The Year Round: The long winter sees fieldwork remain at a standstill

In the five weeks since the last diary from Lowfield Farm, winter continues and spring seems no nearer.

Field work on this fertile arable is at a standstill, though my brother manages to find a few drainpipe ends which are then followed up to ensure that they are free-flowing.

This warpland is dependent on a high enough water table to help cultivation. Main crops here are potatoes, wheat, sugar beet, peas and oilseed rape.

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Our own transporter carries 25 tonnes of potatoes and trade is fairly steady, though not exciting. The same applies to wheat.

These potato prices do not reflect the cost of seed, to be planted in spring. Despite the pricey storage costs they must be kept in cold store, as the low temperatures prevent them from breaking into shoots too early.

Preparing the machinery for planting them is a slow, cold and tedious job. The drill is six-years-old and the cultivator eight and between them they cover a big acreage yearly.

Poultry in their free range house have recovered from earlier setbacks, and are now laying well. The 16,000 birds do not like wet, cold or windy weather any more than anyone else does.

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The grass around the buildings is badly affected but an inspector who called to ensure the quality from the free range house insisted that all doors be left open.

He kept in the dry during his visit, quite snug, whereas common sense seems to be completely missing from the enforcement of these rules.

If an inspector doesn't care to face the weather why should he expect the birds to do so?

One corner carries 12 sheep which makes a great contrast with the surroundings. Rabbits and buzzards feed there, showing what a difference even a few sheep can make.

I have to spend two days on courses, which I have been doing for 20 years. Somebody somewhere presumably benefits though it is difficult to understand how.