James Bramley, Apprentice Rural Surveyor at StephensonsRural, shares what a typical week looks like - from farm visits and valuations to postgraduate study and evenings on the rugby pitch.
My usual day starts at 6:30am with a morning run or gym session followed by a quick read of the Farmers Weekly over breakfast before heading to work around 8:30am.
Mornings can be spent out on farms, whether I’m carrying out a valuation for probate or tax planning, inspecting land ahead of a sale, or meeting with a farmer to discuss a tenancy or contract arrangement.
On other days, I might be looking at crop loss issues or walking fields to gather the detail needed for a report. Being out and about is one of the parts of the job I enjoy most.
Afternoons are often about writing up the work I’ve done earlier in the day. That might mean writing valuation reports, preparing Farm Business Tenancy agreements, or reviewing offers on a sale. It’s also a chance to catch up with colleagues. The balance between time in the office and time on-site keeps the role varied, sometimes I’ll be out all day, other times in the office, or a mix of both.
Every six weeks, my routine changes completely when I travel down to Harper Adams for an intensive week of lectures as part of my master’s degree in Rural Estate and Land Management, learning valuable information that ties back into my role. The course allows me to sit my CAAV exams in 2026 and my RICS assessment in 2027. It’s also great to go for a pint in the evenings with other apprentices on the course, to catch up on how they’re finding their jobs and the different aspects of their work.
On an evening
Evenings vary too. At the moment I’m often helping with harvest on my family farm near Sherburn in Elmet, which keeps me connected to the practical side of farming.
Outside of harvest, I usually have rugby training with Selby RUFC or cricket with South Milford CC. Sport is a good way to stay active and switch off from work. When assignment deadlines are close, evenings are also spent catching up on Harper Adams work.
The last eight months have flown by, and I’ve already had the chance to work on a wide range of projects. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks, with several farms and smallholdings due to come to market alongside the usual run of valuations, tenancy agreements, and compensation work. It’s a busy role, but the variety is exactly what makes it so enjoyable.