Alex Linnington

8000ha broadacre farm growing OSR and wheat: seeding with a Claas Xerion 5000, a John Deere N543F 45ft air seeder, trailed C650T air cart and a bespoke trailed liquid fertilizer tank. Two harvests on an X9 1100 + HD 45X.

The roll also includes earth works, lime + fert spreading and the coordination and management of an autonomous sprayer (SwarmFarm bot)

Following an Australian harvest in autumn/winter 2023 I moved to Devon to fill the position of head tractor driver for Crealy Farms, a subsidiary of CR Down Farming near Exeter. A diverse primarily arable enterprise with emphasis on whole farm contracting and contract spraying. Growing approximately 800ha of combinable crops destined for Green Circle Animal Feeds (based on site) and a series of pig production units run by CR Down across the county - and energy crops to supply a local anaerobic digester. Pig waste movements and disposal from local units run by the company was managed by Crealy, as well as liquid digestate from the digester. Day to day I liased with the office based farm manager to coordinate operations effectively between myself and the five other tractor drivers.

• All cultivations inc ploughing
• Establishing grass, cereals, pulses and cover crops
• Direct drilling maize behind grass with a Mzuri Pro Till 4
• Harvest - Claas Lexion 770
• Liquid manure handling with 4000gal tankers
• Fertiliser spreading and hedge cutting

Following the departure of the previous post holder I was tasked with looking after the diverse 600ha mixed farming operation for the interim period until the new manager was able to start.

300ha in conventional cropping under a contract farming agreement.

300ha at home - certified organic, with a 60 head beef herd, a conventional bale hay and straw business as well as a small firewood enterprise.

Responsible for two full time members of staff, arranging contractors, liaising with customers and communicating effectively with the part time farm secretary.

• Performed and coordinated pre harvest preparation, including grain store cleaning, machinery safety inspections and maintenance, topping margins and field gate ways
• Arranging cattle movements around the organic block for strip grazing over the summer on grass and sainfoin leys
• Harvesting a variety of 9 combinable crops on a Claas 670 Montana with a 9m header
• Optimising limited grain storage and collection by different hauliers to different sites
• Establishing a variety of post harvest cover crops with a 6 metre Horsch Avatar on the organic block for contract grazing over winter by sheep
• Deciding on and carrying out optimum establishment methods for autumn crops following old grass leys and stubbles
• Organising timely dispatch of remaining of organic crops sat in temporary storage on site as well as monitoring safe storage of remaining crops in long term storage at the contract farm
• Ensuring a smooth transition for the new post holder at a busy time on farm

• Performed machinery operations on a 300ha mixed farming operation, as well as contracting work and forage/straw supply business
• Responsible for the daily upkeep and maintenance of the college farms large fleet of modern farm machinery, including organising, carrying out and recording scheduled services
• Growing a variety of arable, forage and cover crops
• Undertaking a wide range of field work tasks, including ploughing, drilling, fertiliser spreading, solid and liquid manure applications, square baling straw and forage
• Utilising and maintaining the farms digital precision ag systems, including Omnia Digital, John Deere Link/Operations Centre, FieldMargin and Merit Ag Check
• Ensuring up to date field mapping across the farms fleet, software updates and record keeping
• Working with farm management to help stream limited investment concisely to ensure safer, more efficient and sustainable working practises within the farm business
• Relief work on the indoor pig unit and dairy - including feeding, bedding and scraping
• Responsible for conducting practical tuition sessions for large groups of up to 12 students at a time, in the safe and correct use of farm machinery in real life field work scenarios