South East Farmer & Farm Machinery

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

📘 Start the year with the January issue of South East FarmerThis issue explores the people, projects and pressures shapi...
01/01/2026

📘 Start the year with the January issue of South East Farmer

This issue explores the people, projects and pressures shaping farming across the South East, from G J Elgar Construction Ltd on why teamwork is critical when delivering major building projects ahead of harvest, to our Autumn Budget review and what it means for farm businesses.

Nigel Akehurst visits the Weald to Waves project, catching up with Gareth Williams to learn how this pioneering nature corridor is reshaping Sussex.

Also inside, familiar voices share their latest perspectives, alongside practical vet advice on managing footrot and a wide range of insight from around the region.

The January issue of South East Farmer Magazine is available in print and online. Link in bio.

Indie Farmer, Weald to Waves

Where is the incentive to promote growth?In At the Kitchen Table, Monica Akehurst reflects on a question many farmers ar...
23/12/2025

Where is the incentive to promote growth?

In At the Kitchen Table, Monica Akehurst reflects on a question many farmers are grappling with. From government commitment to farm profitability, to the knock-on effects of budget uncertainty on investment, she asks: where is the incentive to grow?

Alongside the wider issues, Monica writes about the day-to-day realities of farming, including TB testing relief, gathering cattle off the marsh, trusted sheepdog Brie to the rescue, bluetongue concerns, mixed grazing trials with wildlife benefits, and the constant juggle of livestock, learning, family and farming life.

📖 Turn to pages 16–17 of the December issue to read Monica’s latest At the Kitchen Table. Link in bio.

🏡 End of year property review: Land remains resilientDespite policy uncertainty and proposed tax changes, the South East...
22/12/2025

🏡 End of year property review: Land remains resilient

Despite policy uncertainty and proposed tax changes, the South East farmland market has shown real resilience through 2025.

James Hickman and Matthew Sawdon of The Hobbs Parker Group, reflect on a year where prime, well-located land continues to attract strong competition, with Grade I and II arable achieving over £15,000 per acre in some cases, driven by neighbour demand, rollover buyers and long-term confidence in land.

Meanwhile, more marginal land is proving harder to shift unless it offers potential for BNG, carbon or nutrient neutrality schemes, highlighting how environmental markets are reshaping buyer interest.

Looking ahead, easing interest rates and long-term value are expected to keep demand steady, but with possible tax changes on the horizon, timing and advice have never been more important.

📍 Page 47, December issue
👉 Read the full market review and outlook in print or online (link in bio)

Image: Harlakenden and Coleham Farms

“In Serbia, he would be a superstar!”Stephen Carr’s latest column starts with a surprise inspection and turns into an un...
19/12/2025

“In Serbia, he would be a superstar!”

Stephen Carr’s latest column starts with a surprise inspection and turns into an unexpectedly warm afternoon spent walking Sussex cattle, swapping stories and admiring a prize-winning bull.

A sharp, funny reflection on farming, inspections and the universal language of good livestock.

📖 Read more of this visit on page 35 of December's South East Farmer Magazine

🧶Keeping Britain’s longwool know-how alive.Nigel Akehurst visited Diamond Fibres Ltd in Horam, East Sussex – a rare work...
17/12/2025

🧶Keeping Britain’s longwool know-how alive.

Nigel Akehurst visited Diamond Fibres Ltd in Horam, East Sussex – a rare working farm and micro-mill where British longwool is still transformed, slowly and skilfully, into lustrous yarn.

From walking among Roger Mobsby’s Romney sheep beside the rising Cuckmere, to stepping inside a workshop filled with rescued, hand-tuned machinery, the visit revealed the dedication behind every hank of yarn. Diamond Fibres is more than a mill – it’s a living link to Britain’s textile heritage.

Since 2021, Roger has been joined by apprentice Lois Gardner, a Wensleydale breeder and spinner, Roger is passing on decades of hard-won knowledge: how to sort a fleece by hand, wash wool without felting, and listen to machines “by ear”. In a fast world, this is slow craft at its best.

📖 Turn to pages 20-23 of the December issue of South East Farmer to read the full story and discover why places like Diamond Fibres matter more than ever. Link in bio.

Indie Farmer

🌱 Farming Conference Explores Resilience and Purpose Amid Change.This year’s South of England Farming Conference brought...
15/12/2025

🌱 Farming Conference Explores Resilience and Purpose Amid Change.

