Thriplow Farms Annual Report 1988: An above average harvest and some better-than-expected prices gave us a good year - but not a great one

1986 and 1987 were two of the most difficult years this farm has ever known; the outlook in 1988is now slightly better. To cope with the problems faced by all European arable farmers - which at Thriplow were made worse by two successive bad harvests we have had to make some very drastic changes. In 1984 we employed twelve people. Today on our 1200 hectares, the full-time labour force consists of six, a Manager, mechanic/foreman and four men. Each man now has his own personal two-way radio so communications have improved dramatically.Read the full report