Machinery costs: Downpatrick

Controlling your machinery costs

During this session we'll be looking at a machinery review of Richard's farm. Man and machine – work rates, efficiencies and costings per hour, per hectare. How is the Monitor Farm performing and how do your figures compare? Come and join in a very interactive meeting - and don’t forget your phone calculators!

About the farm

Richard Orr farms with his father at Meadow Farm in Downpatrick. He grows winter wheat and spring and winter barley on 75 arable ha and the rotation also includes potatoes, turnips and grass. The soil is a dry, free-draining medium, stony loam with good organic matter. Richard has previously hosted AHDB winter barley variety trials for the Recommended Lists. His aim is to grow the business while becoming more efficient, and to add value by marketing produce more directly to the end user, such as with his potatoes which he sells in the farm shop. During the three years of the Monitor Farm programme Richard hopes to share learning with fellow farmers and challenge his thinking, to ultimately become a better farmer.

For more information contact AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Knowledge Exchange Manager Michelle Nuttall on Michelle.Nuttall@ahdb.org.uk or 07778 143404.