Season 2 Show 1 : ADAMA meet Robot Tom

ArableAware

Date: 07/01/19 Location: Whitewool Farm, Hampshire Show notes: In our first show of season 2, Andy Bailey and David Roberts are in Hampshire with Will Butler the Farm Director. They are joined by Tom, a prototype robot developed by the Small Robot Company.

Will starts by telling us about Whitewool farm and how the crops there are looking to date. (1.29)

We jump to a pre-recorded interview with Simon Gadd who's farm is based in a small village called Amber Hill in Lincolnshire. He share his cropping insights, disease pressures and black-grass problems! (4.35)

Next we jump to hear from Steve May, Farm Manager at Fromant and Sanders just west of Northamptonshire. He also shares his current cropping situation. (11.15)

Back on farm, the rain has stopped! Will describes hows his winter cereals are looking in Hampshire, the current disease levels and his strategies for fungicide control programmes.(16.12)

Sam Watson and Robin Jackson from The Small Robot company join the conversation. They have brought along Robot Tom. Firstly Sam provides some background on The Small Robot company and their recent successful round of crowdfunding. (18.58)

Robin and Sam then go on to talk through the technology, what they are hoping to achieve and how far into the programme they currently are. They also share with us when they believe this technology will become standard practice on farm around the UK and worldwide! (20.56)

That's the future, back to the present! Will discusses with David the pressure of black-grass and other broad-leaved weeds on his farm. The weather was also discussed and how this impacted application of autumn herbicides. (29.01)

Next they spoke of the spring follow-up applications that are being considered (31.28)

To conclude this episode, David and Andy wrap up with their final thoughts heading into spring (32.08)