The North’s Number One Farming Guide Issue 18 | Spring 2010

CARRS BILLINGTON OPENS

IT’S DOORS AT HAWES

GOING, GOING, GONE:

EXCITING SALES AT HOPES

RIPON CELEBRATE
THEIR MOST SUCCESSFUL
SHOWCASE to date

move with
the times
with the saddleback specialist

www.farmers-mart.co.uk
 contents
News .............................. 4, 5, 6,7 Barr/Walton ............................. 49
Showtime ......................... 8, 9,10
Precise Solutions . .....................11
News from Abroad ................... 50
Dairy ....................................... 51
Welcome
What a winter it has been snow, ice,
Bateman .................................. 12 Huddleston ......................... 52-53
rain and wind all the elements for
Protek . .................................... 14 Selby Auction Mart . ............54-55 this past season. I hope it has not
Saddleback .............................. 15 Farmway . ................................ 55 inconvenienced your lives too much!
BASF ........................................17 Machinery . ............. 56-58, 65-66 As I am writing this the sun is out and
the sky is clear blue, so let’s hope this
Cornforths . ......................... 18-20 Lely ......................................... 59
is the start of spring!
Davidson ................................. 21 Guy Machinery . ..................60-61
This edition is packed full of really
Coulthard ............................ 22-23 J Wood & Son .....................62-63
positive features and it shows that you
Carrs Billington ...................24-26 WCM ....................................... 67 are all working and looking ahead to
Chestnut Dairies . ..................... 27 Severn ................................68-69 the future; I hope they will give you
Bishop Burton Farm ............28-29 Farmstar ............................. 70-71 some inspiration to keep on going.
Askham Bryan College ........ 30-31 Middlemiss ......................... 72-73 We have been out and about covering
open days, conferences, auction
Goddard ............................. 32-33 Jackson ................................... 74
marts and many winners from last
Managing Director/ Robson .................................... 34 Yorkshire Generators ................ 75 shows including a few features on
Editor Harrison . ................................. 35 Property .................................. 76 pig farming which is great to give this
Simone Gallon Sutcliffe .............................. 36-37 Green Farm Health .............. 78-79 industry a boost. I hope you enjoy
Tel: 01274 610 101 reading about them.
simone@farmers-mart.co.uk Hough ................................38-39 Farming People ...................80-81
Farm Theft & Harold Woolgar... 40 Sanderson ..........................82-83 We have covered pre show time quite
CONSULTANT Editor extensively so make sure you see
Chris Berry Raine ....................................... 41 Yorkshire Young Farmers .......... 83
the diary section to get all the dates.
Tel: 0113 2643 645 Auction Mart .......................42-44 Gripple . ................................... 84 Also GYS are filming student Frances
chris@farmers-mart.co.uk Pearson ................................... 45 Competition ............................. 85 Griffiths over the three days for the on-
ASSISTANT Editor Mercer ................................46-47 Contractors Guide .................... 86 line video they are preparing. Driffield
Lucie Carter Agricultural Society are planning a
Faulks and Co .......................... 48
Tel: 01274 610 101 new showcase building which they are
lucie@farmers-mart.co.uk putting in place this year-see pages
7,8 and 9 for more details.
Sales Manager/
SUBSCRIPTIONS On a serious note we have been given
Ben Walton excellent advice from the police and
Tel: 01274 610 101 Harold Woolgar on preventing farm
ben@farmers-mart.co.uk theft. This is rife at the moment so
please take the advice given as we
ADVERTISING Accounts know there are millions of pounds
Manager worth of equipment that have been
Nicola Robson stolen. We will cover more of this in
Tel: 01274 610 101 detail in the next edition–see page 40
nicola@farmers-mart.co.uk for the valuable advice.
p5 p55
Feature Editors If you haven’t already signed up
Jennifer Mackenzie, Phil Read, for Beef Expo which is at Hexham
Wayne Hutchinson, Tim Gibson, Auction Mart on the 27th of May go to
Chris Berry page 9 for more info. This is always a
Design great event run by Euan Elmsie on the
James Ockelford behalf of the NBA. Farmersmart will
be sponsoring and exhibiting there so
The FarmersMart come and see us!
40 Stockhill Road, Greengates
I hope you all have a great spring,
Bradford, BD10 9AX
before you know it we will see you at
Tel: 01274 610 101
all the shows!!
Fax: 01274 621 730
www.farmers-mart.co.uk
Kind Regards,
We mail to over 8,000 industry contacts with an Simone (simone@farmers-mart.co.uk)
approximately readership of 24,000 throughout p41
Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Cumbria,
County Durham, Northumberland,Berwickshire,
Roxburghshire and Dumfries and Galloway.

