Adam Henson, presenter on the BBC programme Countryfile and co-owner of Cotswold Farm Park in Gloucestershire, has shared an earnest account of the difficulties his farm has faced due to challenging weather conditions over the past three years.
In a recently published video on the Cotswold Farm Park YouTube channel, Henson took viewers on a detailed tour of the 650-hectare estate as harvesting began for the season. Yet, what is usually an eagerly anticipated time was tempered this year by the ongoing adverse conditions.
He explained that the farm, situated about a thousand feet above sea level atop the Cotswolds, has endured an extended dry spell lasting over a month. This lack of rainfall has severely affected grass growth, making it necessary to supplement the feed of their lambs with hard food and to procure silage due to the scarcity of natural pasture.
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The farm grows winter wheat, winter barley, and spring barley alongside managing livestock and running conservation projects. Adam noted that this year’s wheat harvest commenced two to three weeks earlier than usual, a consequence of the hot weather and the farm’s thin, stony soil. Unfortunately, these conditions have led to yields that are significantly below average.
He revealed that winter wheat and barley yields have dropped by approximately one to one and a half tonnes per hectare, a shortfall that substantially impacts the farm’s profitability. Coupled with relatively low global commodity prices for these grains-although prices are currently seeing a slight increase-this has made grain production a less profitable venture.
This challenging year follows on from two other difficult ones, with a severe drought the previous year and a notably wet 2024 adding to the strain. Henson conveyed the cumulative toll of these conditions: “We’ve had three difficult years. It’s really feeling a bit tough.”
Despite these hardships, Adam remains positive about farming, describing it as one of the best jobs in the world, yet admitting, “Actually arable farming at the moment is hard. Really hard.”
He emphasised the uncontrollable nature of farming in the face of weather extremes: “You just can’t beat baking hot sun that droughts your crops out and, rather than naturally ripening, they just shrivel up and die.”
Looking forward, Adam expressed hope for a more favourable season in the coming year: “We could do with a very good 2027, please. All we can do as farmers is just keep our fingers crossed and look forward to a better year in 2027.”
Cotswold Farm Park, originally established by Adam’s father Joe Henson in 1971, has been under Adam’s management since 1999. The farm combines traditional agricultural practices with a visitor attraction that showcases more than 50 flocks and herds of rare-breed animals, promoting conservation and rural education.