Hedgecutting, flailing, tractor and operator hire, and field mapping. The contracting jobs that do not fit neatly into establishment or application but still need to be done well, with the right kit and the right operator.
Not every contracting job fits under cultivations or in-season application. A hedge that needs tidying before the season closes, a verge that needs flailing, a field that needs mapping for guidance setup, or a labour gap that needs a tractor and an experienced operator turning up to fill: these are the jobs the contracting team handles week to week alongside the larger scheduled work.
Below are the four services we run on this side of the operation. Each has its own equipment and its own season; tap any of the links to jump to the relevant section.
Hedgecutting season runs from late summer through winter, with timing depending on the location, the wildlife considerations, and the next job for the field. We run a single well-specified hedgecutter capable of hedge, verge and ditch work, suited to the boundaries and conditions across Essex.
The Twiga T65 has the reach and the cutting flexibility to handle most agricultural boundary work, including overgrown hedges that have not seen attention for a season or two. Clean cutting and a tidy finish.
Flailing covers a range of jobs: topping pasture and stewardship ground, mowing field margins, cutting back vegetation on awkward areas. We run two flail mowers: a tractor-mounted 2.5m unit for larger jobs, and a smaller UTV-towed 1.5m petrol mower for the tighter or more sensitive areas where the tractor cannot go.
The Bomford can be mounted on the front or rear of the tractor depending on the job, which adds flexibility on access and visibility.
The petrol engine and UTV-towed setup keep the weight and footprint small. Suited to small or awkward jobs where the right answer is a lighter touch.
Sometimes the job is not the equipment, it is the labour to run it. We can supply a 200 to 300hp tractor with an experienced operator, RTK-equipped, for jobs where the customer has their own implement or specific work in mind but needs the tractor and the person to make it happen. Day rate or longer terms, depending on the work.
The operator is RTK-trained and familiar with running implements across a range of operations. Day rate available; longer-term arrangements possible where the work makes sense.
Field mapping is a digital service rather than a physical operation, but it is the foundation of every other precision job. We use a UTV with RTK to map field boundaries, headlands, and any specific features (obstacles, awkward corners, drainage points), producing accurate maps usable for guidance setup, area calculations, and prescription mapping work.
Faster and less intrusive than tractor-based mapping. The output is a precise digital map of the field that can be loaded into compatible guidance systems for any subsequent operation.
RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) is a highly accurate satellite positioning signal that is fundamental for keeping operations as accurate as can be for our customers and ourselves. We use RTK for nearly all our establishment operations (except for ploughing), all our application operations and for harvesting our combinable crops. Input prices continue to inflate whilst output will always remain as important as it ever has been. Whether it is planting a seed, applying nutrition or harvesting a crop, precision is fundamental to efficient use of products, time and money and RTK gives us the best chance to deliver accuracies within a few centimetres! RTK is our standard, not an upgrade.
Get in touch with the job, the rough timing, and any access notes. Hedgecutting and flailing in particular have tight season windows.
We arrive with the right kit, operator, and RTK setup ready to go. Tractor and operator jobs include a short briefing on the day to confirm what the customer needs.
Invoice with the work done. Repeat customers often set up annual hedgecutting or seasonal flailing arrangements; happy to discuss when it makes sense.
Tell us what needs doing, when, and where. We will tell you whether we can fit it in and how we would approach it.
Photos of the hedge, the field, or the access. Quick scheduling questions.
Chat on WhatsAppSpeak to the contracting team directly.
0330 1335288Longer enquiries, multiple jobs, mapping briefs.
office@fjbosworth.com
