Shropshire Farming Talk: Work doesn't stop for Christmas
Like everyone else farmers are looking forward to Christmas but our occupation means plans are in place for all eventualities and some work just cannot stop.
Despite it being the festive season we need people to be available in case of bad weather or any other emergency.
The livestock needs to be fed and looked after, just as they do for 365 days of the year.
In the build up we will ensure we have the bales of hay in place and will be hoping the weather stays kind for no sudden changes of plan.
All the team at Bradford Estates look forward to time with their families so we take it in turns to be on call over Christmas and New Year.
But unlike many office jobs, we cannot close for business on December 24 and look forward to a break before returning on January 2.
There are all sorts of tasks to cover. On the arable side of the business, our bird scarers need to be primed to see off pigeons and others looking to feed on our land, so the colleagues covering Christmas will check them.
With 12,000 acres to manage, it is not just the farming side of Bradford Estates which needs to be covered.
We have had flooding to contend with as well as high winds which have brought down trees.
The public like to get out at Christmas so our staff need to bear in mind the journeys by walkers looking for fresh air, a chance to burn off some of the extra calories and maybe even seeking some welcome escape from family visitors.
Farmers normally get to Christmas and do not care what the weather does.
In a normal year we have started drilling in early September and got all the winter crops in by early November.
From there on it is usually a matter of doing the day to day tasks with the weather making little impact.
This year the harvest season and the rest of the autumn have been so wet that we were still waiting to finish drilling in November.
All we usually want is to settle down for Christmas and feel ready to go in the New Year.
The dark winter weeks are a chance to service and clean the kit and machinery in preparation for the future.
It is not going to be the case this year as December has been taken over by work we would normally have done earlier in the autumn.
Farmers learn to be adaptable to the conditions and the hand which the weather deals us.
As we prepare to put 2023 behind us, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Oliver Scott is Farms Director at Bradford Estates
