Monitor Farm meeting: Saltash

About the meeting

Farm machinery to buy and to maintain is a costly item in farm budgets. Farm soils are a priceless farm resource needing careful management for efficient and profitable crop growing, and for environmental resilience. From a background in machinery manufacturing, Philip Wright is now a soil management specialist and well equipped to advise on how to get the best out of machinery – for soils, for machine efficiency (wear, tear and fuel use) and for the farm account ‘bottom line’. 

About the farm

Ashley Jones runs the mixed 190ha Smeaton Farm, which is part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate. In partnership with his family, he farms 100ha cereals with maize and potatoes in the rotation, and has 200 head of beef and 200 ewes. Diversification activities on the farm include a bed and breakfast, maize maze, Christmas trees and agricultural contracting. During the three years of the Monitor Farm programme, Ashley wants to try new ideas, experiment and learn from others in the industry.