Talking to Adam Lynch about his business, it’s difficult to believe he’s only 26. Full of enthusiasm and ambition like any twenty-something, he’s also accomplished enough to be wise to the industry, and clued-up as to what he wants to be and how he needs to get there.

In fairness, some might see it that he got off to a rather early start, as when most nine year-olds were playing with their Meccano sets, Adam was busy working on an open farm, as well as helping his father, who was a joiner by trade. On leaving school, Adam enrolled at Holme Lacy college, and upon leaving with a National Diploma in agriculture tucked under his belt, combined with the knowledge and expertise passed on by his father, Adam was ready to go.

Completing a hedge-laying refresher course and buying his first Post driver in 2003, Adam continued fencing as A.L. Farm & Forestry Services – a deliberately general name that encompasses all Adam’s skills and abilities. The list of jobs he’ll take on includes: agricultural contracting and sub contracting, clearance work and tree planting as well as his fencing work. Happy to take on any stewardship management, hedge coppicing, ditching and bridge building, Adam’s building quite a repertoire.

In an area with a high demand of stock fencing and post and rail, Adam built up A.L. Farm & Forestry Services by supplying farming and equestrian fencing. In recent times, he’s also added Birmingham City Council to his client list, providing them with a good deal of palisade, post and rail and gates.

“Most of the fencing I do is in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire but I have just taken on some fencing for a School in Wiltshire.

“Logistically, it’s not really a problem as I make sure I’m organised. I just get the tractors on low-loaders and put our jobs in order so that it works out.” Now on the supply2.gov website, the recommendations from these jobs hold him in good stead – which must be why he’s booked up three months in advance whilst others are scratching around on a week-by-week basis.

Clearly a confident character who is well known wherever he lays his hat, Adam left Holme Lacy with a merit as well as winning ‘student of the year’ for his presence at the college. He tells me, “I came into agriculture with very little experience – from mid-Birmingham and the only farms I’d worked on being open farms, I got stuck into the course and went from strength to strength.”

Indeed, Adam is also very active in local Young Farmer’s clubs, with this year being his last as a competing member. As he says, “The Young Farmers is the biggest recruiting network I’ve ever known – it’s generated more work than three years in the Yellow Pages.” However, being on the Duralock website as well as Trustmark registered all helps.

Looking back over his first few years, as you’ll have gathered, allegiances have been formed, with Adam being a sworn member of the Massey crew: “My biggest mistake was moving away from Massey when I bought a Case international. I was on a dual carriageway when the back end split in two and needless to say, it reaffirmed my faith in Massey.”

Having recently taken part in a fencing demo at the APF show on behalf of the Fencing and Landscaping News, Adam enjoyed having the opportunity to work alongside other fencing contractors and exchange some good ideas:

“Healthy competition is what keeps us from going stale – events like this are positive for the industry and you have to be good to exhibit your skills for judgement so publicly, which is why I think too many fencers out there are scared off.”

It’s remarkable how much Adam has achieved in a short time. From all of us at the Fencing News, we wish him the very best of luck in the future.

For more information, call 07989 416335 or visit www.alfarmandforestry.co.uk