GET YOUR COPY

The FarmersMart is published quarterly by Little
Red Marketing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part
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any retrieval system or transmitted in any form
by means electronic, photographic, recording or Each edition of FarmersMart contains essential information about the agricultural industry. As a subscriber you’ll
otherwise, without prior permission of the publishers.
Views expressed in The FarmersMart are not
get regular updates, a chance to voice your views - and much needed encouragement. Just fill in this form and
necessarily those of Little Red Marketing Ltd. send with a cheque for £15 (payable to Little Red Marketing Ltd.) to: The FarmersMart, Office 1, 40 Stockhill Rd,
Front cover courtesy of John Sutcliffe.
Greengates, Bradford, BD10 9AX. Or call Ben Walton on 01274 610 101, email: ben@farmers-mart.co.uk

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FarmersMart Spring 2010 

 news

STUDENT BURSARY
ANNOUNCED
A £2,000 bursary to help students
learn more about protecting and
improving the countryside has been
announced at Askham Bryan College,
near York.
The bursary, awarded by the
Environment Agency, is open to
students studying for Foundation
and Honours degrees in Countryside
Management, Agriculture and
Sustainable Land Management. As
part of their studies, they are invited to
submit proposals for their dissertations
to the Environment Agency, a number
will then be short listed and in April
next year four overall winners will be
announced.
Iain McDonell of the Environment
Left to right, Liz Philip, Principal, Askham Bryan College, Iain McDonell of
Agency said: “Environmental
the Environment Agency, and foundation degree students, Rose Tomson
management is an important aspect
and Will Dickson testing water quality at one of the College ponds.
of modern farming which can also
help to increase profits. Helping the
next generation of farmers to develop John Wray, section leader of Agriculture through our students, will help
their knowledge and understanding of at Askham Bryan College commented: improve understanding and knowledge
environmental issues is our main aim “Improving communication between between both parties and ultimately
in providing this bursary.” farmers and the Environment Agency, benefit the countryside.”

Time of challenge for farming

Bishop Burton College held its
Rural Business Conference in early
February entitled ‘Heading Towards
a Perfect Storm’, which sought
to tackle the issues of climate
change, population expansion and
greater food production, including
food security. It was billed, by a
presentation from Science City York
as ‘The Grand Challenge’ in coping
with the effects of each of these
headline grabbing phrases.
Jeanette Dawson, principal
and chief executive of Bishop
Burton College gave her thoughts
from both an agricultural and
educational perspective: ‘Today is
fundamentally about the change of
agenda. The Perfect Storm is the
coming together of several main
issues at the same time – increasing
population, changing demands,
changing populations and not just
climate change but the effect of
chemicals and a whole raft of other
concerns.’
Andrew Manfield, who is a farmer
and arable contractor near to the
college believes that whilst such
areas as climate change are real
issues it is vital that farmers such
as he are making a profit on arable
farming: ‘It’s all very well talking
about years ahead like 2030 but
a tremendous amount can and
definitely will change between now
and then.’

 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 news

IAE deliver new livestock

equipment to Adam’s Farm
Livestock equipment manufacturer
IAE are pleased to have won and
supplied an order for Countryfile’s,
Adam’s Farm, with new bull
penning, a highland cattle crush
as well as feeders, troughs and
shelters.
Adam’s farm continues to be a
regular feature on the BBC’s popular
Countryfile series. Also known as
the Cotswolds Farm Park, it was
the first rare breeds farm to open
its gates to the public in 1971.
Countryfile presenter and Farm Park
Director, Adam Henson’s father Jo
was also instrumental in setting up
the rare breeds survival trust here.

IAE are the UK’s leading

manufacturer of livestock
handling equipment and their
experienced area sales mangers
can offer free on site advice.For
further details please contact Countryfiles Adam Henson with IAE’s
IAE on 08451 777200. Area Sales manager Paul Walkden

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FarmersMart Spring 2010 

 news
EXTRA COULTER CLEARENCE
FOR MIN-TILL
Due to increased interest in
minimal cultivations, the Weaving
Machinery tine drill is now
manufactured with the coulters
arranged on 4 rows instead of 3
as previously.
This increases the minimum inter-
tine clearance from 280mm to
420mm at 125mm spacings for
improved performance in trashy
seedbeds. The increased clearance
 FarmersMart Spring 2010
is claimed to allow speeds of 15km/
hr to be maintained even when
there is considerable crop residue
present. A small reduction in the
already light draft requirement is
claimed as an added bonus.
The new 4 row linkage mounted
time drill is available in widths
from 3m to 8m at prices from
£9,580.00. 4 row drills will be
available for Spring sowing.
FARMERS OFERED
NEW GREEN
FUNDING DEAL
From February, farmers could get
financial help to invest in energy-
saving equipment and slash
their energy bills by a total of £4
million, and 25,000 tonnes of CO2
annually, using interest-free loans
from the Carbon Trust.
English farmers are eligible for
unsecured, interest-free loans for
between £3,000 and £20,000 to
help them upgrade to more energy-
efficient equipment. The loans are
designed to pay for themselves
through direct energy savings
provided over one to four years – and
after the loan is repaid, farmers will
make direct savings on their energy
costs, as well as cutting the carbon
footprint of what they produce.
Hilary Benn, Labour MP for Leeds
council said, “It makes sense for
farmers to reduce the energy they
use. It reduces the cost of producing
food, and it cuts the environmental
impact, too something more and
more consumers are asking about.
But the up-front costs can be
prohibitive.”
Tom Delay, chief executive of the
Carbon Trust, said, “Upgrading old
equipment using our loans scheme
is an excellent way for farmers to be
more competitive in difficult times,
by cutting their costs and reducing
carbon emissions. By reducing costs
and associated carbon emissions in
this way, goods will also be more
appealing to the rising tide of carbon
conscious shoppers”
The new funding has been provided
to help the farming sector to meet
the carbon reduction aims laid out
the Government’s Low Carbon
Transition Plan.
www.carbontrust.co.uk/loans
 news

