By Ian Youngs BBC News entertainment reporter

After 35 years, Glastonbury Festival organiser Michael Eavis says the festival's problems are in the past. He is now looking to the future, saying the festival keeps getting bigger and better.

Michael Eavis hosts the festival on his Worthy Farm

"Rooks nesting high, it's bound to be dry," Mr Eavis says confidently.

He may run the country's best-loved festival and be one of the most respected figures in British music, but Michael Eavis is still a 69-year-old Somerset dairy farmer first, music mogul second.

The weather has a big impact on the festival, whether it is a mudbath or dustbowl - and Worthy Farm's rooks have given Mr Eavis hope for this year's outlook. "They're right high, right in the tops of the trees," he says.

Then there is another endearing old-fashioned saying: "You can't get a quart of milk into a pint bottle."

This is a metaphor for the ticketing situation at Glastonbury these days. You can't get several hundred thousand people into 100 acres. At least not safely for a whole weekend. (A quart is two pints, or a quarter of a gallon.)

The exact number of people who tried to get tickets this year is not known - but the 112,000 passes were snapped up in three hours and the festival has never been more popular.

I've never felt so good about the show Michael Eavis

It is a far cry from the festival's origins 35 years ago, when 1,500 people got free farm milk for their �1 entrance fee.

But Mr Eavis is as enthusiastic as ever, bands clamber to play, the authorities and neighbours are as happy as they ever have been - and fans are desperate to be there.

"I've never felt so good about the show," Mr Eavis says.

'Back in creative mode'

The problems of several years ago, when gatecrashers threatened the festival's future, seem to be over - thanks, Mr Eavis says, to the involvement of live music company Mean Fiddler and their managing director Melvin Benn.

All the paperwork and the licensing - it really bores me to tears, and I wasn't really very good at it anyway Michael Eavis

Mr Eavis admits controlling entry points was "one of the things I didn't do very well". So Mr Benn now looks after security and deals with authorities.

"All the paperwork stuff and all the licensing - it really bores me to tears," Mr Eavis says. "And I wasn't really very good at it anyway. So Melvin's excellent.

"I sort of moved back into my creative mode. So I'm really hands-on - that's what I enjoy doing.

"I would say we're a really good combination, Melvin and I - it's really perfect for me."

Mr Eavis was presented with an NME Award by Sir Paul McCartney

The ticketing system, too, is also finally able to cope with the demand, he adds.

"It did work a treat - I've been criticised for saying that, but in my opinion, it did work a treat. We can't do better than that, really."

This year's main musical attractions are Coldplay, The White Stripes and Basement Jaxx, who were moved up to the Sunday headline slot when Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer.

'Incredible' Coldplay

The decision to move Basement Jaxx followed a futile attempt to bring in another international star.

"I did phone around looking for a big headliner but it's not very inspiring asking people to do it four weeks before the event just because somebody's dropped out," Mr Eavis says.

This year's ticket system "worked a treat", Mr Eavis says

"It's not good. I shouldn't have even tried really. It's foolish to try." He asked Stevie Wonder, who was not available, and "two more names that I'd rather not mention".

"We decided to go with Basement Jaxx because they've sold so many records this year. They're top-selling artists and I think a lot of people are looking forward to it, especially younger people."

Coldplay are Mr Eavis' personal favourites and he thinks it is "quite extraordinary" to have them when they are number one around the world.

"That's going to be so moving, I tell you," he says. "That's going to be incredible."

Year off

Mentioning two new attractions - a sculpture park and Midnight's Carnival, complete with freak show, showgirls and ghost train - Mr Eavis says: "Every time we get a new area I get very excited about it.

I'm really going to miss it with the year off next year - but it is a good idea taking a year out Michael Eavis

"That's what really inspires me - that kind of innovation. The detail is so important to me. It's such good fun."

After previously planning to retire at 70, Mr Eavis now wants to give himself and his farm a year off next year but bring the festival back until at least 2010.

"I do feel really, really good at the moment," he says. "I love it, I love it to bits. I'm really going to miss it with the year off next year - but it is a good idea taking a year out.