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South East Farmer & Farm Machinery

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South East Farmer & Farm Machinery

South East Farmer: The magazine for farmers and growers in the region, along with Farm Machinery.

To advertise your farm machinery items online, go here: https://farmmachinerybuyer.com/advertise/ South East Farmer - The magazine for farmers and growers in the South East covering Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Essex, Berks, Bucks, Hants and Oxfordshire. Linked to - the place to buy and sell your farm machinery and equipment throughout the UK

01/10/2026

🍎 THE OCTOBER ISSUE IS HERE!

The October issue of South East Farmer is now available in print and online, bringing together the latest stories, people and issues from across farming and the rural community.

This month, Nigel Akehurst visits Claygate Farms to find out how the family is developing the business with the next generation firmly in mind.

We also look ahead to the 2026 The National Fruit Show, where growers and the wider fruit industry will come together, and discover why a traditional ‘sheep fair’ is about far more than livestock – it’s about bringing a community together.

Elsewhere, we look at why infectious disease shouldn’t be overlooked when preparing livestock for housing, alongside news, views, expert columns and practical advice from across the sector.

And there’s a new home for Farm Machinery, with plenty of new and used machinery to explore from page 60.

That’s just a small taste of what’s inside – there’s lots more to discover throughout the October issue.

📖 Read South East Farmer online or pick up your print copy now. Link in bio.

Indie Farmer

28/09/2026

Good job, right price finished on time

An early harvest meant there was no room for delay when G J Elgar Construction Ltd returned to Upper Venson Farm, Eastry, for its third project in three years.

With consecutive heatwaves pushing harvest forward by several weeks, the Ashford-based team delivered a new 10,000+ tonne grain store in time for the first trailer load – despite only getting on site in April and accommodating a late change to the project.

For Richard Ledger, who heads up Little Mongeham Ltd with his son James, choosing Graham Elgar and his team again was an easy decision: “Graham does a good job at the right price, and it was finished on time.”

It’s the latest in a series of successful builds for the farm. Last year, G J Elgar Construction Ltd constructed a specialist cleaning building housing some remarkable technology, including a colour sorter capable of identifying and removing ergot, imperfect peas and other flaws at 40 tonnes per hour. The building itself required careful design and additional bracing to ensure vibrations from the cleaning equipment didn’t affect its operation.

For founder Graham Elgar, repeat business comes down to straightforward principles: “quality of the workmanship and value for money.”

With 15 buildings completed in the past year and a 32-strong team, it’s an approach that continues to bring clients back.

📖 Read the full Construction column on pages 24-27 of the September issue of South East Farmer.

27/09/2026

🚜 2026 PLOUGHING MATCH FIXTURES

Ploughing match season is well underway – so which ones have you made it to so far?

We’d love to hear where you’ve been, who took part and, of course, see your pictures from the day. Send your results and photos to [email protected] for the chance to be featured in our October and November issues.

And there’s still plenty more to come. If you’re planning your next day out, take a look at pages 30-31, September issue of South East Farmer for our fixture list covering the upcoming September and October ploughing matches across the region.

Which matches have you attended – and which are still in your diary? 🚜

24/09/2026

What does the future look like for an agricultural business that has been trading for almost 150 years?

In this month's issue, Nigel Akehurst visits T Denne & Sons at Whitehill, near Ashford, and catches up with fifth-generation managing director Fred Denne and his wife Charlotte.

Traditional agricultural merchanting remains at the heart of the family business, but changing land use and an increasingly challenging arable market are creating new opportunities.

Its Kent Seeds operation is growing demand for native wildflower seed and looking for more farmers and landowners across the South East to work with. Meanwhile, a £1 million investment in a new food-grade processing facility is set to open up new markets for locally grown peas, beans, lentils and potentially other crops.

For Fred, continuing to invest and finding new ways to add value to crops grown in the region is all part of keeping the business moving forward.

As he puts it: “If it was easy, it would be boring.”

📖 Read Nigel’s full feature on page 20-23 of the September issue of South East Farmer.

Indie Farmer
Photos: Poppy Hollis

21/09/2026

🌾 WATER MEADOW NOT LIVING UP TO NAME

Scorched fields, depleted ponds, extra feed, water bowsers and livestock finding increasingly inventive ways to get themselves into trouble…

This month, Monica Akehurst shares the reality of farming through the drought, where even Water Meadow has been reduced to little more than a trickle.

Grass is disappearing, winter feed stocks are already being used and keeping cattle and sheep fed, watered and comfortable is adding both work and cost.

