This week down on the farm...

"This week, students got to observe Lockwood Farms, who manage the arable land here at Riseholme Farm using the Quadrac tractor and 14 furrow plough. Thanks to our involvement with the Lincolnshire Institute for Technology (IoT), the students were able to witness the tractor using innovative Trimble technology to lift the last of the sugar beet and ready the ground for spring barley.

"Trimble utilises GPS guidance displays and steering solutions that accurately monitor and map field information in real-time. This invaluable data supports us to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the farm’s crop production, resulting in better crop quality and increased yields.

"This exposure to modern farming methods and precision ag technology provides the basis for students to consider both the practical and commercial sides of farming. After hands-on experience of using Trimble, they were then asked to use yield information to calculate the potential income that could be generated from the crop.

"Students were also shown how to prepare the land in readiness for vining peas, by creating a good seedbed for the vining peas to germinate effectively. These will be ready to sow later in the spring and for harvest in later June or early July. We’ll keep you up to date with their progress as they grow and mature.

"The hard work of the Quadrac and plough was captured in this fantastic footage, courtesy of our first year FdSc Agriculture student Joshua English who did an amazing job of practicing his drone skills.

"We look forward to sharing lots more of our practical experiences, use of exciting new technologies and work with farming experts over the course of the year, so watch this space for the very latest down on the farm!"

Elena Malloy, Curriculum Area Manager for Land-Based Studies at Riseholme College