Author: Mike Stanbridge

This was my office for a good proportion of the day.  I was mowing the park to release and spread the grass seeds to feed some of the winter birds and to make an area ready for the trials of the forthcoming dog training school (https://www.huskytailsuk.co.uk/htdogtraining).

Sitting on a tractor doing that sort of job is quite a therapeutic way of closing the year and reflecting on our achievements.  We’ve come a long way in ’24 (post to follow) and while tractoring can be lonely it’s a good place to see direct, immediate progress and ultimately feel that skills are worthwhile.

During this moment of contemplation however I was treated to what felt like a reenactment of the Battle of Britain as 4 red kites vied for ariel supremacy around me.  I absolutely failed to capture the moment but it was awesome.

The day was interspersed (as always) with conversations about the forthcoming housing development along with more discussions on our secret diversification opportunity.

All in all, nothing to report, but the Kites were amazing!!!

Don’t you find that various blogs and linked in posts emphasis the positives but not the struggles?

Well… Today’s emotion is best summed up with “Aaargh!!!”, you could also add a few four letter words to it.

I realise that farming is an industry that is only slowly embracing technology, I realise that that’s partly due to the increasing average age of farmers.   I’m also aware that there is a huge amount of energy going into rural broadband, online services, accessibility etc.   I think that we all need to embrace these things to genuinely make life easier and streamline processes.

Then you fall over an archaic process, one so stupid that the boundaries of a farmers vocabulary are put to the test.

So…  To draw down the mortgage for the lodge refurb and pay some urgent bills I need to (even though told otherwise) physically sign the documents with Dad and post the results.

I live in Cambridge, the farm and Dad are in St Alban’s.  They have already agreed the loan, the loan expires at the end of the year (even though they took 6 months to approve it).

Why on earth can’t we sign it separately and post? Even better why can’t we do it electronically?

Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!

I received this from Darren the builder this evening.   It’s great to see progress, understand the space and to see how tidy they are keeping the site.

I didn’t expect the video and definitely didn’t expect the music.

It makes me think about the definition of a professional, is it simply someone who knows their stuff, or is it someone who you can relate to, someone who gives you energy and inspires you to take the next step.

Recieving this video (from a builder, a traditionally functional role) also highlights that you can make anything fun and with the right attitude can put a smile on people’s faces.

As professionals I think we all need to follow Darren’s example more, to make an effort to present things in a way that people can smile.  Afterall, if he can make me smile with a video of a building site then surely I can do the same for my clients.

Sometimes a potential disaster delivers something awesome…

On Thursday there was a wall either side of this chimney.  We haven’t contemplated taking it down.  Then it fell over and look at the result.

We are definitely keeping it this way.  It makes the whole property more open, lighter and sorts out some challenges with the levels too.

I am so grateful for the flexible and imaginative nature of our building team, particularly Darren and Lee.  Professionals who work to a goal not a brief.  People who are proud of what they do and value the freedom.

This place will be awesome!