This year’s South of England Farming Conference brought together industry leaders to explore resilience, regenerative agriculture plus the opportunities and challenges posed by AI.

With contributions from Helen Browning OBE, John Ian Gregson and Richard Means, and chaired by Charlotte Smith (BBC Farming Today), discussions ranged from soil health and food security to technology, margins and the future of farming.

📖 Read the full conference report on pages 12–13 of the December issue.
Link in bio. Available in print and online.

🍏 Celebrating ExcellenceIn her latest column, Sarah Calcutt ARAgS reflects on a hugely successful The National Fruit Sho...
12/12/2025

🍏 Celebrating Excellence

In her latest column, Sarah Calcutt ARAgS reflects on a hugely successful The National Fruit Show, a packed hall, a buzzing industry, and opening remarks from Ali Capper (British Apples & Pears Ltd) and Judith Batchelar OBE, who addressed the challenges and opportunities ahead for growers.

Sarah also honours three outstanding Fruiterers’ Award winners:

🏆 Stephen McGuffie – Fruit Culture Award
🏆 Simon Everett – Fruit Management Award
🏆 Harry Skittery – Under 30s Award

A celebration of dedication, innovation and the next generation of growers.

📖 Read Sarah’s full column on page 18 of the December issue. Link in bio.

Great British Apples
The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers

Remembering Hugh Summerfield.We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Hugh Summerfield, a respected ac...
10/12/2025

Remembering Hugh Summerfield.

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Hugh Summerfield, a respected accountant, mentor, business leader, countryman, arts enthusiast, husband, father, friend and cherished member of the South East farming community.

A generous, wise and endlessly supportive presence, Hugh was described as the “ultimate go-to person”, someone who helped not just with business, but with life. He will be greatly missed.

📖 Read the obituary on page 8 of the December issue. Link in bio.

🌱 Visa allocation confirmed for 2026.During a visit to a Kent soft fruit farm Hugh Lowe Farms, Farming Minister Dame Ang...
08/12/2025

🌱 Visa allocation confirmed for 2026.

During a visit to a Kent soft fruit farm Hugh Lowe Farms, Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle announced 41,000 visas for horticulture and 1,900 for poultry under next year’s Seasonal Worker Scheme.

The NFU - National Farmers' Union was quick to stress that while the figures represent a slight drop in numbers from 2025, confirmation was “positive news for the horticulture and poultry sectors that now have the certainty needed to plan for the year ahead”.

👉 Full story on page 4 of the December issue of .
Available in print and online. Link in bio..

Tom Bradshaw, Marion Regan
Photo: PagePix/NFU 22/09/2025

🍎 National Fruit Show entries up 90%!A superb harvest, packed halls, new exhibitors and a real buzz made this year’s sho...
05/12/2025

🍎 National Fruit Show entries up 90%!

A superb harvest, packed halls, new exhibitors and a real buzz made this year’s show one of the most successful yet. From award-winning fruit to cutting-edge tech, the industry was out in force.

👉 Read the full review on pages 24-30 in the December issue.
Available online and in print. Link in bio.

Photos: ©Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

🐓 Important update for all bird keepers:Great Britain has now moved into a full Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ).H...
03/12/2025

🐓 Important update for all bird keepers:

Great Britain has now moved into a full Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ).

Housing measures apply to anyone with 50+ birds or selling eggs/meat, with enhanced biosecurity required across all holdings.

The NFU - National Farmers' Union has welcomed the move, to help protect the national flock, while UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss warns the risk is “seasonally very high.”

Read more on Page 5 in the December issue. Link in bio.


The December issue of South East Farmer has landed, our final edition of 2025!Nigel Akehurst visits Diamond Fibres Ltd, ...
01/12/2025

The December issue of South East Farmer has landed, our final edition of 2025!

Nigel Akehurst visits Diamond Fibres Ltd, a small Kent micro-mill working tirelessly to preserve Britain’s wool-processing heritage. Their craft and passion bring a truly special story to this December edition.

Inside this month:
🍎 The National Fruit Show success
🌱 Regenerative ideas from the SEAS Farming Conference
📈 A resilient land market to close out 2025
🚜 Honest on-farm perspectives from our columnists
…plus much more.

Turn the page on the final chapter of the year.
Available in print or online (link in bio).

South of England Agricultural Society


Address

Hythe
CT214LR

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

01303 233880

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when South East Farmer & Farm Machinery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to South East Farmer & Farm Machinery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category