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Hire a farm manager she said, we will have more free time, she said

Don't get me wrong, bringing Jennifer on board as the farm manager has been a game-changer for the farm.  The difference between our bumbling ways and her direct approach to problems means that costs are under control, while revenues have exploded. 

We are in month 2 of 2024, and revenues are up 50% compared to January of last year.  We got a lot of help from the government (new import restriction on foodstuff).  January 2024 was the first month where the combination of higher high tunnel temperature (burning methane), expanded use of CO2, and computer-controlled artificial lighting resulted in a production explosion for January. The benefits of the UK government's stupidity have only begun to bear fruits with higher demand and prices (talk about a self-inflicted wound).

This means that Jennifer has forced us to make hard decisions more quickly, but also based on better analysis.  The addition of 10 new high tunnels: Jennifer.  The immediate building of two new warehouses on the new farm, and the new milk parlour: Jennifer.  Staff retention program by retraining: Jennifer.  The separation of meat and vegetable processing: Jennifer.  It is Jennifer who with the help of our biologist and the biodigester manufacturers increased our methane yield by adjusting the composition of the input.  Getting the right manure composition was the key.  Listening to good ideas by some of our employees (e.g. bringing forest pigs to the farm).  Acquiring a beekeeping business to simplify our pollination process, all recent changes to the farm spearheaded by Jennifer.  She is the common thread.

My wife and I made the decision to increase our acreage, but that was based on a study we had commissioned several years ago which demonstrated that successful commercial farmers required between 1,000 and 4,000 acres of land.  We are still only at 1,200 acres.  

New plans for 2025, modifying high tunnel planting sequence, preparing additional acreage dedicated to grain and corn sillage, build new silos that will automate the feeding of our expanded milking operations.  The big one, reduce diesel consumption by half, and ideally entirely replace diesel consumption with methane-powered farm vehicles by the end of the decade (the technology is not there yet).  This is not driven by ecological principles (although they count) but as a way of reducing exogenous costs.

The impact on my wife and I, we spend a lot of time planning, reading and making big but well-informed decisions.  

Note:  I should point out that LPG tractors have been available for decades, but never displaced diesel-powered ones because diesel was cheap, and LPG-powered tractors were expensive and complicated to maintain.  Rising diesel prices have been a huge incentive, especially with the smaller tractors operated in the UK.


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