Notes from the farm, views on the industry .

Going Away From the Farm, and Why That Feels Different This Year

04 May 2026 · 2 min read

A week away near Carcassonne, the first proper switch-off in years, and a reflection on what it actually takes to feel comfortable leaving the farm in someone else's hands.

12 April 2026 · 2 min read

A Wet Spring, a Dry April, and What 13% Off the Herd Valuation Really Tells Us

Seven weeks on from being parked up by the rain, we are now desperate for a drop. A look at the spring catch-up at FJ Bosworth & Sons, and what the year-end valuation says about where pig pricing really sits.

23 February 2026 · 2 min read

When the Calendar Beats the Conditions, and the Planners Have the Final Say

Two issues outside our control are squeezing the start of 2026 at FJ Bosworth & Sons: a wet winter that is shortening the spring window, and a planning system that keeps saying no to sensible proposals.

19 January 2026 · 2 min read

Wet ground, a plan B for harvest 2026, and a strong nine months on the pigs

We had hoped to push on with cereal drilling on some ex-stewardship ground, but 72mm of rain has put paid to that. Meanwhile, the pigs are nine months into a very strong year, with weaned-per-sow figures placing us in the top end of our benchmarking group.

02 January 2026 · 2 min read

A pleasing end to the year for the longevity of our family farm

The government's adjustment to the inheritance tax relief threshold, from £1m to £2.5m of qualifying assets, is a significant moment for working farms. We are continuing with the changes we had already started, and here is why.

03 November 2025 · 2 min read

A busy month on the pigs and a tidy finish in the fields

Winter cereals are in the ground in good time, but it has been a more anxious month on the pig side as UK slaughter numbers slip and prices wobble heading into the all-important Christmas trade.

01 October 2025 · 4 min read

Why our FETF application for a robotic pressure washer was rejected, and what it cost us

Our application to the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund for a robotic pressure washer was unsuccessful. Of everything we have applied for across two rounds, this is the one we believe would have delivered the most across welfare, environment and working conditions.

28 August 2025 · 3 min read

Harvest closes, yields disappoint, and gilt performance steps up a gear

Harvest finished at the start of August with disappointing wheat and spring barley yields. On the pig side, gilt performance and body condition scoring tell a much better story.

21 July 2025 · 3 min read

Why we have applied for grant funding to bring a robotic pressure washer onto the farm

A harvest update from a damp July, and the reasoning behind our latest application to the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund for a robotic pressure washer on the pig unit.

17 June 2025 · 4 min read

Smarter Sensors in the Weaner Sheds: Why We Are Trialling iMonnit

An early harvest is on the cards, and in the weaner accommodation we are moving from a simple alarm system to live environmental monitoring. Here is why, what we are trialling, and where we think it could go next.

New Faces, Quarterly Numbers, and a Genetics Question We Are Not Rushing

23 May 2025 · 4 min read

A busy month on the farm: welcoming Andie to the pig team and Ami-Jade to the office, working through our latest AgroVision quarterly review, and weighing up a genetics decision that we will not take lightly.

09 April 2025 · 4 min read

Cutting Soya Without Cutting Corners: Seven Years of Ration Changes

Soya accounts for more than 80% of the emissions in our pig feed. Here is what we have changed in our home mill and mix diets between 2018 and 2025, what it has cost us, and where we go next.