For many of us, this summer’s weather has been nothing short of perfect. Blue skies, warm evenings and sunshine day after day have encouraged families to get outdoors and enjoy everything the countryside has to offer.
Here on the farm, we’ve loved seeing so many happy faces. Our campsite has been busier than ever, with visitors making the most of the beautiful weather, exploring the local area and enjoying time away with family and friends. It’s been wonderful to welcome both returning guests and new faces, and we’re incredibly grateful for everyone’s support.
But while the sunshine has been fantastic for our campsite, it’s telling a very different story across the rest of the farm.
When Sunshine Becomes Too Much
Farming relies on a careful balance of sunshine and rainfall. Although warm weather helps crops grow, they also need regular rain. After such a prolonged dry spell, our fields are beginning to show the strain.
The grass our cows would normally be grazing has stopped growing. Instead of enjoying fresh pasture, they’re already eating their winter forage – something we’d usually save for the colder months. Every bale we feed now is one less available for winter, meaning we may have to buy in additional feed later in the year at a much greater cost.
A Different Landscape
Walking around the farm, the effects of the dry weather are impossible to miss.
Ponds and ditches that would normally hold water have dried up, fields are turning brown instead of green, and the ground has become hard and dusty. Wildlife is feeling the effects too, with fewer natural water sources available for birds, insects and the other animals that call our farm home.
Challenges for Our Farm Shop
The dry conditions are also having an impact on our farm shop. Many of our fresh produce suppliers are telling us that crops are struggling, and we’re seeing the effects in our own homegrown produce too.
Without enough moisture in the soil, crops simply can’t reach their full potential. Potatoes have struggled to develop properly, salad crops have found the heat challenging, and some seasonal produce may be in shorter supply over the coming weeks.
We always want to offer the freshest, highest-quality produce in our farm shop, but farming is always at the mercy of the weather. Sometimes nature has other plans.
One Farm, Many Businesses
Many people think of farms as simply producing food, but today’s farms often have several different enterprises working together.
Our campsite has had a fantastic summer so far thanks to the sunshine, bringing visitors to the farm and helping support our family business. At the very same time, our livestock and crops are facing some of the toughest conditions we’ve seen in recent years.
It’s a reminder that the very same weather can bring success to one part of the farm while creating real challenges for another.
Farming Is About Resilience
If there’s one thing farming teaches you, it’s resilience.
No two years are ever the same. One year it’s too wet, the next it’s too dry. We can’t control the weather, but we can control how we respond to it.
Farmers are natural problem-solvers. We adapt, we innovate and we find solutions. Whether that’s feeding winter forage earlier than planned, changing how we manage our crops, investing in new ways to conserve water, or diversifying our businesses with ventures like our campsite and farm shop, we’re always looking ahead and making the best decisions for the future.
Every season brings its own challenges, but it also brings opportunities to learn and improve. That’s what farming has always been about – working with nature, not against it, and finding a way forward whatever the weather throws our way.
Thank You From Us
Whether you’ve stayed on our campsite, visited our farm shop or the Calf Shed, or simply stopped by to say hello, thank you.
Every visit helps support local farming and allows us to continue caring for our animals, growing food and looking after the countryside we all enjoy.
While many people see sunshine as the perfect summer weather, for farmers it tells a more complicated story. The same sunshine that’s filled our campsite with happy holidaymakers has also left our fields crying out for rain.
That’s farming. Every season is different, every challenge is unique, and we’ll continue to adapt, innovate and make the very best of whatever nature brings our way.
