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James Lacey is managing director of a Lincolnshire-based horticultural and agricultural business. A specialist in growing and packing flowers, James also grows potatoes, winter wheat and sugar beet. The farm covers about 1,000 hectares of rented land in South Lincolnshire. Follow him on Twitter @hortijames

This is the time of year for reflection after we get the last of the Christmas orders out of the shop.

I find myself writing my final In Your Field article. There is a lot of change on the horizon for 2021 in farming and in my own life and, although I will miss the writing, it is time for someone new to stretch their grey matter after a Christmas to remember, if possibly not for the right reasons.

I suppose it was always on the cards that I would end up being a tree hugger, especially being rather alternative in my youth. However, now the Government is encouraging us to be tree huggers I no longer feel such a rebel.

As 2020 draws to a close it is fairly natural to reflect on what the last year has dealt us; but that could get a bit complex.

Each morning’s tense debate of whether my little one can consume the advent calendar chocolate before or after breakfast signifies both that Christmas is on its way and, in our case, that it’s turkey time.

I have very exciting news - we have labels and Tre-rhew Cider House is now open.

In the week we learned a scotch egg constituted a ‘substantial’ meal and The Path to Sustainable Farming was published by Defra, we were catching up on a list of autumnal jobs on-farm.

With another month ticked off, we now find ourselves on the countdown to Christmas and following the latest amendments to the Covid-19 rules, the orders for the Christmas roasts for family meals on Christmas day and boxing day have started to come in.

As I come to the end of a month in Iceland, I feel satisfied knowing that my time here has been valuable for me personally and for the farming community.