A new television programme which follows three farming families has shown how machinery auctions can help them count the pennies.
'Born Mucky' premiered on Sky’s Quest TV last month and follows farmers as they face 21st century challenges taking over their family businesses.
This week’s episode highlighted the value to be found in the unused farm machinery that can accumulate and gather rust when farms have been in the same family for generations.
The programme followed Alistair Hunter Blair, a Dutchy of Cornwall tenant farmer in Herefordshire and his father, Graham, who needed to raise funds to meet costs following their recent diversification into luxury glamping.
Novices at machinery auctions, they were uncertain about how much the old machinery, much of which hadn’t been used in decades, might be worth.
James McIntyre, auctioneer at Halls Kidderminster branch, visited the family on their farm and was seen valuing a number of items, which he explained were worth considerably more than expected.
Their hopes raised, but still expressing doubts about how ancient equipment might raise much needed funds, the father and son pair took a number of items to Kidderminster Machinery Auction.
TV viewers went on to see their surprise when several of the larger items which they had originally thought worthless, went on the raise hundreds of pounds.
These included a rusty mower which originally cost them £400 and, unused for 20 years, sold for more than they had originally paid.
A potato elevator which hadn’t been used for over a decade went under the hammer for £980 and a broken potato spinner sold for £190.
In total the Hunter Blairs took home around £3,500 from the auction.
James McIntyre, one of the auctioneers on the day, said: “Our auctions can include around 800 lots per sale, and are an opportunity for farmers to dispose of unused equipment and for canny bargain hunters to snap up perfectly good machinery for a song.”
The current series of Born Mucky, broadcast on Quest TV, will consist of ten episodes.