PROSECUTION DRIFFIELD’S NEW DESIGNS

GET UNDER WAY
FOR FARMERS

It’s that time of year again when
fruit farmers are looking to get the
best from their crops following a
difficult winter. For David Leslie, a
fruit farmer from Perth in Scotland,
hiring labour gangs from unlicensed
gangmasters puts you at risk of
prosecution.
David Leslie Fruits Limited was fined
£500 in January this year, when Mr
Leslie pleaded guilty at Perth Sherriff
Court to using an unregistered
gangmaster in 2008. The prosecution
against Mr Leslie was the result of a
multi agency inquiry involving Tayside
Police, the gangmasters Licensing
Authority (GLA) and the Border and
Immigration Service.
Whilst this is the first prosecution for a
labour user, the GLA has successfully
prosecuted 4 gangmasters, and its
worth pointing out that the Bulgarian
gangmaster in this case later applied
for a GLA licence but was refused.
Ian Japp is the Head of Enforcement
for the GLA in Scotland and the
North of England; “The law could
not be clearer, farmers can only use
licensed gangmasters. Anyone who
knows of farmers using an unlicensed
gangmaster, or any problems relating
to workers for that matter, should get
in touch with the GLA. We can then
take action to make sure workers are
safe and legitimate businesses are
not undercut.”
www.gla.gov.uk
The Society’s vision for a new
meeting place on the Driffield
Showground has taken a major
step forward with the appointment
of designers for the building.
Amazonails (www.amazonails.org.uk)
is a nationally successful design
and building practice that is the
UK’s leading exponent of straw
bale construction. The fact that
Amazonails were involved in the
construction of the largest straw
bale building in the UK made
them a logical choice to join with
the society to make its ambition
to develop an iconic showcase
building, a reality.
The proposal is to set the building
on a raft foundation of local chalk.
Its walls will be fashioned from
locally grown straw. The walls
will be load bearing; that is they
will take the weight of the straw
and timber roof without the need
for a separate framing structure.
The main hall of 8,000 square
feet will be the largest clear
spanned space in Europe to be
constructed in this way.
The objective is to have planning
in place before the 2010 Driffield
Show. Meanwhile the project
itself goes national at the ECO
Build Exhibition at Earls Court
with a national press launch
aimed at maximising interest and
potential connections to sponsors
for the build.

MART OFFICE:
Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart
Thirsk Rural Business Centre, Blakey Lane
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3AB
Tel: 01845 523165 Fax: 01845 526604
Faster – Tighter – Easier – Safer
www.thirskmarket.com
e-mail: thirskauction@btconnect.com • Available with postdriver backshift.
Choice of Masts
• Bryce, Malone, Wrag and others
EVERY THURSDAY • All machines will take 2 x500 mtr or 2 x300, or 3 x100, rolls of net
WEEKLY DEDICATED SLAUGHTER SALE • Horse and Deer version available
300 prime pigs & cast sows @ 9.00am • Re-rolling attachment (roll wire back the same diameter) as the original
1500 prime sheep & cast ewes @ 9.30am • 7 day money back guarantee (subject to terms and excludes return carriage)
550 prime cattle & young bulls @ 12 noon
(preceded by OTM cattle & cows)
All stock must be CLEAN & TAGGED
Please contact: John Mob: 07966 285240
or Steve Mob: 07931 511090
EVERY OTHER TUESDAY OF THE MONTH www.quickfencer.com • email: info@quickfencer.co.uk
FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE STOCK
SALE OF STORE & BREEDING SHEEP as forward @ 1.30pm

'UL%HG
TOGETHER WITH FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE CATTLE @ 2pm
Usual selection of Cast Cows, Young Bulls & Store cattle. See website for dates.

