The arable desk

16 dispatches on file Arable farming written from a Suffolk farm that took on combinable crops two years ago, alongside the salad and veg ground that's been there for twenty-one. Drilling decisions, fertiliser strategy, soil health, variety choice and the agronomy calls that change the gross margin.

15 Jul 20267 min standing

Bristol Fruit Market 2026: A Working Grower’s Guide to St Philip’s

A working grower's guide to Bristol Wholesale Market at St Philip's in 2026: hours, salesman commission, South West and Welsh buyer mix, entry costs.

14 Jul 20267 min standing

Glasgow Blochairn Wholesale Market 2026: A Working Grower’s Guide

A working grower's guide to Glasgow Blochairn Wholesale Market in 2026: hours, salesman commission, Scottish buyer mix, delivery routes and entry costs.

13 Jul 20267 min standing

Manchester New Smithfield Market 2026: A Working Grower’s Guide to Openshaw

A working grower's guide to Manchester New Smithfield Market in Openshaw, 2026: hours, salesman commission, buyer mix, delivery, entry costs.

12 Jul 20268 min standing

Western International Market 2026: A Working Grower’s Guide to Southall

A working grower's guide to Western International Market Southall in 2026: 75 wholesalers, ethnic and exotic produce trade, commission, entry costs.

11 Jul 202611 min standing

New Spitalfields Market 2026: A Working Grower’s Guide to Leyton

A working grower's guide to New Spitalfields Market Leyton in 2026: hours, salesman commission, sale or return, entry costs and gotchas.

4 Jul 202610 min standing

Harvest 2026 Progress: What the Combines Are Finding, Week by Week

This page tracks harvest 2026 as it happens: what proportion of each crop has been cut, and what the early yields and quality look like.

4 Jul 202612 min standing

UK Harvest 2026 Dates: When Each Crop Comes Off, Region by Region

If you want the short answer: winter barley opens harvest 2026, and in southern and eastern England the first fields normally go in the first half…

29 Jun 202620 min standing

Field Drainage and Underdrains 2026: A Working Farmer’s Guide to Keeping Land Productive Through a Wetter Britain

A working farmer's guide to UK field drainage in 2026: failing underdrains, mole-ploughing, full re-drainage costs and the SFI and Capital Grants overlay.

28 Jun 202619 min standing

Arable Rotation Planning for a Small Holding 2026: A Working Farmer’s Guide to Sequence, Margin and the Choices That Set Up the Next Three Years

A working farmer's guide to UK arable rotation planning for a small holding in 2026: crop choice, gross margins, SFI overlay and the six-year cycle.

25 Jun 202620 min standing

Pick-Your-Own Economics 2026: A Working Farmer’s Guide to PYO Margins, Footfall and the Realities Behind a Roadside Strawberry Sign

A working farmer's guide to UK PYO economics in 2026: crops, per-acre revenue, parking, footfall, food safety law and the realities behind the roadside sign.

The arable desk

One letter a week. Every claim carries its source.