Hugh Mason

Farmer

Hugh is a 57 year-old farmer based in the UK.

Hugh works for his family-owned business, Maurice Mason Ltd.

Today, the farm is roughly 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) and is used to grow maize/rye, winter wheat, sugar beet and more.

The maize and rye are sent to an anaerobic digestion plant to make electricity.

The winter wheat goes to local animal feed mills.

The sugar beet goes to a nearby sugar beet processing plants.

A black and white photo of an older man with light hair, smiling warmly. He is wearing a dark sweater over a collared shirt. The background is blurred, suggesting an outdoor or garden setting.

A green tractor with red wheels pulls a large green trailer filled with soil or compost across a harvested field under a cloudy sky. Trees line the edge of the field in the background.

UK Farms Struggle Amid Falling Local Demand and Political Concerns

Insight Focus English farming faces severe pressure. Falling demand, h...

A harvested field stretches toward a distant tree line under a dramatic sky, with dark clouds and visible rain falling in the distance.

Early Harvest and Crop Challenges Mark Busy Season on UK Farms

Insight Focus Harvest preparations continue with crops ready for early...

A forage harvester chops crops in a field, spraying the cut material into a blue trailer attached to a tractor. The trailer and harvester move along parallel tracks between rows of tall green plants under a cloudy sky.

Rains Arrive on UK Farms Amid Growing Government Dissatisfaction

Insight Focus Rain raised soil moisture from its driest to well above ...

A large green field with patches of uneven growth, bordered by trees and shrubs under a cloudy sky. The grass in the foreground appears slightly lighter and sparser in some areas.

UK Farms Struggle with Dry Conditions Amid Trade Deal Uncertainty

Insight Focus Dry weather and cold nights are stressing the crops. Pla...

A large, green and black autonomous tractor with tank-like tracks pulls farming equipment across a plowed field under a cloudy sky, with trees and distant fields in the background.

UK Farms Face Dry Conditions, Lack of Government Support

Insight Focus Dry weather and temperature fluctuations are affecting c...

A red industrial machine and a yellow tractor are parked on rough, muddy ground under a clear blue sky, with bare trees and open fields in the background.

Government Funding Cuts, Drought a Worry for UK Farmers

Insight Focus Warmer weather has brought signs of spring to the farm. ...

Thin red branches covered in raindrops weave through dense green shrubs and bare trees, creating a web-like pattern in a natural outdoor setting on a cloudy day.

Government Neonics Restrictions Pose Challenge for UK Farmers

Insight Focus Daylight is increasing, and the busy farm season continu...

A yellow JCB loader lifts and dumps soil or organic material into a large red processing machine outdoors, with piles of earth and a cloudy sky in the background.

UK Winter Farming Challenging as 2025 Price Concerns Grow

Insight Focus The farm has been quiet over Christmas, with sugar beet ...

Rows of tall green corn plants grow in a field under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds, with sunlight illuminating the leaves.

Budget Challenges and High Temperatures Weigh on UK Farms

Insight Focus High temperatures and dryness affect UK farm yields. Aph...

A bright sunset seen from the view of a tractor in a plowed field, with trees lining the horizon under a partly cloudy sky.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Extremely Wet Weather Slows UK Crop Development

Insight Focus It’s been one of the wettest UK winters on record....

A muddy, waterlogged field with deep tractor tire tracks under a cloudy sky. Puddles reflect the light, and bare trees line the side of the field in the distance.

Farmer Diaries (UK): A Rocky Start to 2024

Insight Focus The farm is experiencing heavy rainfall and above-averag...

A dirt path runs between two tall rows of blooming sunflowers under a partly cloudy sky, with sunlight streaming through clouds and greenery on either side.

Farmer Diaries (UK): A Very Mindful Harvest Season

Insight Focus Wheat yields are down of the dry June and then the wet A...

A vibrant sunset with orange and yellow hues lights up a cloudy sky above a green field and silhouette trees on the horizon.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Wet Soil Risks Harvest Delays

Insight Focus It’s been cold and wet in the UK. Oil seed rape yields...

A tractor pulls a green trailer spreading soil or compost over a field on a cloudy day, preparing the land for planting.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Harvest Time Arrives

Insight Focus Hot dry June helps start of harvest. Forage rye already ...

A dog with light fur sticks its head out of a car window, enjoying the breeze while looking at open fields and trees under a clear blue sky.

Farmer Diaries (UK): 32 Days Without Rain

Insight Focus The last 4 weeks have been hot and dry. The forecast is ...

Close-up of green grass blades covered with droplets of water, possibly from rain or dew, with more grass visible in the blurry background.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Heavy UK Rainfall Boosts Soil Moisture

Insight Focus Drought for UK winter crops unlikely. But cool and wet w...

A wide field of green plants with small yellow flowers stretches into the distance under a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. A line of trees is visible along the horizon.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Heavy Rain Delays Beet Plantings

Insight Focus 70% of beets now planted. Beet sowing should have finish...

A lush green crop field under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. The sun is shining near the horizon, casting a warm golden light, and a line of trees marks the edge of the field in the distance.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Preparing for Sugar Beet Plantings

Insight Focus Heavy rains break drought in the UK. Neonicotinoid insec...

Rows of young green plants sprouting from dark, moist soil in a field, stretching into the distance with a blurred green landscape in the background.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Preparing For 2023’s Beet Crop

Insight Focus Low UK rainfall has allowed first applications of nitrog...

Rows of green crops grow in a large field, with patches of melting snow between the rows. Trees border the field in the background under an overcast sky.

Farmer Diaries (UK): Kind Autumn Weather

Opinions Focus Recent weather in the UK has been beneficial: warm and ...

Close-up of golden wheat stalks in a field, with one prominent head of wheat in focus and others blurred in the background, capturing a warm, sunlit atmosphere.

Farmer Diaries (UK): UK Crops Struggle After Dry Summer

Opinions Focus Maize harvest brought forward; yields poor. Sugar beet ...

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