EVERY 1ST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH @ 10.00AM

MONTHLY COLLECTIVE SALE OF MACHINERY, FUR & FEATHER

$OWHUQDWLYHEHGGLQJSURGXFWVIRUDOOOLYHVWRFNVLWXDWLRQV
Over 600 lots of fur & feather inc turkeys, rabbit, ducks, pigeons, hens, geese & ferrets .
Entries on day of sale 7 - 9am.
Usual wide ranging selection of Agri-goods, Builders and Farm equip, workshop &
‡ 5HGXFHVPDVWLWLVFHOOFRXQWVDQGFRQWUROVRWKHUSDWKRJHQV
gardening requisities, Timber etc.
Collective entries taken on Friday before sale 10am - 5pm.
‡ 5HDGLO\DFFHSWHGE\OLYHVWRFN
Fur & feather on day 7 - 9am. ‡ +HOSVUHGXFHIRRWSUREOHPV
‡ )LWVLQZLWKH[LVWLQJPDQXUHVOXUU\V\VWHPV
FORTNIGHTLY ALTERNATE TUESDAYS TO STORE SALES @ 4.30PM ‡ +LJKHUPRLVWXUHDEVRUEHQF\WKDQVKDYLQJVRUVWUDZ
FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF FURNITURE, ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES ‡ $YDLODEOHDOO\HDUURXQG
Clean Double & Single Beds, Suites & Modern Furnishings, over 1000 lots of quality goods
Also usual collection of collectables, brassware, glassware, pottery, pine effects, nearly new
furniture. Antiques, Furniture & Collectable entries 12 noon to 5pm Monday day before sale.
7HO
Viewing from 12 noon on day of sale
We also produce other bedding products and conditioners,
call for further information or visit our website.
Full and partial house clearances. See website for dates. productsales@4recycling.co.uk www.4recycling.co.uk

FarmersMart Spring 2010 

 showtime
March
COME AND ENJOY THE
Arthington Show
Sunday 18th

NORTHUMBERLAND
Rickerby Spring Show Driffield Show
Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11th Wednesday 21st
Penrith Show
May
COUNTY SHOW
Saturday 24th
Weeton Show
Country Fest Sunday 25th
Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th
Ryedale Show “I’ve seen the show go from Tyneside was reported in the 1950’s
Sheffield Highland Fling Tuesday 27th
May Day Sunday 2nd strength to strength” says newly as a ‘Mecca for agriculturalists,
& Monday 3rd Borrowby Show appointed Northumberland County country folk and townsmen alike’.
Wednesday 28th Show Chairman, David Carr
Newark & Notts Show A 1953 report stated “They will
“collectively as a committee we
Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th Border Union Show come, the farmers and the factory
know what’s good, how to make
Friday 30th – Saturday 31st workers, the shepherds and the
Otley Show it work, where we are going and
shipbuilders and the men and
Saturday 22nd Cockermouth Show what we want to achieve. We’re not
women from many walks of life to
Saturday 31st simply organising a good day out;
cast their amateur and professional
Beef Expo we are committed to encouraging
Thursday 27th August all our young farmers to show and
eyes over the 3,000 entries which
represent the agricultural wealth
get involved and for our visitors we
of the county, the industry of its
Northumberland County Show Sykehouse Show want to stress how important local
farmers, the skill of its craftsmen,
Monday 31st Sunday 1st farming is to the stability of our
the patience of its needlewomen
future food supply”.
and the diligence of its gardeners.”
June Cartmel Show
Wednesday 4th Show Day’s are important socially
historical events. “Our event is the
Emley Show Monday 31st May 2010
ScotSheep - Sterling biggest in the region (attracting
Saturday 7th 9am to 6pm
Wednesday 2nd 26,000+ in recent years) and
Bingley Show we’re aware of our responsibilities Adults £10, Seniors £6,
Honley Show
Sunday 8th to tradition” he continues. Children age 3-16 £2.50,
Saturday 12th
Family (2+3) £25
Egton Show Built on the ashes of a former show
Todmorden Show
Wednesday 25th known as The Tyneside Show, with 10% Discounted Advance
Saturday 19th
an almost 125 year old history but Tickets Tel: 0845 230 5177
North Yorkshire County Show Osmotherley Show
sadly bankrupted by 1970, the www.northcountyshow.com
Sunday 20th Saturday 7th

Lincolnshire Show Powburn Show

Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th Saturday 7th
Weardale Show Kelso Ram Sales
Royal Highland Show Garstang Show
Saturday 28th Friday 10th
Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th Saturday 7th
Wensleydale Show Penistone Show
Dumfries Show
July Saturday 7th
Saturday 28th Saturday 11th
Keswick Show Stanhope Show
Bakewell Show
Howden Show Monday 30th Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th
Wednesday 4th & Thursday 5th
Sunday 18th Glendale Show Stokesley Show
Halifax Show
Monday 30th Saturday 18th
Great Yorkshire Show Saturday 14th August
Kilnsey Show Nidderdale Show
Tuesday 13th to Thursay 15th Danby Show
Sunday 31st Monday 20th
Cumberland County Show Wednesday 11th

Saturday 17th Malhamdale Show September October

Saturday 28th
Malton Show
Bilsdale Show Westmorland County Show Countryside Live
Sunday 18th
Saturday 28th Thursday 9th Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th

