would have an out door show in January at 3 C. On returning home i was pleased to see Kevin and Una Nolan, Nick and Jessica from USA who came to stay whilst flying in for Lamma and back to Dublin. Kevin had some treats for them both with a focus on drinking, good old irish socialising.

Clayland Farmers talk.

2011-01-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

On wednesday i gave a talk on my Nuffield travels and investigations on controlled traffic farming. It was an enjoyable evening with 40+ local farmers. We discussed the merits of CTF and weed management in paticular 'blackgrass'. As the chairman Martin Lines put it 'there will be alot of over hedge watching' as i put CTF into action.

Oxford Farming Conference

2011-01-16T06:44:00.000-08:00

Oxford Farming conference was a enjoyable time. Nuffield was well represented with Adam West, Jack Ward, John Stones, Lindsay Hargreaves, David Alvis just to name a few. I recommend the conference to all as its a good kick start to the year. Picture shows Adam West in Hogwarts hall.

Engagement

2011-01-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

After Four and half years Fiona and i are getting married. We went out on the horses to ride in the snow when i proposed. We have set the date for 4th June 2011. Its will be my birthday so i wont forget the anniversary in years to come. Im looking forward to a Nuffield wedding.

Arrival Back

2010-12-22T23:58:00.000-08:00

After 46 hours of travel and three flights totalling 30.15 hours i have made it back to Cambridge. Jet lag has been a small issue with 1 am and 4 am playing a big part in my day. Currently -7c its a good 35c difference. Even after looking for two days i cant find that the team have done anything wrong at all. I should go away more often!. Well done them! Its been a fantastic trip and i met some wonderful people and the whole Nuffield experience has been a joy. I would like to thank all the people i met and stayed with a big thank you, and the team back home who allowed me to enjoy myself without concern for home. Tuesday night we went for the farm Christmas dinner to the Chinese where they did us proud. Even after my china experience of saying i wouldn't eat Chinese food again i had to give in. I was grateful that no chicken heads or river fish to be seen!. Whilst i was away Fiona had purchased a paint brush and has decorated the bedroom with flowers and the snug has gone brown, i must say it looks good and getting use to waking to floral.

Three Nuffield Amigos

2010-12-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

Desiree myself and Jim Baird another UK Nuffield Scholar went on an adventure. We hired a Helicopter and went up to Mount Cook, New Zealands highest Mountain. We landed at a neighbouring mountain side. The journey took 45 minutes at 120 miles an hour. On the return to base camp the pilot Andrew showed us the abilities of the helicopter. I turned around to see Desiree with her hand over her face and Jim with a smiling face combined with a scared and surprised look. Whilst we where weaving in and around the glaciers rugged cut mountain walls i nearly at one point learned over to the Pilot to say, 'old boy we are about to trim the rocks'. It was a nice ending to this 9 week Nuffield adventure. Tomorrow i fly from Christchurch to Sydney, Sydney to Singapore and then to Heathrow. I'm not looking forward to the 27 hour and 15 minute flight time over two days but I'm looking forward to returning to the farm. The question is, is the farm ready for me.

Trouble in paradise

2010-12-13T04:30:00.000-08:00

It must nearly be time to come home, I've run out of tea bags which the empire was built on. With the speed of the post it would be quicker to replenish stocks back in England. Last time i went travelling there where three things i missed most, a proper cup of tea, cotton ear buds and a bath. I bought two out of the three with me, i have found the odd bath, in fact Ed and Kate Cox let me have a bath in their on suite, and the bath was as large as Hugh Hefner's hot tub but sadly empty of talented young ladies. I also tried to have one in a hotel but it was rather like a large be day, I'm sure why they build them, unless its an Australian thing to conserve water.
Today i woke to find my face lying beside me on the pillow, I've gone from the red Botox look to peeling skin rather like a leper. I still have two days to re burn so i will look tanned when i return to the cold of England, hopefully Fiona will meet me with my set of long johns as I'm going to have a temperature shock. I weighed myself today and i hope there's a Nuffield prize for gaining the must weight, I'm optimistic that Ive won, it read 98.7 kg, I'm not sure what that is in imperial but judging by my trousers it frightening. With Christmas ahead and all the goodies I'm unlikely to see this drop. They Say 'Nuffield changes your Life', i put forward the motion that 'Nuffield changes your Body'.

Rotary Board Room

2010-12-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

Desiree Reid Nuffield 2010 NZ, and husband Paul have a rotary board room!.
Business decisions made over looking the 800 cows being milked. Desiree and Paul 10 year goal is 10 farms in 10 years. Everywhere i go at the moment i see Cows, it must be a sign.
Neighbouring small tourist town has 40 bus loads of tourists per day, there must be an opportunity here.
Paul has a talent with machinery and buys farm machinery from the nettles and brings it back to live in between milking and moving irrigators. Plenty of water here with no restrictions, complete contrast to Australia. Centre pivots play a big part of the landscape, 95% of water still goes out to sea.
Canterbury plains was once dominated by combines and arable equipment, it has gone through a complete conversion to Dairy its know spot the wheat plant. For survival tactics i pretend i have a dairy back home to fit in as i don't want to be lynched for being an arable boy. Any future arable Nuffields brush up on cow talk as talking about wheat is a conversational killer. I'd like to thank Paul and Desiree for letting me stay and wish them luck with there 10 year goal.

Arable and Dairy get together

2010-12-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

Rhys Williams Welsh Nuffield 2010 has made it to New Zealand with the family, and is driving around in a camper van. It reminded me of the Mini Winny, William Forsyth and i drove around USA in but much smarter and without the rattles.
We are staying in a camp site and i have a little cabin with all home comforts. Rhys has set me up with a farm visit this afternoon looking at a Dairy as he thinks it will be good for me to look at cows. I think its because he's preparing me for the dairy he wants to set up at Scotland Farm. After an afternoon looking at Dairy operations on a low cost system, im sold and can see the oppurtunity of dairy on a arable farm in cambridgeshire.
See my Botox Look. I'm very grateful to Kelly for supplying me with after sun lotion. Thank you to Nicholas Haines for showing me around three dairies and explaining how it works.