Lucy Nott: In search of the perfect harvest sarnie

It’s a well-known fact that if you want to start a debate with a group of farmers then you should ask them what colour tractor they drive.

If this ice-breaker is becoming a bit tedious, however, I suggest you ask them how they like their sandwiches to be made.

Harvest 2022 is under way and the season of the cab sandwich has begun.

Across the country, lunchboxes are being packed, flasks filled and dinners reheated.

See also: Lucy Nott – it’s inspiring to show kids the farm

About the author

Lucy Nott

Farmlife opinion writer

Lucy lives with her husband, a sixth-generation farmer, and their two children on a 100ha (250 acre) arable farm in Worcestershire. On the farm they have a passion for regenerative agriculture and aspire to transition to a regenerative system. They are also part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot and are trialling lots of new things on the farm. They hosted their first LEAF Open Farm Sunday (LOFS) this year and Lucy is now the LOFS Ambassador for the West Midlands.

Read more articles by Lucy Nott

People think the British are fussy about their tea, but throw in farmers and their sandwich choices and, quite honestly, making a round of tea and sandwiches is anxiety-inducing stuff.

Our Farmers Weekly lives on the kitchen table and gets thumbed by all six members of our household (22- and nine-month-old included) at breakfast and lunch.

It was over lunch last week that the magazine got put to one side and a fiery debate on sandwich-making ensued after, regrettably, I questioned my husband’s preference.

Little did I realise it was such a passionate subject.

My father-in-law likes a pâté, cream cheese or perhaps a mayo filling, claiming that you need something “sticky” to hold the sandwich together over the bumps.

Oh, and the sandwich must be cut in half to create the ideal hand-sized lunch.

My husband, on the other hand, is not so fussed on the viscosity of the filling, but vehemently insists his sandwiches are whole, claiming if you cut them in half you will “decorate your cab in tomatoes” when on bumpy ground.

For me, it’s got to be triangular quarters and no leaves; that stuff is slippery!

I jest, but these cab sandwiches are serious business.

Without them, combines would grind to a halt and silos would be empty – which would mean no sandwiches for the rest of the nation.

When you look at it like that, I think we’re allowed to be a bit fussy.

So if you’re tired of tractor wars, for homework this week your question is…

A farmer has two slices of bread and a selection of fillings. How should they craft their sandwich so it is suitable for a tractor cab? Discuss.