Meet our writers

South East Farmer has a wide range of resident writers who are expert in their fields and write monthly columns within the magazine.

Meet our writers

Richard Wood

Putting down the gavel

Richard joined auctioneers Hobbs Parker in 1978 and has been immersed in the selection and marketing of all classes of livestock since that time. He specialises in the valuation and sale of contractors’ plant, farm machinery and equipment. Richard comes from a large farming family and is dedicated to all things agricultural. He runs his own small farm, mainly fattening hoggets from January to April. When he is allowed to by management – his wife, Jackie – Richard pens a highly controversial, often dyspeptic but very popular article for the magazine. He could be mistaken for a UKIP supporter, but Richard recently revealed that he was no such thing!

Monica Akehurst

At the kitchen table

Monica Akehurst wrote an article instead of Richard Wood, who was on holiday. Our readers enjoyed her contribution so much that we have decided to give her a permanent slot.

Sarah Calcutt

Fruit topics

Sarah is well placed to comment on the fruit sector in our region, a one time fifthgeneration grower she has worked throughout the sector, including education, promoting and enthusing people about the industry.

Currently the chair of the Marden Fruit Show Society which runs the National Fruit Show, she is also the general manager of the Avalon Growers Producer Organistion, these two positions, coupled with her own business Partners in Produce means that she is working with the majority of the region’s top, stone and soft fruit growers.

Stephen Carr

Arable notes

Stephen is a fine debater – especially when it comes to the finer points of European Union subsidies! He was mooted as a possible replacement for former NFU president Peter Kendall, but that job went to Meurig Raymond. Stephen’s view that livestock farmers don’t do as well out of subsidies as their arable cousins probably didn’t endear him to the arable bigwigs who have so much influence over the NFU.

Stephen has leant nine of his sheep to the producers of a new play based on Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” and is crazy about sixties rock and pop. He is a late convert to The Kinks, England’s greatest band.

Alan West

Sheep Topics

Alan is the longest serving of our current contributors and has written his monthly column on sheep topics for many years. Alan is no ordinary sheep farmer – if there is any such thing. He is passionate about sheep, especially the Romney breed. He has years of experience, and is willing to pass it on to anyone who will listen. Those who have been on a farm tour with Alan will know what a treat it is. But Alan is special for another reason: his enthusiasm and generosity goes way beyond the farm gate to embrace the public, his customers – and especially younger people trying to make a start in farming.

Nick Adames

West Sussex Diary

Nick is a dairy farmer, and like others in the same business is always keeping an eye on the milk price. He has had trouble with bovine TB and his land was badly flooded during the storms at the beginning of the year. Nick’s articles have often sparked fiery ripostes in the magazine’s letters pages – particularly when it comes to the impact of raptors on song birds.

Away from the farm gate, Nick enjoys skiing and bowls – and he has invested in a useful stretch of forestry in Scotland. He is a keen countryman rather than a soft hearted conservationist.

Elved Philips

Arable notes

Nigel Akehurst

Journalist

Third generation beef and sheep farmer, Nigel Akehurst grew up on the family farm in Sussex before heading off to university to study economics. After graduating, Nigel established a base in London, where he worked briefly in sales before setting up a web-based solutions company, later joining Red Tractor’s marketing team where he visited and profiled farmers across the country.

In 2013, with encouragement from his city friends who were keen to learn more about agricultural, Nigel was inspired to launch an Instagram account dedicated to showcasing where British food and drink comes from. Seeing a gap in the market for a unique publication, one year later Nigel launched Indie Farmer, a website and magazine dedicated to sustainable food production and culture in the UK and beyond.

In 2014, Nigel returned to the mixed family farm in Sussex which he now manages alongside his parents, Fred and Monica. Since then, Nigel has started his own herd of Sussex cattle and is trying to drive sales through meat boxes.

Combining his knowledge of agriculture with a passion for writing, Nigel Akehurst will be joining the South East Farmer team, visiting a farm each month and reporting on his findings.

South East Farmer

Meet our writers

Meet our writers

Richard Wood

Monica Akehurst

Sarah Calcutt

Stephen Carr

Alan West

Nick Adames

Elved Philips

Nigel Akehurst

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