Another lovely autumnal week. There has been plenty of sunshine, although mornings and evenings have been noticeably cooler.

Once again very little rain has fallen on Manor Farm, only 1.5 mm, although I have to say that too much rain at the moment would not help farmers to continue to cultivate fields to be planted, so probably better to keep the ground drier for just a little longer.

Kevin and Ian have been busy cultivating arable fields with terradisc cultivators. These cultivators, towed behind a tractor, accomplish three operations in one pass.

Each cultivator has a set of discs, which lift and break up the soil. Behind these are a set of spring tines, which break up the clods and level out any hollows. Following the tines is a ring roller. This further breaks up the soil leaving a firm, corrugated seed bed, which will promote water absorption.

This one pass method of cultivation is now more common practice when there is not a necessity to plough and is known to farmers as "min till " .

During the week Kevin sent a load of barley, a malting variety, which on analysis had made the grade to be used in the brewing industry. Unfortunately when the load reached the depot it was found to contain ergot, which meant it had to be cleaned, after which it could then go for malting.

It meant Kevin did not receive the premium he was expecting as the cost of cleaning had to be taken out. Ergot is a fungus which particularly grows on rye and related plants.

It is quite easy to detect as it forms a mass of fungal tissue, black on the outside, has a white interior and can be up to 2cm long.

These fungal masses produce alkaloids which cause ergotism, which is a form of poisoning from ingesting the grains. They can be present in the harvested grain or if they fall to the ground remain viable for a year, so can infect the next crop.

The presence of Ergot in cereals is taken very seriously and strict management controls are in place when growing cereals and analysis post harvest.

Kevin managed to find more finished lambs for sale, with only a few from this season's lambing still on the farm. There were also a few cull ewes fit to go. The price being paid for cull ewes has dropped a little, but finished lamb prices seem to be holding.

Granddaughter Natasha ,who has left school following her A levels, has decided to go straight into work.

To get more experience she has taken a job on a farm in North Wraxall. It is a dairy farm, also supplying eggs from free- range hens.

Natasha's job is feeding and caring for the calves, moving onto other work in the morning once she is satisfied that the calves have all had their milk, and have a supply of clean water, have been bedded up and are all in good health.

During the week she has been involved in forage maize harvest, towing loaded trailers from field to farm. Another job being carried out on many farms is hedge-trimming.

This is quite a skilled job, so Natasha has to go quite steadily whilst she becomes more proficient .

Natasha's twin sister Annabel is going to Harper Adams University in Shropshire. Following the footsteps of most of my family, farming is in her blood, so she is going to study agriculture, hoping to take up journalism once she has completed her course.

Annabel has been busy getting everything ready to take to Harper Adams to begin this next stage of her life.

Ian and Jenny are preparing for Natalie's wedding in a few weeks time. Natalie is already farming with her fiance Alex in Lincolnshire, with a poultry unit producing free-range eggs.

The past year has been quite challenging with Avian Flu restrictions and now a huge rise in costs.