Oakley Farms

I think my last buildings needed bringing into the 21st century, so thought I’d have ago at building them as they are in real. Finished this shed for now until cladding which will probably be after the concrete yard has gone down. Also started on a farm office this evening, cladded in Cedar

No just a combination of ABS and plastruct for the frames. Looking at possibly getting the angles 3D printed or Cast to make life easier and quicker for the future. Also to possibly sell if popular

Today’s update. Fantastic day on the build, beginning to take shape now, ramps have been cast and the shed fairies appear too! Waiting on some spray paint for the yard now and will start the farm office next

The new layout is progressing well. This time I am creating two split levels exactly like the real farm Oakley is based on. Today I got most of the top level sorted and started on the ramps. I have also got the steel work almost finished for the first shed to go up

Now ready for construction! Something to do over Christmas

There will be a bit of mix this time around with a little hint of “old Skool”

My thoughts exactly!

Tonight’s progress, boards laid out and joined. This time the layout will be up on a table rather than on the floor, so the next job will be building the legs for it to stand on. I then marked out all the new buildings onto the boards to give a sense of position. Happy so far

December on the farm Plans have now been finalised for the new buildings to go up, work is starting with a machinery shed then a workshop and spray store, with a grain store to be completed in time for harvest and the moving of the dryer. Quite a tough schedule really. On the machinery front more has been leaving the yard than entering it, the Lexion has now gone, and the Challenger and drill. However Simon has just done a deal with Hawthorne Grainstores to purchase a well looked after machine to bring down the Somerset from Wiltshire, he has also done a deal on a new sprayer and cultivator which should all be here in the new year. Back in the real world, timber has been purchased for the base of the new layout and also materials for the first of the new sheds, I will post pictures of the progress as I go but will be starting imminently! Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

I quite like the look of those new Masseys

November on the farm With Simon now getting to grips with the undertaking of the farm, a number of key decisions have been made about which direction to take it in. The first has been one that wasn’t taken lightly, Oakley have decided to give up growing potatoes, a key crop in the history of the estate and one that the whole crop rotation was based around. Contracts for growing potatoes in our area have become hard to come by even with Branston being on our doorstep. Spuds is not a crop Simon or Will are familiar with either. This then sparked the selling of all potato equipment, planter, destoner, bedtiller, grading line and boxes. A local farmer has even bought the cold stores to take down which has started. This means the labour force isn’t required either so many have been made redundant or left. Simon had re-recruited Alex and taken on one more tractor driver Colin. In order to simplify things it will now be a 2 man team with Simon and Will available when required and part time help during harvest from John and Ashley who live locally. Crops are now all combinable, Winter Wheat, Oilseed Rape and Spring Beans. Most of the machinery was sold when the farm went on the market but Simon was able to buy a few key pieces of equipment, including one of the Lexion 780 combines, one of the Challenger 800’s, 12 meter Horsch Drill, Vaderstad Rolls, hedge trimmer, 2 of the Fendt 724’s, one of the Claas handlers, 6 meter Horsch Tiger and an old flatbed. Since we are pretty much drilled up now he has sold the Challenger and the 12m Horsch Sprinter as it’s too big now for what we need and will downsize. The sales rep from Claas Western has been in trying to swap out the Lexion which has now done 8 seasons and Simon is also in talks to share farm a sprayer in order to keep costs down and justify a decent size machine as Will is very keen on getting timings on right. 2 trailers are also on order for next harvest. We are going to have a bit of a shuffle round in the yard now to make the best use of the new space we have once the cold store and grading shed have gone, try to take out the old pinch point by the dryer To make the yard safer and put up a smaller grain store with some bays inside for flexibility. Simon is still keen to dry and store for other local farmers in Somerset. Hopefully this begins for give you all an insight as to what’s going to happen. In the real world I have been looking at the shape of the new spare room and trying to figure out how to build the new layout. I have also started work on some of the new models that will feature in the new display.

Love your grain store and dryer setup Dave

The first update of the revised Oakley. Just to bring you all up to speed as to what has been happening on farm. 2021 was a year of big change here. As some of you that have followed from the start will know, Oakley is owned by a landowner who was also a Lord, as the company grew and scaled up the contract farming side of the business was set up to run along side the home farm. This was co owned by the land owner and several partners. This was very successful and fitted the business model of stubble to stubble, but where it differed from other farming companies in the area was offering the whole package including grain drying, storage, handling, marketing and transport, allowing a premium to the customers. Back in March the sad news that the Landowner was retiring hit us. As he reached the age of 71 and felt a quiet life in Cornwall was more appealing after 50+ years of being a director of the farming company as well as other businesses such as the business parks, solar panels and residential properties. This obviously was devastating news for the farm, throwing the future into unknown, with no children interested in farming the different areas of the estate were broken up. The business parks and residential sides have been handed down, and the land and farm buildings put on the market. With the landowner being the largest shareholder in the contract farming side, this unfortunately also had to be disbanded with the remaining partners unable to buy out. This may sound like the end but we have a new owner who managed to acquire the home farm as a lot in September. Already a farmer along with his brother and nephew the timing couldn’t of been better after having their farm and land bought and built on near Taunton for the new Junction 25 of the M5 motorway. The eldest of the brothers has retired leaving Simon to take the reigns of Oakley Farms along with his nephew Will who is an agronomist. An exciting new start with a different approach, and different team but a huge challenge ahead!

