DHF News: March 2026

2025 has not been one to remember, apart from the kind autumn which enables us on the farm to look forward to 2026 with a little more optimism—on yields, if not prices! The crops in the ground are all looking very well, with the oil seed rape having survived flea beetle and pigeon attacks—so far—and winter wheat and barley looking well established.

We now have 1,000 lambs getting fat on the stubble turnips and cover crops around the village. Some of these are a bit flighty – especially the Scottish blackface – so please be careful with dogs when they are on Clay Hill with its footpaths. There will be electric fencing keeping them in, and Rob Harvey does a great job looking after them. In the spring the lambs will be fat, and the fields manured and ready to be drilled with spring oats, barley and peas. It was noticeable in the heavy rain in November that the fields with cover crops absorbed much of the rain and we are doing trials to see how the worms and fungi benefit from having a cover crop through the winter.

The cattle are looking very snug in their new building and are enjoying the electric brushes for a good scratch. Calving will start in February.

One highlight of 2025 was Ryan McCormack becoming the Farm Manager of the Year at the Farmers Weekly Awards. A very well deserved winner, and we are so pleased that he is with us at Dennington.

Peter Davey, who died in October, had spent his whole working life on the farm, and it was very special that so many gathered at Seven Hills and then at the village hall for his cremation. Peter had the Citizen’s Band “handle” of 4 Wheel Drive, and was known throughout Suffolk. A big man with huge hands, large side boards, a roll-your-own cigarette that never appeared to be lit in the corner of his mouth, a shirt always unbuttoned to his waist whatever the weather—although latterly he would wear gloves when it was freezing—he became a highly skilled member of the team and was also the kindest of men. His specialties on the farm included spraying with his beloved MBTrac, digger work, building silage pits—we won a national award for our silage due in part to his care in creating the silage pit—and working the JCB in mucking out. He received his long service award from Prince Harry in 2014 – a special day. At his service we heard many “Peter” stories from the farm, about his leisure time buying bargains and as a father, grandfather and great grandfather.

I hope that his mold is not broken but lives on.

Robert Rous

Dennington Hall Farms