There is an epidemic in the countryside which has been creeping up on arable farmers in particular for some while, and is increasingly being recognised as a serious problem.
The disease is not related to our livestock as one would think but tractors. One by one our Massey Fergusons have been losing power and in the case of one, a total breakdown.
As we became increasingly paranoid believing the problem was limited to Ote Hall tractors, resulting in regular visits from the engineers armed with their diagnostic computers, it did became clear this epidemic was not exclusive to us.
Having established that our fuel supply and in-house management of the same is exemplary and was not the obvious culprit, we looked farer afield. However, on the day when we delivered two of our affected tractors to Yeowarts, they also took delivery of a further three that morning, suffering with similar symptoms. These included John Deer, Class and Case tractors.
After exhaustive diagnoses by expert engineers who forensically inspected fuel pumps and injectors, the consensus of opinion is that the growing epidemic is indeed caused by the fuel, related to the amount of bio-fuel being added to the diesel.
This problem will only get worse putting unacceptable financial burdens on our farm businesses, a matter which must be addressed. We have faced costs in excess of £10k over the past twelve months, purely fuel related and unacceptable .We are now advised by the experts to replace fuels filters every 100 hours rather than around the average 350 hours, but is this really the answer?
The late Dr Jan de Winter, the leading radiologist at the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton, for over thirty years, on his retirement in 1983 opened the first walk-in Cancer Prevention Clinic in New Road.
Having diagnosed and treated thousands of cancer patients, many of whom sadly died, during his career, his advice was that we should treat our bodies as if they were finely tuned Rolls Royce engines. Operators would never put anything but the finest fuel in their tanks, and would run and service them regularly.
In other words, we are as fit and healthy as what we put into our bodies, how we exercise, keep fit and avoid stress.
Dr de Winter wrote a number of books, including How to Die Young at Ninety. He gave advice on eating a balanced healthy diet high in fibre, fruit and vegetables, including moderate amounts of meat. He recommended avoiding processed food, smoking, limiting our intake of alcohol, and avoiding stress. All of which he recognised as contributing to the increasing epidemic of cancer related illnesses, heart disease and mental health issues.
He lived a life where he followed his own advice. He kept fit, ate sparingly and selectively unlike many Doctors who say, ‘do what I say, not what I do’. Dr de Winter lived well into his nineties and died of nothing more than old age.
Our weekend was spent in Aberdeenshire where we saw hundreds of acres of standing corn still unharvested. It seems inconceivable that they will ever get combines rolling again this autumn, which makes our concerns about getting our crops planted for next year’s harvest, pale into insignificance.
We are slowly grabbing the opportunity to drill the odd acre on rare dry days. Time is marching on, the ground is becoming increasingly wet and the days and nights colder. Not ideal conditions for creating a good seed bed and giving the crop a good start.
Parents across Scotland are reported to be ready to stage a revolt against the smacking ban, by battling to repeal the controversial new law. I would hazard a guess that those who drew up this mad legislation have never actually been parents, let alone tried to keep safe adventurous toddlers and young children.
The disease is not related to our livestock as one would think but tractors. One by one our Massey Fergusons have been losing power and in the case of one, a total breakdown.
As we became increasingly paranoid believing the problem was limited to Ote Hall tractors, resulting in regular visits from the engineers armed with their diagnostic computers, it did became clear this epidemic was not exclusive to us.
Having established that our fuel supply and in-house management of the same is exemplary and was not the obvious culprit, we looked farer afield. However, on the day when we delivered two of our affected tractors to Yeowarts, they also took delivery of a further three that morning, suffering with similar symptoms. These included John Deer, Class and Case tractors.
After exhaustive diagnoses by expert engineers who forensically inspected fuel pumps and injectors, the consensus of opinion is that the growing epidemic is indeed caused by the fuel, related to the amount of bio-fuel being added to the diesel.
This problem will only get worse putting unacceptable financial burdens on our farm businesses, a matter which must be addressed. We have faced costs in excess of £10k over the past twelve months, purely fuel related and unacceptable .We are now advised by the experts to replace fuels filters every 100 hours rather than around the average 350 hours, but is this really the answer?
The late Dr Jan de Winter, the leading radiologist at the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton, for over thirty years, on his retirement in 1983 opened the first walk-in Cancer Prevention Clinic in New Road.
Having diagnosed and treated thousands of cancer patients, many of whom sadly died, during his career, his advice was that we should treat our bodies as if they were finely tuned Rolls Royce engines. Operators would never put anything but the finest fuel in their tanks, and would run and service them regularly.
In other words, we are as fit and healthy as what we put into our bodies, how we exercise, keep fit and avoid stress.
Dr de Winter wrote a number of books, including How to Die Young at Ninety. He gave advice on eating a balanced healthy diet high in fibre, fruit and vegetables, including moderate amounts of meat. He recommended avoiding processed food, smoking, limiting our intake of alcohol, and avoiding stress. All of which he recognised as contributing to the increasing epidemic of cancer related illnesses, heart disease and mental health issues.
He lived a life where he followed his own advice. He kept fit, ate sparingly and selectively unlike many Doctors who say, ‘do what I say, not what I do’. Dr de Winter lived well into his nineties and died of nothing more than old age.
Our weekend was spent in Aberdeenshire where we saw hundreds of acres of standing corn still unharvested. It seems inconceivable that they will ever get combines rolling again this autumn, which makes our concerns about getting our crops planted for next year’s harvest, pale into insignificance.
We are slowly grabbing the opportunity to drill the odd acre on rare dry days. Time is marching on, the ground is becoming increasingly wet and the days and nights colder. Not ideal conditions for creating a good seed bed and giving the crop a good start.
Parents across Scotland are reported to be ready to stage a revolt against the smacking ban, by battling to repeal the controversial new law. I would hazard a guess that those who drew up this mad legislation have never actually been parents, let alone tried to keep safe adventurous toddlers and young children.
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