 FarmersMart Spring 2010


IT’S CALLED THE GREAT YORKSHIRE
FOR A REASON
The 152nd Great Yorkshire Show
takes place over the 13th and 15th
of July, in Harrogate when more
than 130,000 visitors are expected
to come through the gates. The
annual farming and countryside
showcase is now the premier
agricultural show in England
which every year attracts more
than 12,000 entries across the
competitive classes; cattle, show
jumping, pigs, and sheep shearing.
Honorary Show Director Bill
Cowling said: “The popularity and
reputation of the show is based on
its commitment to staying true to its
farming roots, whilst ensuring it is
innovative and has plenty to attract
the general visitor. So whether your
interest lies in farming, fashion, food
or flowers, there will be plenty to
entertain and inform.
New for 2010 will be the Innovation
Centre which will showcase
technological developments in
agriculture. The Centre will include
PREMIER UK BEEF EVENT
SPONSORed by LLOYDS
TSB AGRICULTURE
Lloyds TSB Agriculture has been
confirmed for the third year
running as the major sponsor of
the UK’s national beef event, Beef
Expo. Organised by the National
Beef Association, Beef Expo 2010
will be held at Hexham Auction
Mart in Northumberland, courtesy
of Hexham and Northern Marts, on
Thursday May 27, 2010.
Gareth Oakley, Agriculture Director
for Lloyds TSB and Bank of
Scotland Agriculture, said: “Beef
Expo has quickly established itself
as an important technical event for
the UK beef industry. Improving UK
beef cattle prices, together with a
weaker pound and reduced cattle
numbers, have combined to have
a strongly positive effect on the
beef market in recent years. We
believe the long term prospects
for the livestock industry remain
positive and this gives producers an
opportunity to plan for the future.”
practical exhibits and demonstrations
and will be staged in conjunction
with both industry and agricultural
scientists.
Farmer’s Daughter Helps Launch
Ticket Sales
As the first tickets for England’s
premier agricultural event are
snapped up, web browsers from
around the world can get a ‘behind
the scenes’ look at what is involved
in showing livestock.
Organisers, the Yorkshire Agricultural
Society, are simultaneously launching
an on-line video series featuring A’
level student Frances Griffiths as she
starts her preparations to compete
at the event. Frances shows Holstein
dairy cattle and already has a
number of rosettes to her name.
The camera will follow Frances as
she selects potential prize winners
from the family’s Holstein herd at
Gunthwaite Hall Farm, Penistone
“The line up of services and expert
advice at Beef Expo 2010 will
make it an ideal event to discuss
such investment and developments
and to help producers drive their
businesses forward,” he says.
The comprehensive programme of
technical, practical and livestock
demonstrations, competitions,
seminars, beef breed displays, trade
stands and educational exhibits,
with a strong commercial focus,
makes Beef Expo a “must attend”
event for beef farmers.
For further information call
Event Organiser Euan Emslie
on 01430 441870 or visit
www.beefexpo.co.uk
showtime
One of last years winners
near Barnsley, and talks about the from Doncaster, who judges Jersey
ups and downs of preparing for the cattle, will be giving his thoughts on
show ring. “I really enjoy showing, what goes through a judge’s mind
it’s great fun, particularly the social as the animals file past in the show
side. In fact the only down side is ring. The footage can be seen on the
having to get up at 4o’clock on a website (shown below)
show morning which I’m not too
keen on!”
For tickets visit
The episodes will also give viewers www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk
an insight into what makes a prize or call 01423 541222
winning animal. John Dickinson, for more details.
Reno Pressure Washers from
Sellarc provide greater cleaning
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mobile units. Available
in choice of Cold and Hot,
Electrical models and Petrol or
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All models are equipped with 8
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Call for full details today on
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Tel: 01772 862 948 Fax: 01772 861 639
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FarmersMart Spring 2010 
 showtime

ONE DAY, ONE MAMMOTH SHOW

Plans are already well ahead for this
years biggest one day agricultural
event, the Driffield Show, which
takes place on Wednesday, 21st
July.
Anyone that visited the Show last year
will know that due to the increasing
popularity, difficulties in car parking
were created. Needless to say
the organisers of the Show have
addressed this issue and additional
car parking has now been sourced
and will be put into use at this years
Show, together with an updated and
improved traffic plan. David Tite,
Show Director, told us “we want
everyone who visits the Show to have
a pleasurable experience from pulling
into our car parks to leaving, so please
tell your friends that there will not be a
shortage of car parks this year!”
GET A SPRING SHOW IN YOUR STEP
As well as the creation of the Forestry,
Fencing and Renewables Section as
already reported on and the expansion
of last years popular Fencing
Competition. Further changes to
the Show will also see the relocation
of the Livestock Section and the
reintroduction of Pigs to the Show.
This relocation will allow for safer and
more efficient unloading and loading of
livestock whilst also offering a higher
degree of visitor safety and improved
viewing opportunities. Another new
facility also being offered to exhibitors
in the heavy horse section this year is
the opportunity for overnight stabling.
The Show will also boast over 450
quality trade stands to ensure
everyone enjoys a positive retail David Tite - show director
experience. The newly introduced
rural craft demonstrations will also be making a welcome return, as will literally have something for everyone,
the wheat to bread demonstrations whatever your age or interests there
and Clive the One Horse Mill. will be something for you at the
Displays from the Royal Signals
White Helmets Motorcycle Display
Driffield Showground.

