by Nick Drew | Tue 25 Feb 2025
Big Machine Week Hailed a Success
During the recent school half term my local farm shop, the hugely successful Strawberry Fields in Lifton held its latest Big Machine Week event.
Based just off the A30 near Launceston, the main arterial route into Cornwall, family-owned Strawberry Fields is a phenomenally busy and ever-expanding farm shop and restaurant, offering some of the finest locally sourced produce available.
The business holds regular special events across the year, and most recently held its latest version of Big Machinery Week. As we know, nearly all kids and some grown-ups, love to see big machines in action, and this event gives family’s the chance to see kit such as tractors, telehandlers and excavators on static display and with some engaged in regular demonstrations throughout the days.
Photo: Courtesy of the Strawberry Fields Facebook page.
A small entrance fee of £2.50 was charged with kids under two going in for free. I paid a brief visit to the venue last Sunday as I do most weekends to purchase my meat for the Sunday roast, and snapped a shot of a couple of machines that were on display, namely a 21-tonne class CASE CX210E S and a 2.5-tonne class Wacker Neuson EZ26 zero tailswing mini excavator both of which had been loaned by local dealer M&M Plant (Devon and Cornwall) but most of the action took place in another field surrounded by a privacy hedgerow.
Other machines featured included Strawberry Fields very own JCB JS130LC hydraulic excavator, 418 wheeled loading shovel, and a JCB Telehandler, I understand that there was also a Caterpillar D6K2 LGP dozer attending courtesy of Devon based GM Contractors.
Photo: Courtesy of the Strawberry Fields Facebook page.
These events are a great way to get youngsters interested in the machinery sector both agricultural and construction based, and in this rural area especially important from the agricultural perspective, so it was great to visit the Strawberry Fields Facebook page to see photos of youngsters posing with the machines.
Photo: Courtesy of the Strawberry Fields Facebook page.
As a kid myself, I would often spend hours watching machines on local building sites which really ignited my passion for them from such a young age, a passion that still burns in me to this day!
Photo: Courtesy of the Strawberry Fields Facebook page.
Unfortunately, the last day on Sunday 23rd February had to be cancelled due to the horrendous weather, and with rain and wind warnings issued they decided it was best to cancel the final day.
Next year I intend to make a full visit on one of the days it’s on, I’m sure it will be a good few hours spent, and maybe grab one of their delicious all-day breakfasts too!