Why I started this farming encyclopaedia
About us
Hello! I’m Mike Donovan, the founder and publisher of Practical Farm Ideas. I have always been fascinated by brainwaves thought up by working farmers, contractors and farm workers. In the late ’80s I got into making and adapting some ideas on our own farm and in 1991 won first prize at the Bath & West. It was fascinating meeting a dozen like-minded people. I thought it would be useful to have have a regular magazine which featured ideas and innovations from UK and abroad. The first issue of Practical Farm Ideas was published in April 1992 and we have continued with four issues a year.
The magazine very different to other farm media as it is all-editorial, that's to say, no advertising, sponsorship or government funding. It is all financed by subscribers and sales.
A bit about myself: BSc in Agri Economics from Reading University leading to being a consultant at Economist Intelligence Unit and then an editor with Financial Times. Always wanted to farm and did so in 1977 my wife and I sold the terrace house in Turnham Green and took up dairying in W Wales on 52 acres. We bought the 22 milkers so getting a useful milk cheque from the MMB after six weeks. We moved to 132 acres after 5 years and nine years later started the magazine, continuing with the cows and beef enterprise until retiring from farming in 1998. The magazine, which was a sideline, became full time.
Today the magazine is having a re-set which will allow web access to the full contents of 5,000 + farming innovations. This re-set has been prompted by Mike's partner Rene having a major stroke and needing full time care after 8 weeks in hospital.
PFI has very many loyal readers, from the largest farmers in the country as well as small family farms. The project has been a fascinating journey, meeting really innovative farmer/contributors on farm visits and through talks
Here's a big thanks to all who have been involved over the years. Each project featured is one that has solved a problem experienced by many.
Our 'no-adverts' policy gives us the freedom to print predictions which can be counter to the news at the time. Our warnings of the inevitable rise in interest rates was made at the start of the zero interest rate holiday. We warned not to over-extend and printed a graph of interest rates since 1850, showing it had never ben so low. Minimum Lending was 0% when farm loans with variable rates of 1% were being sold. Regarding farm machinery, we have always urged farmers to make detailed calculations before buying.
For some time we have been forecasting a big reduction of farm subsidies. We can now see it happening. Grand plans to subsidise nature are becoming attempts to attract a green vote at minimal expense and financial commitment.
Once again, many thanks to all those farmers who have helped make this a success, and many thanks to the web experts at IONOS, and Simplecirc for their work getting this site off the ground.
Do feel free to contribute! Also, it would be very useful to be told about the gremlins… please let me know!
Mike Donovan editor@farmideas.co.uk
How it works
Click subscribe and you get into the shop. Subscribe for yourself or as a gift. Payment is through Stripe which accepts a range of cards and PayPal. This gateway is provided by SimpleCirc who are circulation managers to more than 2,000 magazines worldwide.
You can choose digital or print. Digital is done through a code which is emailed to you. Buy issue 20-4 with a click.
You can also get back issues. The Index tells you the Vol and Issue number of each story.
