South East Farmer

RW Crawford in Charing, Kent held an open day for the new Valtra T4 tractor range which is attracting much interest across Europe.

Douglas Paterson is a brilliant viola player. But he also runs a large, mixed family farming business based in Hampshire and is leading a campaign against a nearby wind farm.

While most companies claim customer service to be a vital part of their operation, Crawley-based Pressure Clean demonstrates it regularly – and has the new customers to show for it.

On March 25, Charlie Burchell will give up the tenancy on about 200 acres at Ketches Farm near Uckfield in East Sussex. His late father David moved to the area in 1967 and at their peak the family farmed more than 800 acres, including Ketches. David Burchell, who died in 1994, started his farming with four acres given to him by his grandfather and went on to run a herd of 50 Ayrshire cattle which were then crossed with British Friesians, taking the herd size to 160 just before he died. David also was one of the first producers for Buxted Chickens. As the land around Ketches was sold off by his father, Charlie Burchell was left with a range of farm buildings and 35 acres adjoining Ketches which he has heavily diversified into equestrian and office lettings. He plans to retire, and wrote this memoir of his time farming Ketches.

Good staff, knowing your true financial situation and working as a family- these are the three factors that farmers Bill and Andree Kelsey say are most important in the running of their business that stretches back sixty years.

Like many farmers, Robin Casson’s health has been affected by organophosphate (OP) chemicals. Here he talks about his life and how he had to change his big sheep contracting business as his health deteriorated.