Strange times with this latest Covid outbreak throwing many people’s Christmas into disarray so I hope you are all able to enjoy family time without someone close to you having Covid.

I like to use this time of year (no telephone calls) to have family time and catch up in the office reviewing what has been going on and planning for the spring. We will be felling some Ash die back trees, sadly, and will replant with different species. I like to walk hedge rows and previous tree planting areas to count up replacement plants required for failed plants. I am looking at our existing buildings with a view to knocking an old one down and erecting a new one for my own storage and existing tenants who need more space.

Luckily I got my orders for Nitrogen in early before prices rose (!) but a lot of time has been spent playing around with different types of fertilizer for Phosphate (P) and Potash (K) replacement given the high prices. I fail to understand why P &K warrant doubling in price given they are not made from gas or oil processes! Everyone’s on the band wagon of raising prices!

Anyway we are able to delay buying as much as normal as the soil can hold a residue of these compounds and are measured in indices 1‐ to 3+. Luckily our farm’s indices are high enough in most places to put a small maintenance amount on or leave it until next season.

We do not save our own seed so our spring seed will cost more than usual that is why it’s important our sales via Camgrain mirror the current grain prices.

I have a number of tenants on the farm, one of which delivers logs for fires, needless to say they have been making deliveries and virtually doubled their sales given the new rules on the supply of wood. This makes it harder for the small enterprise, which is usually on a farm. Photos of logs (in white bags) and kiln drying logs in blue container plus our winter Barley; something we did not have much of last year so, I can fill in my grain return with a little more confidence this year!

Thank you to all Camgrain staff, especially those working over Christmas keeping sales going and the mills topped up.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Stay safe

Jo Robinson