20th March 2026
Last Word: Jumping on that trend
Well I must say, I didn’t expect to receive anywhere near as much feedback on last month’s column as I have – it would appear my fellow stegosauruses (stegosauri?) and I are not yet extinct!…
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Opinion
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20th March 2026
Talking Taties: Managing frustrations
Frustration in farming can take many forms – weather and politics are a given on that score. As I write this, we’ve just heard the next tranche of SFI is to have lower rewards. All we can hope is…
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20th March 2026
Nature Natters: Using our senses
In last month’s issue, editor Janine Adamson in her Last Word talked about the move towards digitisation, rather than reading a physical copy of this magazine.
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20th March 2026
Smith’s Soapbox: Spinning the wheel
As the first spring flowers poke their noses into the air, we can be assured the winter conference season has come to an end. Hopefully we’ve emerged from those darkened auditoriums with a refreshed sense of…
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12th February 2026
Last Word: Fighting my corner
Prior to Christmas, I yet again found myself in a heated discussion regarding the merits of this vessel – the humble printed magazine. I did my best to articulate the benefits of our beloved tome,…
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12th February 2026
Talking Taties: Never a dull day
A year ago I was lamenting light yields, late movement and bad weather…nowt changes! Our potato harvest for 2025 wasn’t quite as grim as it was in 2024, but storage is much more of a challenge than 12…
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12th February 2026
Nature Natters: Risk and reward
When we look at European crop trials and recommendations over the past 20 or more years, they’ve focused more on resilience to diseases and low-input systems, not just yield.
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12th February 2026
Smith’s Soapbox: Fifty year low point
I thought I’d introduce ‘Buddy’, our new Jack Russell terrier. Apart from having a life-long admiration for the breed, a key driver was the news I can no longer purchase rat poison strong enough unless…
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12th December 2025
Last Word: No such thing as can’t…
Having a slightly overactive brain at times means I struggle with the concept of standing still. Not literally, more in terms of how I meander through life. As such, I can be guilty of chasing…
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12th December 2025
Nature Natters: Planning for change in 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, it’s a time for reflection on what’s undeniably been a challenging year. Whether it’s the weather impacts, low commodity prices, or government policy changes, it’s been one heck of…
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12th December 2025
Smith’s Soapbox: Known unknowns
The news that this year’s harvest area for UK oilseed rape was the lowest figure since 1983 has made rather grim reading. Given the crop was still in its introductory phase on most arable farms in…
