DO YOU:
- like getting on with jobs, delivering results and organising your own day?
- thrive when working as part of a small happy team of passionate people?
- take pride in operating and maintaining modern farm machinery?
ARE YOU:
- experienced in growing crops and have high attention to detail?
- organised, enthusiastic, and tidy?
- interested in working as part of a progressive and expanding agri-business?
Answer: YES…then read on….!
BIT OF BACKGROUND:
We are recruiting a lead arable operator for a 2,700 acre mixed and diversified farming business.
The successful applicant will have a passion for growing and harvesting cereal crops to the highest standard with an open mind to multiple establishment techniques and also have experience in mechanics and fabrications in the workshop. This is a new position due to expansion of the arable and wider business.
The arable enterprise comprises of:
-
Winter and spring cropping which supplies our own feed mill for livestock.
-
Stubble to stubble contract farming for neighbouring estate
-
Contract grain storage, drying and loading.
-
Countryside stewardship agreements and game strips for in house shoot
-
Grassland management and hay making (all big bales)
-
Baling and muckspreading for in hand livestock enterprises (livestock enterprises are run separately by others)
The farm operates a 10 metre controlled traffic system with 10m header, 10m cultivator and 10m drill all guided on RTK. We are predominately a min-till system with some crops direct drilled. Currently we run fleet of 4 Fendt and JCB tractors (200-360hp) and Horsch Sprayer and Avatar drill.
THIS BUSINESS AIMS:
1. To enjoy what we do and take pride in it.
2. To Expand to circa 4,000 acres of fully managed arable ground.
3. To carry out all tasks entirely ourselves using best possible practices and latest technologies.
And to create simple systems.
4. To rely less on outside contractors, technicians, and inexperienced harvest students.
5. To Develop the circularity between livestock and arable enterprises and be self-sufficient in
feed, nutrient and straw.
6. To Improve our own and our client’s soil by incorporating organic matter created from
livestock, plus compost spreading.
THE ROLE:
The main responsibilities will include:
- Being the main sprayer, fertiliser and combine driver
- Operate the 2nd drill
- Spraying and fertilising to a very high standard
- Organising and planning maintenance and servicing of all arable machines plus ‘in hand’
fabrication projects
- Running, organising and ordering parts, tools and sundries for a workshop.
- Oversee the farms GPS systems data and deal with any inaccuracy, CTF ab lines and
boundary changes
EXPERIANCE AND CHARACTER REQUIRED:
Applicants must have at least 15 years’ experience working on farms or for arable contractors.
Applicants must be confident and able to communicate issues and drive improvements. This involves
instinctively picking up the phone to after sales support from machinery dealers and manufacturers.
Be willing to build relationships with service engineers and technical support engineers positively.
Applicant must enjoy spraying, combining, workshop projects and have experience with GPS and
precision applications.
We are looking for someone wanting a long-term position. We can be flexible with terms to
accommodate the right person.
Formal qualifications are not necessary; however the ideal candidate must be willing and capable of
taking the lead. Good communication skills on the phone and in person are essential.
Applicants must be willing to make their own judgement and decisions and be comfortable to learn
from mistakes as it doesn’t always go to plan in farming!
PA1&2 and loader tickets are a must. A grasp of health and safety “common sense” is a must.
PACKAGE OFFER:
Gross annual salary of £37,000
Accommodation and vehicle can be arranged as part of package.
28 days holiday, pension etc.
Role development
For the right person the lead arable operator role would ideally progress into arable foreman. In this instance the role would include the main arable operations discussed above but also include-
oversee the day-to-day tasks of the Arable enterprise on an operational level.
This is a completely new position to support existing farm manager and joins an existing team of two tractor drivers.
-
Making weekly work plans with farm manager.
-
Contribute and plan tractor and machinery replacements.
-
Support farm manager with recruitment and team building.
-
Autonomy over sourcing and ordering all “sundry” items to ensure smooth running and timely operations.
-
Organise and oversea grain lorries and feed deliveries.
Obviously there would need to be a greater focus on bowser and sprayer relief to allow for increased workload.