The Year Round: The wet weather put paid to potato field

With over nine inches of rain in September and early October, the headland soil structure was totally destroyed by machinery and will take a few years to correct itself.

How long before we have hover trailers?

The potato land is rented out and makes a very good break crop.

Only twice in 10 years of letting the land off, have wet conditions spoilt the field.

Two other potato fields were sown with wheat in September with our once over combination, which includes a subsoiler, and now look well with a good even establishment.

No slug pelleting this year – just as well as the quad bike was stolen in broad daylight from the machinery shed whilst we were working in a nearby field.

Improved door locks, a key locker and CCTV are now fitted!

The heat exchanger we installed in one chicken shed has proved successful, resulting in a further four being fitted to the remaining sheds.

They work by heating the cold incoming air with the hot extracted air.

In the short time we have been using them, the savings in heating oil are obvious as the heaters go off at day eight or nine and never come on again.

They used to run from 14 to 21 days before.

Another benefit is the improved conditions in the sheds with less humidity and a perfect spread of warm air.

I will be very surprised if we don't get improved performance from the birds as they look extremely happy.

I will now go to the top of the class with the Environment Agency and sleep much better as I am contributing to saving the planet – as well as my money!

CW 16/10/10