Spraying Alive

We join Morgan Senior of M J Senior Agri Contractors for a chat in the cab. Morgan contract sprays for a number of businesses across Somerset and into neighbouring Dorset.   Born into a dairy farming family, when the time came for a career decision, as much as likes cows, Morgan preferred to do his own thing. Following a stint in New Zealand, he returned to Somerset and set up as a contractor.   F...

Sean Postlethwaite of Ryton Fields Farm joins us for this episode. Situated in Ryton on Dunsmore on the outskirts of Coventry, Sean runs the family business which grows predominantly potatoes along with milling wheat, winter oilseed rape and maize.  Although Sean grew up on a farm - his parents moved to Ryton Fields Farm in 2000, he wasn’t sure that he’d follow in their footsteps. A career as a ch...

We share the cab with Peter Wilkinson of Lodge Farm Contracting. Situated in Hertfordshire, Peter farms 800 acres of arable crops and contract sprays for a number of farms within a 30 mile radius.   Peter’s story in farming began with a phone call. The consequence of dropping out of university was enough to convince Peter to flee the country. His Mother’s displeasure could wait. Whilst making his...

We sit next to Wayne Rose, lead sprayer operator at Guiting Manor Farms. Situated in the Cotswolds, the business grows milling wheat, winter and spring barley for malting along with break crops of oilseed rape and hemp for fibre. Stubble turnips are also grown to feed sheep over the winter.   Wayne tells us how as a child he would join his grandfather every weekend, on the farm he managed in the C...

In this episode we talk to Sam Bagshaw of S C Bagshaw Agricultural Contracting. Based on the Cotswolds / Warwickshire border, Sam splits his time between contract spraying and duties on the family’s mixed farm.   Ever since Sam can remember, he has lived and breathed farming. He talks about growing up on the family farm, joining Young Farmers and his first job as sprayer operator on a Warwickshire...

In this episode we talk to David Jones of JH & MM Jones. Based near Stratford Upon Avon in Warwickshire, David’s family have farmed in the county over several generations. Today, the business is spread across 1100 hectares, growing predominantly group 1 milling wheat and peas, as well as barley and spring beans.   We hear David’s early recollections of working alongside his father in the famil...