Rickerby Ltd’s ninth annual spring
show is set to be a real crowd
pleaser this year, with over 3000
visitors looking to attend. This
years event is extra special as it
celebrates 130th year of business
and will showcase the very best
in agricultural machinery.
The exciting event will take place
on the 10th and 11th of March
and will welcome its guests till the
late hours. Amongst the wonderful
exhibits, Rickerby Ltd will be
launching the new Claas Rollant Team will take place in the Main Ring
Visit www.driffieldshow.co.uk
400 series baler and uniwrap, as well as the high level of equine
for all the latest Show
as well as the Class Arion 400 displays that the Driffield Show has
developments or alternatively
series tractor. Last but definitely become known for.
contact the Show office
not least, there is an exclusive As always the Driffield Show 2010 will on 01377 257494.
showcase of the G.T. Bunning
MSL60 spreader.
The show will be held at Currock
Road, Carlisle, on Wednesday
from 6pm – late and Thursday
from 12noon - late. For more
information call 01228 527521

STANDING TALL AS
OTHERS FALL: NEWARK
& NOTTS SHOW
The growing success of Newark back-bone of the show, complemented
& Nottinghamshire County Show by a growing number of quality trade
has been highlighted following the stands.
shock news that its neighbour,
Leicestershire County Show, has
Tickets are available online at
been cancelled for 2010; As a result
www.newarkshowground.com
Newark which is held on the 8th and
or by calling 01636 705796
9th of May, will be the first major
county show of the season.
Show organiser Sally Devereux said:
“Newark as a major event is attended
by over 55,000 people; our aim is to
provide entertainment at an affordable
price for all members of the family.”
Equine and livestock showing classes,
heavy horses, top-class show jumping
and the Cattle Parade provide the

10 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 precise solutions

AG LEADER LEADS THE WAY

The new INTEGRA™ display is the
full-featured, year-round hub of any
precision farming operation. A large,
full-colour 12.1” HD touchscreen
display is easy to read and offers
powerful, year-round precision
farming tools. Core functionality
of the display includes built-in
manual guidance, full-screen
mapping, application control, yield
monitoring, real-time data logging
and automated steering. The
INTEGRA display also features four
video camera inputs.
The OptRx™ crop sensor system
measures and records data about a
crop in real-time using the reflectance
of light shined on the growing crop.
The latest firmware for the EDGE OnTrac2™ is an economical and and types of vehicles. The whisper
Sensors can be mounted on virtually
display has a built-in, full-featured easy-to-install solution for growers quiet high-torque, positive gear drive
any type of vehicle to collect
guidance system including an on- looking to add assisted steering to of the OnTrac2 delivers the turning
information while driving through
screen lightbar showing cross-track their operation to eliminate skips and power needed for demanding of
the field. Information collected,
error and pass number. The EDGE overlaps, lower fuel consumption and agricultural vehicles.
including vegetative index, can then
display also serves as the user- reduce operator fatigue. This new
be utilized to measure the impact of
interface for OnTrac2 - Ag Leaders’s assisted steering solution features
nutrients, water, disease and other For more information visit
new economical and easy-to-install quick and easy installation. The
growing conditions on crops. www.precise-solutions.co.uk
assisted-steering system. With the unique splitgear design of OnTrac2
The latest Firmware 2.0 in the EDGE display interface to the NORAC does not require removal of the
EDGE™ Display now adds guidance, UC5™ Spray Height Controller users steering wheel for installation, but
steering and boom height control will be able to monitor and control instead simply latches on and off for
to this popular entry-level display. boom height functions. easy transfer across multiple brands

FarmersMart Spring 2010 11

 bateman / graham edwards

Meet Graham Edwards’

New Best Seller
The top seller in the Graham Edwards
Chris Berry talks with Matt
Edwards at Full Sutton

Trailers range is now the GET126. It

is a basic 12 ft x 5 ft 8 in trailer, but
its popularity is down to its vents, as
Matt Edwards comments.
‘The GET126 has an option of not
having any middle vents. When they
are not included that leaves vents
just at the top and the trailer has
been designed for cattle mainly. The
advantages of not having middle
vents are that there is far less noise
and rattle as you drive, washing out
can be handled much easier inside
the trailer and there is far less clart The new best seller
on the outside too. With the constant
pressure on cleaning out ever since
foot and mouth our customers have provides for low running costs. The how many cattle you can get in the
found this type of trailer to be much optional extras include a slam-shut trailer but that really is all dependent GRAHAM EDWARDS TRAILERS
more useful for cattle.’ partition gate and a spare wheel.’ on the breed and the size and age of Moor Lane, Full Sutton,
cattle. What I can tell you is that the STAMFORD BRIDGE
The wheels on the GET126 are on The GET126 has become the top
GET126 is an excellent trailer for any York YO41 1HX
the side and it utilises 4 x 650 x 16 seller in the Graham Edwards Trailers
kind of good towing vehicle.’ Tel: 01759 373062
wheels, on 10-ply. range on the back of good cattle prices
www.edwardstrailers.co.uk
in the past two years. If you would like to know more about
‘They are really Land Rover wheels, the GET126 why not contact Matt
which makes life a lot easier and ‘Prospective customers always ask
yourself.

