Created over thirty five years ago, the partnership was started by Thomas Banks, his wife Joan and her father Frank Turner. To begin with, Thomas farmed just 125 acres, which is the land that lies beside Washpit Lane and runs behind many of the houses to Haslingfield Road. From that Thomas slowly built the farm up to about 2400 acres in 2003, with the main centre of operation being Manor Farm. In 2003, his son Edward joined the partnership after completing an honours degree in agriculture at Harper Adams University College. Since then Edward and Thomas have increased the farm area to 3000 acres, which is mainly around Harlton and Haslingfield but stretches as far as Swaffham Bulbeck, Madingley and Arrington.

The farm is completely arable, with the main crops consisting of wheat, oil seed rape, spring beans and barley as well as growing 3200 tonnes of sugar beet per annum for British Sugar at Bury St Edmunds. In 2007 the farm began to bale its straw. It now grows around 2000 tonnes of straw a year (approx 4000 bales!!) of which approx 40% goes to the power station at Ely to help the green production of electricity and 60% goes to livestock farmers in Shropshire for feed / bedding. You might have seen some of the rectangular bales in the fields after the harvesting has finished or being transported back to large stacks ready for sale.

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