PROFILE Lord and Hunt
Growing crops, sharing ideas
Learning from other farmers is the way forward, says Essex farmer David Lord. Judith Tooth reports.
T
he whole business of farm- ing is a learning curve – and there’s no right or wrong, says Essex coastal farm- er David Lord. But what
drives him is farmer-led innovation. David, who farms 750ha of mainly
heavy clay soils on the Tendring Pen- insula with his cousin, Guy Hunt, is a big fan of the AHDB and was part of the local group that formed around Tom Bradshaw’s monitor farm at Colchester. Through the group – which still meets – members could benchmark performance indicators, learn from visiting speakers and exchange ideas.
“The key is that everyone is quite can- did about what works and what doesn’t,” he says. “This sort of exchange comes on the back of farmers having been led by the big agrochemical companies, when actually we should be listening to each other. “Part of it is gaining confidence to try different things. And it’s also useful to talk, to gauge what you’re doing... I was concerned our variable costs were not where they should be, but actual- ly they’re ok.
“But there were massive differenc- es between our fixed costs, something which opened our eyes. But it can be hard to change ways, attitudes, family structures … you have to be pragmatic and realistic. I think in 10 years’ time people will look back and wonder why they didn’t change things sooner.”
Decision-maker David is the main arable decision-mak- er on the family farm at Clacton-on-Sea. Following several years of min till, in- troduced by his father, Roger Lord, and uncle, Tim Hunt, the farm is now in its fourth year of direct drilling. “We haven’t ploughed the heavy land for 20 years now, and it would have
David Lord in a floristic margin: 14 per cent of the farm is in environmental stewardship schemes.
JULY 2018 • ANGLIA FARMER 41
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