There have been plenty of dramas along the way, too. A lamb stuck in black sludge required Monica and her pink shepherd’s crook to come to the rescue, a calf ended up in the river and a group of hungry ewes caused absolute mayhem around the quad bike.

Behind it all is a serious concern about what prolonged dry weather means for livestock, crops and food production.

📖 Read Monica’s full column on pages 16-17 of the September issue of South East Farmer. Link in comments.

17/09/2026

🌾 Who’s responsible for the next generation?

That’s the question at the heart of the South of England Agricultural Society’s 2026 Farming Conference, taking place on Wednesday 11 November at the South of England Showground, Ardingly.

Chaired by BBC Radio 4’s Charlotte Smith, the conference will bring together voices from across agriculture to debate where responsibility lies for the future of British farming, from farm families and business owners to supply chains, policymakers and consumers.

With speakers including first-generation farmer Holly Morgan and Naylor Flowers’ Matt Naylor, expect an evening of honest discussion, different perspectives and some challenging questions about what comes next.

📍 Wednesday 11 November | 7pm–9pm
South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex
💻 Attend in person or join online
🎟️ Free to attend, registration required

Read the conference preview on page 10 of September's South East Farmer Magazine and find out more about this year’s debate.

Will you be attending?

16/09/2026

🚜 SINGLE FARMER? ITV COULD BE LOOKING FOR YOU… ❤️

ITV’s new dating series Farming for Love is searching for a single British farmer who’s ready to open up their farm... and their heart, to the possibility of finding love.

Presented by Lisa Hogan, the series is the UK version of the hugely successful Farmer Wants a Wife format, which has helped bring about more than 250 weddings and 630 babies worldwide.

The casting team are looking for a farmer here in the UK who has built a life they’re proud of, has a genuine passion for farming and the countryside, but would love to find someone special to share it with.

Executive Producer Louise Quayle said the programme is also about “celebrating British farming and the brilliant people behind it”, while hopefully giving one farmer the opportunity to meet someone they want to spend their life with.

Farmers can be based anywhere in the UK, and getting in touch initially is simply an informal and confidential conversation with the casting team, with absolutely no obligation to take part.

❤️ Could it be you or do you know a single farmer who deserves a little help finding love?

To apply, click on the below:
https://shortaudition.net/country-dating

15/09/2026

🌾 BORING JOB LED TO LIFETIME PASSION

Sometimes it’s the job you enjoy the least that teaches you the most.

For Matthew Berryman, 11 months working as a mastitis fieldsman for the Milk Marketing Board left him “bored out of my mind”, but he also describes it as “the most important thing I ever did”.

It made him realise how much he loved talking to farmers about their businesses – and helped set the course for a career in agricultural consultancy spanning more than 30 years.

Now 61, and with his Parkinson’s Disease well controlled following deep brain stimulation therapy, Matthew has started a new chapter, setting up his own business, Honey Real Estate.

“I probably love it more now than I ever did.”

📖 Read Matthew’s full story on page 8 of September's issue of South East Farmer.

11/09/2026

SARAH CALCUTT: Mentoring future fruit industry leaders

A good mentor can have a lasting impact on a career – opening up networks, sharing knowledge and helping someone develop the confidence and skills to take their next step

This month, Sarah Calcutt looks at the value of mentoring and a new initiative designed to support rising talent across the fruit and fresh produce industry.

With experienced mentors from across growing, science, retail, sales and importing, the programme aims to match those beginning their management careers with people who can share valuable experience and help them develop as future industry leaders.

Sarah also shares news of some familiar faces taking on new leadership roles within the British fruit sector.

📖 Read Sarah Calcutt’s full column on page 14 in the September issue of South East Farmer.

09/09/2026

MIKE KETTLEWELL: We must move faster

How does farming adapt to a hotter, more unpredictable climate, restore biodiversity and cut emissions – while still producing food and making a living?

This month, Mike Kettlewell returns to DEFRA’s Land Use Framework, turning his attention to food production, biodiversity, human welfare and water management.

From changing the crops we grow and producing more food closer to home, to fertiliser use, livestock, regenerative farming and the technology that could transform how we work the land, Mike considers where farming needs to change – and where the answers are far from straightforward.

As he writes: “The future could be very bright, but we must move faster and together.”

📖 Read Mike’s full column on pages 18-19 in the September issue of South East Farmer.

Address

Hythe
CT214LR

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

01303 233880

Website

http://www.southeastfarmer.net/

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