Plain-English machinery guides
Farm machinery blog
Sourced, plain-English guides to farm equipment, machinery trends, buying checks and practical US and UK farming ideas.
Cutting farm diesel use: measure, gear up, set slip and match the tractor to the job10 min read / 16 July 2026Cutting farm diesel use: measure, gear up, set slip and match the tractor to the jobA practical routine for reducing fuel per hectare: how to log consumption, when 'gear up and throttle back' works and when it does not, how to measure wheel slip, and what the UK red diesel rules allow.Read guide 
Machinery in a more extreme climate: drought, fire, flood and frost checklistsWhat the Met Office's latest climate report means for field work, how to cut combine fire risk in dry harvests, what to do before restarting a flooded tractor, and how to prepare machines for short weather windows.Read guide 
Cattle and sheep handling systems: design points, dimensions and safety checksHow animal behaviour should shape a handling layout, what HSE expects of a cattle race and crush, the SRUC dimensions for a sheep system, and the questions to ask before buying fixed or mobile kit.Read guide 
Round or big square baler? A decision guide based on how bales are stored, moved and soldThe practical differences between round and big square bales for silage, hay and straw, the HSE stacking limits for each, what storage research shows about losses, and the questions that settle the choice.Read guide 
Sprayer maintenance and calibration: testing rules, a step-by-step check and nozzle replacementWhat the NSTS test schedule requires by law and under assurance, how to calibrate a boom sprayer with a jug and a stopwatch, when to replace nozzles, and the records UK operators must keep.Read guide Cash, hire purchase or lease: how to compare ways of paying for a tractorHow ownership, tax allowances and total cost differ between buying outright, hire purchase and leasing in the UK, the US depreciation rules that change the sums, and the questions to put to any finance provider.Read guide Setting up a farm workshop: tools, safe systems and which repairs to keep in-houseA staged tool list, the HSE rules that apply to lifting, tyres and welding fume, what the 2026 Deere right-to-repair settlement means for US owners, and a simple test for deciding which jobs to send to the dealer.Read guide Front loaders and attachments: matching loader, tractor and tools safelyHow to read loader capacity figures, which attachments earn their place, what the carrier bracket and third service decide, and the lifting-law and safety points every loader operator should know.Read guide Plough, min-till or direct drill: choosing an establishment system field by fieldWhat the research says about yields, soil structure and black-grass under each system, which soils suit reduced tillage, and how to test a change before selling the plough.Read guide GPS guidance and auto-steer: which accuracy level do you actually need?A first-time buyer's guide to correction signals, pass-to-pass versus repeatable accuracy, and how to work out whether reduced overlap will pay for the system on your farm.Read guide Silage and hay equipment: sizing the mower-to-baler chain for your weather windowWhat each grass machine contributes to forage quality, the dry matter and wrapping targets AHDB publishes, the moisture limits for safe hay, and a simple way to check your chain keeps pace.Read guide Low-emission slurry spreading: choosing the applicator, meeting the rules and staying safeHow dribble bars, trailing shoes and injectors compare on ammonia losses, what the current rules in Scotland and England actually require, and the gas precautions HSE says every slurry job needs.Read guide