After nearly 3 years, Oakley Farms is back with a fresh new look. Welcome back everyone, after the forced break from modelling due to buying a house it feels good to now have an opportunity to get going again. I wasn’t sure 3 years ago if I’d be able to return or not and if so in what capacity as things financially are very different now. Now with a new spare room and winter approaching I hope to start rebuilding a diorama again. The sad part is that it will be different, all of the former buildings and machinery had to go as payment for boring things like house deposit and carpets! I will keep you all updated with the progress of the new build and re start the storyline over the coming days, bringing you up to speed with what’s been going on in the last years and how Oakley is set to change for the future. Great to be back….

Coming 1/10/21

Evening all! Hope we are all ok, it’s been a while! Today was the release of the new monster of a Claas combine, the Lexion 8900. From what I’ve seen it’s an absolute animal and Claas now regain the title of worlds biggest combine. Has anyone heard any rumours of models of this? Much appreciated of any info. Leaving you you with a little teaser, if Wiking bring out the new Lexion 8900tt, Oakley will have 2

Nice to see this is still going strong! Thought I’d pop in and see what’s been happening in the last year!

A few more pics from around the yard. At the moment I’m applying 18% N on the osr, everywhere at home done and hoping to get up to Bondip on Monday to get that on before coming back to finish off 400 acres on 26% N on the last 400 acres of wheat, by then T0 will be staring me in the face!

Hi all! It’s been a slow start to the new job spending most of my time since starting on the dairy unit covering for guys on holiday, firstly doing the feeding and then actually in the cowshed learning how to use the Lely robot milkers. But today I finally got on with what I was employed to do, in the R4040i stretching it’s legs putting the first dose of liquid N on the wheats. Regular followers will recognise the blocks done so far, Eames Mill, Blackdown and started at Selvinge. Back on it Wednesday to go up to Bondip.

I don’t think so mate but I’ll find out, iv been trying to think who else has one in our area and there is one De-wulf, the only other option could be it was on its way down to Cornwall, there’s a few down there, Pryor’s or Rowe farming, possibly S&W potatoes.

Hi all, starting the new job on Thursday so I thought id post up some pictures of the place I’m going to be working at, some of you may have seen some of these before a few years back. A lot of the Kit has changed now including the John Deere 8530 replaced with the Challenger, the Vaderstad has now gone in place of a Muzuri, Bateman for the JD R4040i, most of the tractors have changed for 6155r’s except for one 6930.

Nice additions Happy New year!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas Its looking a bit different now ;(

Thanks everyone for the comments, I’m looking forward to this exciting opportunity and I will definitely put some photos up of the new job. I can start already by showing my new wheels

December 2017 This is not an easy post to write but sadly this will be the last update for Oakley Farms. Not indefinite but certainly for at least a year. As some of you will know Oakley was pretty much a 10 year project, 5 years of planning, 6 months of building, and 4 1/2 years of enjoyment and constant expansion. It was made possible when five years ago I took a job as a Poultry stockman which came with accommodation and that all important spare room allowing building to commence, I moved in in April and by harvest I had 75% of a farm. The years that followed saw growth, change and the farm got bigger, ever evolving machinery and buildings, new ideas and lots of model firsts. I have loved every minute of building the farm, collecting the models, attending the various shows, posting updates on this thread, building some of my own models and made lots of friends along the way. The last few years have made me realise just how much I miss the arable sector and have been looking to get back into it for a long time, that time has now paid off and I’m pleased to say I have been offered the position of sprayer operator on the local Dillington Estate Farms, the very farm and land that Oakley is set which I have accepted. This is very exciting and somewhat of a childhood dream coming true, farming in the region of 3000 acres right where I grew up. This means unfortunately having to move out of my accommodation to temporarily move back with my parents whilst I look to buy a house next year. So Oakley has to be packed up, boxed up and transported, stored away until I buy a house, and if I have room and time when settled fingers crossed will return. I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank all the followers for the support over the years, I shall still have a look on here and post. I leave you with the final pictures of the farm before demolition started!