From Fields to Forklifts: Keeping Potato Power Moving Safely 🚜🥔

Experienced counterbalance training with John Knox Farms on the Isle of Wight

TL;DR:

• Experienced B2 Counterbalance refresher delivered on-site
• Focus on safe, efficient, real-world forklift operation
• Training carried out using the farm’s own equipment
• Supporting a major Isle of Wight potato producer
• Practical training for busy agricultural environments

There’s no better way to start the year than getting back out on site and working with great local businesses — and this one had potatoes written all over it.

This course saw Sam from John Knox Farms completing his Experienced B2 Counterbalance Forklift Course, using the very truck and working environment he operates in every day. No classroom-only theory here — just practical, relevant training that fits the job.

What is an Experienced B2 Counterbalance Course?

An Experienced B2 Counterbalance course is designed for operators who already use a counterbalance forklift as part of their role but need formal refresher training, re-certification, or an updated assessment to remain compliant.

Unlike a novice course, this type of training:

• Builds on existing skills
• Focuses on correcting bad habits that creep in over time
• Refreshes essential safety knowledge
• Ensures operators meet current standards

On this course, Sam was assessed on:

• Daily pre-use checks
• Safe manoeuvring in tight yard and shed spaces
• Load handling and stacking at height
• Stability and load security
• Working safely around structures, pedestrians and stored produce

As always, the training was tailored to the farm’s layout, stacked crates, and the real challenges that come with busy agricultural sites.

Forklift Training in a Farming Environment

Agricultural sites bring their own challenges:

• Uneven ground
• Outdoor working conditions
• Stacked produce crates
• Seasonal pressure during harvest and packing

That’s why on-site forklift training is so valuable. Training with your own equipment, in your own yard, means everything learned can be applied immediately — no guesswork, no surprises.

A Bit About John Knox Farms 🌱

John Knox Farms is a brilliant example of Isle of Wight farming done properly.

Based right here on the Island, they grow cereals, maize and — most importantly — a lot of potatoes. Thanks to the Island’s fertile ground and classic mix of sunshine and showers, their crops head both locally and nationwide.

Their potatoes end up in some very familiar places:

• McCain and KP for crisps like McCoys and Pom-Bears
• McDonald’s chips across the UK
• Local fish and chip shops on the Isle of Wight

Local produce for local people — and a fair few takeaway nights too 🍟

Beyond potatoes, the farm also grows maize used for anaerobic digestion, helping produce:

• Methane for the gas grid
• Carbon dioxide for fizzy drinks
• Digestate used to organically fertilise their land

It’s a smart, sustainable operation — and one that relies on safe, competent forklift operators to keep everything moving.

Keeping Things Moving Safely

Whether it’s crates of potatoes, feed, or machinery, counterbalance forklifts are at the heart of daily farm operations. Making sure operators like Sam are trained, assessed and confident is key to:

• Reducing damage
• Preventing injuries
• Keeping production flowing smoothly

And that’s exactly what experienced refresher training is all about.

If your team already operates forklifts but needs refresher training, re-certification or an experienced operator assessment, Wight Training Services can help.

We deliver on-site,  practical forklift training on the Isle of Wight, tailored to your workplace, your equipment and your risks — all with the option of accredited or in-house certification.

If you’re searching for “forklift training Isle of Wight” that fits around your operation, you’re in the right place.