In this week’s machinery section, Peter Thomas Keaveney looks at essential mid-season maintenance that should be carried out on your combination baler and wrapper unit with expert help from Michael Boyle of McHale.

I got a look at Claas’s newest grass machinery, from a small drum mower and small single rotor rake to a full sized tedder. Claas is making sure that it has machines for all sizes of grass operation.

In the vintage section, Simon Henley looks at the stalwart of many an Irish farm the Massey Ferguson 135. In motoring, I got one of the first drives of Renault’s new crossover – the Koleos – and found it to be a good performer.

In FTMTA news this week, the tractor sales figure makes for depressing reading, with sales down 12.5% on the same time last year. It doesn’t paint a bright picture with the anecdotal evidence that combine sales are well below last year also.

With harvest in full swing, it is a combine spotters’ dream out there. As always, be careful, whether involved in the harvest or just an interested spectator.