Bateman Sprayers | News | Bycott Farm Diary | October 2026
Bycott Farm Diary: October 2026
My last diary was written just ahead of the Cereals Show, so it seems a good place to pick up the story. I visited on the second day and, despite getting a bit of a soaking, thought it was an excellent event.
There was plenty of interest on the Bateman stand, where I spoke to several customers keen to hear how we’re getting the most out of pulse width modulation (PWM) on the sprayer we use here at Bycott. Chris, our contract sprayer, is delighted with the machine’s performance and from an agronomy perspective, I’m equally pleased with the spray coverage we’re achieving. It’s always good to see the technology delivering practical benefits in the field.
Before we knew it, harvest was upon us. The exceptionally dry summer meant the harvester was out of the shed considerably earlier than usual. Harvest got underway with whole-cropping winter oats, followed by combining winter barley and winter wheat. We wrapped things up in late July with whole-cropping spring oats, which proved to be the standout crop of the season.
With harvest finished early, we had a good window to get our seedbeds prepared. The lack of moisture, however, made progress a little more challenging and patience was the order of the day. Once conditions allowed, things moved quickly and the whole farm was drilled by the third week of September. Seed went into excellent conditions and with crops emerging across the farm within ten days, establishment has got off to a promising start.
Away from the crops, the winter bird food strip is still putting on a wonderful show. It’s been full of colour for the best part of two months, providing a valuable food source for the birds, which have certainly been enjoying their own little field day. The sunflowers have also proved popular with our resident bee colony.
At mid-October, the farm is looking in good shape. The next few weeks will be important for root development as we head towards winter. Ideally, we’ll avoid a prolonged spell of heavy rain and give the crops the chance to establish properly. This is North Devon, though, so we’ll have to see what the weather has in store.
Finally, a quick word about the factory. Whenever I pop in, there’s a real buzz about the place, it’s great to see everyone working with such enthusiasm. The new models have clearly made an impression on the market and as someone who used to operate a Bateman sprayer myself, it’s particularly satisfying to see the progress being made. It’s something I’m genuinely proud to be associated with.
Until next time, let’s hope the weather plays ball and the crops continue to thrive.
Matthew Alford is our Agronomist, and has been working with us since 2019.
Before his current role with Agrii, Matthew gained extensive experience using Bateman Sprayers and spent 5 years contract spraying at Bycott Farm.
