ARABLE & DIVERSIFICATION, HAMPSHIRE: Andrew’s family have been on the farm since 1953, and he has been running it since 2003. Though the farm was previously a dairy, Andrew has converted many of the farm buildings to business units and his 150 acres (61ha) of arable is farmed in partnership (where another farmer manages the land, growing and harvesting crops with their own equipment). He is also in partnership with a market garden on the farm, and recently Andrew has built a microbrewery on the farm.

Andrew always wanted to be a farmer, and even worked on other farms during his holidays from university – both in the UK and abroad – before taking on the family farm when his father passed away in 2003. He would like, in the long-term, to be able to feed all the people who come to work in the business units (about 60 people) with his own farm produce.

The diversity of the job is what Andrews enjoys most; one minute having a shovel in his hand and the next having a meeting with a prospective new tenant. “It’s a fascinating industry to be involved with and there are so many other inspiring people in the business.”

However, it can be lonely, making big decisions even harder.