I recently attended the First Milk AGM. First Milk is doing extremely well, part of which is due to its connection with Ornua, but mainly due to the fact that several years ago, the ailing milk co-op was rescued by Mike Gallagher and then brought along a massive road of recovery by its current CEO, Shelagh Hancock.

I’ve felt extremely proud to be part of such a good organisation after such an extremely well-run and presented meeting. Attendance was a bit disappointing, but as I pointed out, it was harvest weather and when we were on the road to ruin, hundreds attended with a voice of desperation. Now we have travelled the road of success and are full of confidence and feel no need to attend and complain.

I’ve felt extremely proud to be part of such a good organisation after such an extremely well-run and presented meeting

The meeting was held at a fascinating place called ‘Ed’s Farm’ on the edge of the Cotswolds. A local seed merchant had the inspiration over 10 years ago to buy a 100ac farm and start experimenting with what we now call regenerative farming by planting many different seed varieties. Heritage wheat has been particularly successful, as it is very popular with local bread makers. The place is worth a visit if only because it can be coupled with a visit to Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop. Diddly Squat is a marketing masterpiece. Mid-week, mid-afternoon, the cars are parked on the verges a mile down the road in spite of the ‘no parking’ signs put up by police. The queues outside the small wooden shack are 100 yards long, three deep, all wanting to buy what are probably overpriced vegetables and a t-shirt with Diddly Squat on it (as I already said, a marketing masterpiece). Hats off to Jeremy. And I expect he didn’t hire an expensive PR company to achieve it.

Mid-week, mid-afternoon, the cars are parked on the verges a mile down the road in spite of the ‘no parking’ signs put up by police

I can well understand the local's concerns about traffic, but he is committed to selling local produce.

All farmers appreciated the tremendous good he did with his TV series Clarkson’s Farm. But I wish he would do a farm safety programme which would help mitigate the weekend queues of hobby farmers at A&E, who have injured themselves with chainsaws and quad bikes.

Drought

At home, things are proving difficult, as we have had no rain in the south-west for several weeks. All stock are on full winter rations and are busily eating into the silage clamp. What I do find difficult is taking silage and concentrates out to the dairy youngstock who are on yellow pastures. In normal times, I would have said that mother nature would put it right, but unfortunately I think that climate change might beat her.

The milk price has jumped from 35p/l to 45p/l, which has helped mitigate increased costs. Further milk price increases, promoted by a shortage of milk, may put us in profit if costs stabilise, but further huge increases in fertiliser and energy may negate this.

In normal times, I would have said that mother nature would put it right, but unfortunately I think that climate change might beat her

I have just returned from a few days holiday in Cornwall with the family. It quietly rained each night, and the sun shone in the day – perfect. I returned home to find we had no rain, brown pastures and a heap of silage getting smaller. This, along with the threatened fertiliser price increase, is getting very serious. I was hoping to make up fodder shortfall with maize silage.

Five weeks ago, some maize was three foot, some was five foot. It has not grown since. My contractor tells me it’s dying on its feet. He said: “Do you want a load an acre this week, or three-quarters of a load an acre next week?”