CATER FOR YOUR LIVESTOCK

WITH LM BATEMAN & CO
L M Bateman & Co Ltd was formed tubular and RHS steel, galvanised
in 1979; our main objective was to to ISO1461. We supply these
provide the agricultural market with products all over the UK, Ireland and
a well-made product at attractive mainland Europe. Amongst these
prices, coupled with exceptional are our unique Tamar cattle crush
service – which remains our and Thorne Sheepvet.
objective in this, our 31st year of
We aim to achieve the highest level
trading.
of customer satisfaction and all of our
The main product is manufactured area sales managers are contactable
and fabricated in a purpose-built by either mobile or home telephone.
factory located in Cheddleton, North
Over the years, we have been proud
Staffordshire on a 4½-acre site.
to be associated with major projects,
Bateman also stock product on an
including cattle markets at Bakewell,
8½-acre site located at Cullompton,
Brecon, Carmarthen, Shrewsbury
Devon, where we also employ our
and most recently, Bridgwater. Our
own dedicated staff. All our products
service has included the design,
are distributed to customers, using
manufacture and installation of
our own vehicles and drivers,
all the animal-handling equipment
from either our Staffordshire
within the cattle market
manufacturing unit or our Devon
depot for all our customers in the
south-west. For more information visit
www.lmbateman.co.uk,
We manufacture a complete range
or contact the sales team
of animal-handling and feeding
direct on 01538 361326
equipment using prime quality

12 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 timber treatment
Protek – The Next Generation
of Timber Treatments
Over the past couple of years
Protek has taken on new challenges
posed not only by the economy but
by legislation and environmental
concerns. This had lead to a new
generation of timber treatment
products including cost effective,
environmentally friendly, easy to
use bulk deliveries for agriculture.
Protek has been manufacturing
timber treatments, colourants and
preservatives in the UK for over
twenty five years. Originally Eric
Thornborough started the business
manufacturing a water based
alternative to creosote for fencing
that was far more environmentally
friendly and delivered as a
concentrated solution. The range
then naturally expanded to include
treatments and water-proofers for
planed timber primarily used on
garden sheds. Under the Tecca
brand Protek made high pressure
impregnation timber preservatives
for agricultural fencing; initially CCA
salts and now arsenic and chrome
14 FarmersMart Spring 2010
free preservers. In addition to the
industrial range of preservatives
and treatments Protek also offers a
comprehensive retail range of wood
stains, treatments and paints for the
consumer.
Recently Protek have adapted their
technology to make a one coat
application for repainting and general
maintenance of poultry sheds and
animal buildings. This water-based
coating has a long lasting colour and
waterproofs with a mix of acrylics
and wax. Called Protek Premium
Grade it is a ready to use solution
available in a range of colours and
delivered in 25 litre or 1000 litre
containers. The solution can be
sprayed on for ease of application
and is quick drying.
This is just part of a new generation
of products. The European Biocides
Product Directive, BPD, will have a
big impact on the timber treatment
world as it has already on the
formulation of Protek’s coatings,
as some preservers
and biocides will no
longer be cleared for
use. Ben Thornborough
explained that with
close consultation with
their biocide partners
Protek have designed
new coatings for the
timber industry that will
have a good regulatory
future. Ben says “It will
be interesting to see over
the next few years which
biocides that are largely
used today in Wood
Preservers will not make it Ben and Harriet Thornborough
through the BPD and at their Somerset factory
REACH”.
Responding to the demand for eco- market, and since his retirement this
products Protek can now supply their continues to be the next generations
products with resins from sustainable objective today.
sources reducing the amount of
petrochemical derivatives used.
T: 01749 344697
Eric’s original ethos was to create
E: info@protekproducts.co.uk
the most effective environmentally
W: www.protekproducts.co.uk
friendly timber treatment in the

