Fresh from completing one of the earliest harvests on record and successfully passing the farm's latest TB test, mixed farmer James Ruell is looking ahead to what he sees as an uncertain future for agriculture.
Mr Ruell farms sheep, beef cattle and arable crops at Paytoe Hall Farm, between Leintwardine and Wigmore, and believes rising costs, falling grain prices and climate change are among the industry's biggest challenges.
"The uncertainty of prices is a huge challenge," he said. "This year in particular, fertiliser and spray prices have risen, partly because of international events, while grain prices have gone down. It makes it very difficult to balance everything out."
The recent harvest was the earliest and quickest the farm has recorded, with prolonged hot weather helping bring crops in sooner than usual. However, Mr Ruell said the extreme heat had also taken its toll.
"Climate change is a big factor that we've all got to be more aware of," he said. "The severe heat this year really damaged crop yields in terms of height and size."
Like many family farmers, he is concerned about the impact of inheritance tax changes on farming businesses and their long-term future.
Looking ahead, he believes diversification will be increasingly important.
"I think farming will be very diversified over the next decade," he said. "Farmers will have to look at new businesses and ideas to make a profit, whether that's farm shops, storage facilities, podcasts, pumpkin patches, sunflower fields or other attractions for the public."
Mr Ruell is also keen to highlight the mental health pressures facing those in agriculture.
"Isolation and loneliness can be a big factor in farming," he said. "I've had difficult experiences with mental health myself at times. It's important that people know they are not alone."
Reflecting on one farming regret, he said his family probably missed an opportunity by not investing in poultry production several years ago.
His advice to others is simple: "If you have a good idea, don't let it disappear. Work on it and make it a reality. Sometimes you've got to take a gamble."
Despite the challenges, Mr Ruell still takes great satisfaction from seeing healthy lambs and cattle thriving outdoors.
"It's a beautiful way of life," he said.
But what keeps him awake at night is the future of farming.
"I worry about what farming will look like for the next generation. I try to stay optimistic because that's all you can do."
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