Adam gets a lecture from Charlie and the future looks bleak for the arable contract.

Radio Times: Charlie lays it on the line, while Emma tries to comfort Ed.

Characters: Adam, Charlie, Ed, Emma, Neil

• Adam is still struggling with the blocked combine; he and Ed worked ’til past midnight and he has been back on it since 5:30. The service engineer is due but first comes Charlie, at his pompous and over-bearing best. He is not impressed; he didn’t have a very high opinion of Ed in the first place and he has had no training. What was Adam thinking?
• Meanwhile Ed is back from milking and is wondering whether to go up to Home Farm. He fears Adam will not pay him for last night or give him more work. He is instructed to put his rather whiffy overalls into the wash. Neil explains that Susan, already smarting over the lack of an invitation to Jennifer’s party, now has to bear the news that Clarrie and Eddie are going. Later when Emma empties the machine she finds that Ed had left some paper in his overall pocket – now too soggy to be recognised as the missing invitation.
• Adam reports to Berrow Farm; it sounds like going into the headmaster’s study. There’s more bad news: damage to the rotor shaft means that it will probably be lunchtime tomorrow before they are back in operation; that’s a day and a half lost. Charlie asks why alternatives haven’t been explored; of course they have, but to no avail. Charlie is extremely disappointed and Justin will be too. It’s not just an operational matter; it confirms his opinion that the Home Farm operation has no strength in depth. Sorry isn’t good enough; this will have severely blighted Home Farm’s chance of retaining the work. (It’s a wonder he didn’t send Adam away with 100 lines and a damn good thrashing.)