The estate comprises of roughly 728 hectares of mixed arable cropping, woodland and a small amount of grassland. The arable land, currently 687 hectares, is divided up into three blocks of winter wheat, spring barley and winter oilseed rape. These crops are rotated around the farm to maximize the return from each crop and to reduce the production costs.The soils on the farm, are predominantly flinty chalk loams, with a small amount of clay cap at the top of the farm. By using minimal cultivation techniques, only a surface layer of 100mm is cultivated to incorporate the chopped straw residue from the previous crop. This practice encourages worm activity and reduces the nutrient losses incurred from deep cultivations, as well as reducing the agrochemical usage.

The farming business is run from the Estate Office situated at Trinley Buildings. A grain drier, several stores and workshops are also to be found here. There is an additional grain store at Park Yard, as well as a series of buildings at Finkley Manor Farm.

The Staff

Andrew Hughes, manages the Estate with two full time members of staff. Shaun Burgess carries out the main arable operations, whilst Dawn Harman, is the full time secretary looking after Estate matters together with the management of Andover Storage. The Estate also employs contract labour to carry key tasks throughout the year.

The Machinery

The Estate currently has 3 tractors, 2 of which are fitted with self steering systems. Also the fertilizer spreader is linked to a variable control system controled via a salalite gps link.

Combine: Claas Lexion 570C

Tractors: Claas 850, Claas 820, Case 140. 2 JCB telehandlers

Cultivation and Drilling: 6m Horsch Cultivator compete with single press, 6m Horsch Direct drill, Cousins 5 sectioned 12m folding ring rolls.

Top Work: Knight 3000l trailer 24m sprayer, Kuhn 3 tonne mounted fertilizer spreader,

Trailers: 1 18t Krampe Hook lift chassis with two interchangeable bodies, 1 Bailey 14 tonne Trailer, 1 Flatbed

Other Machinery: Kawasaki Mule, Topper, Slurry Tanker, Hedge cutter, Grass Roller, Chain harrows

Grain Storage: A new 1800t on floor drier with stirrers was installed for harvest 2005 and this is complemented by an 800 tonne on floor drier, a continuous flow drier with 1200 tonnes of self emptying bin storage, and 400t on floor drier and storage, A further 1000 tonnes of on floor non-ventalated storage also exists.