27th July 2026
Smith’s Soapbox: Bad timing, good timing, two timing
It’s a good old farming chestnut to ask arable farmers which they fear the most – a very wet year or a very dry year? The answer is usually subjectively coloured by the flavour of…
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Opinion
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24th June 2026
Last Word: The final mile
‘All good things must come to an end’ – I rather loathe that phrase, mainly because more often than not it’s annoyingly true, said through gritted teeth. And just to be clear early doors, no,…
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24th June 2026
Talking Taties: Selecting a winner
2026 marks 100 years of the Wilson family farming on the Castle Howard Estate, which has prompted me to have a look in our archives and draw a few comparisons.
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24th June 2026
Nature Natters: Seeds of change
The old saying ‘time goes quicker as you get older’ certainly feels true this year, especially as most of our crops are roughly three weeks ahead of normal. The impact of this year’s weather on…
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23rd June 2026
Smith’s Soapbox: The spectre of the early reaper
One October morning, roughly a generation ago, I recollect arriving at my parent’s breakfast table with the proud news my wife was expecting, the due date being mid-July. Predictably, my mother was full of tearful…
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24th May 2026
Last Word: Oh diddle dee
It’s nearly that time of year again – when we all don our best over-priced leatherette-trimmed gilets to make the pilgrimage to a farmer’s field in a faraway land. This time, we’re going to require…
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24th May 2026
Talking Taties: My say on safety
Now then, if you’ll indulge me, I’m going to scramble onto my soapbox and have my tuppence worth of say on farm safety. For many years I’ve been frustrated by the age old and mostly useless advice given by industry experts of…
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24th May 2026
Nature Natters: Trials and tribulations
Is arable farming facing a perfect storm? With low commodity prices, high energy, fertiliser and fuel costs on top of ever-increasing machinery costs, surely every farmer is questioning the current system.
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24th May 2026
Smith’s Soapbox: Unholy trinity
I’ll confess to having had a field or two of crops in the past that have come to very little, to the point you’d have wondered if I’d bothered to actually farm them. But, I’ve…
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23rd April 2026
Last Word: Close to home
If I may say so myself, I’m rather proud of the content that’s in our beloved tome this month. It can be hard to feel positive when life is as chaotic as it’s been of…
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23rd April 2026
Talking Taties: Ploughing on
Well, I’ve done it – I’ve sold a well thought of classic tractor, on with selling another, and bought a youngster. We’ve taken 39 years and 15,000 hours out of our fleet and taken a…
