What a mixture! The week began with a few unsettled days and a little rain. However, as the week progressed the temperature rose to a maximum here of 33.7 C. It was often quite windy, which probably kept the temperature just a little more bearable for most of the time. The summer solstice has just passed, so the days will gradually be getting shorter once again.

This time of year is the best time to make hay, so with a dry week forecast, Ian cut two small fields of permanent pasture. There was not much grass, but the seed heads were forming and with rain on the way the best option was to make a few bales of hay. The grass was cut, then spread and left to dry for a few days before it was rowed up ready for baling. Ian made small bales in one field, whilst Kevin made a few large round bales in the other. It was good hay and is now safely stored under cover.

After an uncertain start, our field of maize now looks very well. Maize loves the hea , so the recent hot weather would have suited it well. There is a saying that "corn (maize ) should be knee high by the 4th of July" although the saying that "the corn should be as high as an elephant's eye " is probably more accurate. Having stood next to our crop, it is just about as tall as me, although some would say that's not very tall!

It was quite interesting to see the large variety of wild flowers growing along the edge of the crop, showing the accuracy of the application of herbicide some time ago. The wild flowers included scentless mayweed, common field speedwell, scarlet pimpernel, common fumitory, sun spurge and pretty field bindweed which farmers will not agree is pretty, just a weed they would rather not see!). These were only a few of the many different flowers I saw.

Kevin has recently sorted out the arable crop rotation for next year with his agronomist. He has decided to grow a mixture of crops, which he will feed to his sheep next year. These will include wheat, barley, oats, peas and beans, which will be harvested and processed on the farm into suitable rations for the sheep and lambs.

Another job done was to clean his grain store at Chiverlins Farm. For long term storage the store must comply with a number of regulations, such as being bird, rodent and damp proof and will be inspected for farm assurance. On Manor Farm we only have a facility for short term storage, so the grain must be cleared from the temporary store by October 31 in the year of harvest, but must still meet certain criteria when inspected.

We have recently had a Red Tractor Farm Assurance arable inspection. The social distancing rules meant that the inspection was held using a virtual method A time was fixed for Ian to take the inspector on a virtual farm walk. The inspector was shown the sprayer, chemical store, temporary grain store and taken into the office and shown the paperwork. There are many things that have to be checked to ensure full traceability and safety from seed, right through each crops growing phase in the field to its end use.This will mean farmers keeping a crop management plan; recording fertiliser and manure use; also pesticide use, just to name a few of the many things that will be checked. To be able to become Red Tractor Assured a farmer must demonstrate by visual inspection, record keeping and on-going training that he is doing everything to keep food safe and traceable, whilst paying the highest regard for animal welfare and the need to minimise pesticide residues. All the information collected will be analysed, before the farmer is told whether he has passed or failed. Last year 1 litre of one of our safely stored chemicals was found to be out of date. To dispose of it cost us £100.