No, Stephen Pearce Is Not Retiring - Seed Cleaning, Agronomy & The Recognition British Farming Deserves
Summer Newsletter 2025
Dear Customer,
NO! I will repeat,…. NO! Stephen Pearce is not retiring! It is Stephen Kettle who has retired, not Stephen Pearce. So, he (Stephen) will be along to clean your corn as usual with his cheery smile and all will be well. Fear not folks!!!! This year Stephen (who deals predominantly with mobile seed cleaning, will be working with William Jones who will be heading up seed sales, and William also does all our field seed inspections. Also, this year we welcome Tom Dart. Tom is an experienced independent agronomist with a growing customer base who will be working with us to help customers with any agronomic queries they may have. In the office, Phillipa and Joy will be taking your calls along with our new recruit to the team, Donovan.
I have just returned from a trip driving around Spain. 2,200 miles from Santander in the North. Across the North coast to the Rias, down to the Ronda hills, and then back up through the middle of Spain. I have never seen so many olive trees, for mile after mile as far as the eye can see in some areas. Also, thousands of hectares of cereals. Wheat, barley and oats, much of which is being harvested now.
I mention this because as a farmer I am of course interested in the farming over there, of which there is a great deal, and is plainly an important industry. I was speaking to a university lecturer who was showing my wife and I around the Alhambra in Granada (thoroughly recommended) and I asked him what were the most important industries in Spain? He replied, without hesitation, no.1, Tourism, No.2, Farming and food production, a PRIMARY industry. His words. And in Spain, agriculture is thought of and seen as being an essential part of the countries’ industry. The Spanish actually recognise that agriculture is essential to their country.
It is music to the ears when our industry is rated as being important, but of course that is in Spain. In England, it barely even causes a ripple. We need to some how put our industry back on the PRIMARY industry list so that farming and food production is recognised for it’s true value and importance. How is it that in England farming is seen as being almost irrelevant? After all, 60 percent of our food is still grown in this country.
Farm Saved Seed:
Harvest here is well under way, and some of the winter barley yields are looking very good. So far, with a dry harvest, and good quality dry corn it makes for perfect conditions to keep your own seed. So, if you think your seed looks ok for drilling and home saving give us a call and get it cleaned and treated to certified seed standards. South West Seeds have a reputation that is second to none when it comes to customer service and quality cleaning. Give us a ring and we will be sure to look after all your seed needs.
A word of warning to all growers though, you must COOL your grain. If you put hot corn in a heap it WILL heat up!!!! We have crop cool systems available. Hot spot spears, fans and everything you need to keep your grain cool so if you need to ventilate your corn give us a ring.
Have a look at the brochure to see what certified seed varieties we have available this year. Our locally grown, certified seed crops are looking really good, and William is pleased with the cleanliness and purity of the samples so far. When you want some Top Quality certified seed this Autumn, South west Seeds is your local supplier and once again produces the highest quality seed available on the market.
We all here wish you a dry and bountiful harvest and remember that British Farming is feeding our nation just like the Spanish are feeding theirs! Huzzah!!! Rule Britannia!
We look forward to seeing you soon,
Richard M L Jones
Managing Director