BRITISH SADDLEBACKS:
“THE BEST PIG YOU CAN GET”
The British Saddleback is a striking
animal and one with a very strong
history; typically they carry a black
with a white unbroken band over
the shoulders and down to both
front feet. They may also have white
hind feet, a white tail tip and white
on the snout. Belted pigs of this
type occur around the world and
it is a standard colour pattern that
occurs in certain genotypes of the
domesticated pig. Just because this
pattern occurs in different breeds in
different countries, does not mean
that they are necessarily related.
The body is both deep and long
reflecting its advantages are as both
an excellent breeding animal and as
a producer of high quality meat.
Richard Lutwyche, Secretary &
Treasurer of the British Saddleback
Breeders’ Club tells us a bit more
about the best pig breed around;
“The British Saddleback has enjoyed
a renaissance in recent years as
the consumer has become aware
of the advanatages of breeds suited
saddleback
to outdoor and other non-intensive
systems and some farmers and
smallholders have responded
accordingly. Its temperament,
mothering ability and hardiness
combined with a delicious end
product should ensure a steady
demand for quality breeding stock.”
“There is also heightened awareness
of the need to provide provenance
for the origins of meat and to meet
the new standards laid down for
Trading Standards Officers. In order
for producers or retailers to label
prime pork as ‘British Saddleback’ a
positive selling advantage the meat
must be derived from pure-bred
pedigree stock and the producer
must be able to prove it. This will John Sutcliffe’s herd of Saddlebacks
help drive out those who try and
pass off meat from cross-breds and
unidentified pigs for a quick buck.” Doherty’s enterprise in Suffolk and is definitely black and white.
also attracting a lot of attention
British Saddlebacks are doing
from the new wave of small-scale
sterling work in larger commercial For more information visit
producers looking to produce their
operations such as Helen Browning’s www.saddlebacks.org.uk
own meat whilst enjoying the benefits
organic farm in Wiltshire and Jimmy
of raising pigs themselves. The future
FarmersMart Spring 2010 15
Enabling the most effective
solutions to your pest problems.

BASF Pest Control Solutions

Bringing together the well-respected technical resources, products
and skills of BASF and Sorex. We provide the strongest portfolio
of research based products, systems and support to help you solve
your pest, bacterial and viral problems as cost effectively as possible.
Enabling the most effective solutions to your pest problems.

BASF plc, St Michaels Industrial Estate, Widnes, Cheshire WA8 8TJ Tel: 0151 420 7151
Neokil Gold & Neosorexa Gold contain difenacoum. Neobrom contains bromadiolone. Use rodenticides safely. Always read the label before use.

KEEPING ON TOP OF FARM MICE
While rats remain public enemy
number one for most northern
farmers, the majority should place
at least as much emphasis on
controlling house mice, according
to BASF Pest Control Solutions’
regional rural hygiene specialist,
Ken Black. Year-in, year-out, mice
can cause far greater farm problems
than rats in many cases. And they
can escape notice until populations
reach a critical level.
“Living and feeding almost exclusively
indoors and at night, house mice are
far less noticeable than rats which
have to travel from outdoor burrows
to forage for food in and around farm
buildings,” explains Ken. “Unlike
rats, they cause little immediately
obvious damage to the fabric of
buildings, leave no well-worn runs
and may spend most of their life off
the ground.
“One for one, mice cause less
damage – in gnawing cables, sacks
and internal fittings as well as in
contaminating stored feed and grain
with faeces and urine – than rats. But
what they lack in individual capacity
they make up for in numbers.”
BASF
“Large buildings can easily be home
to many family groups of four to nine
individuals dominated by a single
male. Each female can produce eight
young every 21 days. And in intensive
livestock units, in particular, they’ll
breed the whole year round, allowing
treated populations to get back above
their original level after little more
than a month with survival rates of
only 20%.
Ken Black explains there are
a number of excellent modern
rodenticide baits available for most
units, all of which should be employed
in baiting programmes based on a firm
understanding of mouse behaviour.
“Sufficiently different from the bulk
of the cut wheat bait in size, shape,
Evidence of rodents at work
colour, smell, taste and texture, the
patented Fortec technology in this
advanced formulation ensures mice While the superior activity of exposure to non-target species.
consume it far more rapidly and readily Neosorexa Gold makes it the preferred
With all these options Ken Black is
than the market-leading difenacoum house mice bait in most general farm
adamant that the best control can
bait on which it was based. Controlled situations, Ken Black recommends a
only be achieved if baiting practice
trials show its Palatability Ratio with range of other difenacoum options for
makes the very most of natural
mice is 184% of the Neosorexa special circumstances, stressing that
mouse behaviour.
standard and it maintains their feeding all should be used in specialist Rogard
interest markedly longer, ensuring bait stations wherever possible
they’re less distracted by alternative to minimise the risk of spillage or www.basf.co.uk
food sources.”
FarmersMart Spring 2010 17
 cornforths

CORNFORTHS : BIGGER & BETTER

Chris Berry visits the open day at the country store in Selby
Stuart Cornforth and his team
treated their customers to an
excellent afternoon and evening of
refreshments and display stands at
their country store in the grounds of
Selby Livestock Market recently.
The marquee which had been added
on to the store for the day, from
Classic Marquees, gave the whole
event a hugely professional look with
Stuart’s father, Peter, taking on the
role of host behind the bar.
Stuart was so encouraged by the
response he received to the day that
he has already come to a decision
over what he will be doing next year.
‘We’re putting the marketing money
that we spend elsewhere at the
moment back towards our customers.
This event will be bigger and even
better next year. The reaction we’ve
had from customers today has been
much greater than appearing at a big
show where we might end up talking
to lots of people, but who are not
from our immediate area. This way
Time for a bite we’re looking after our own people,
the right way.’

Professional assistance in handling all claims throughout

Yorkshire from aPPeals to settlement from

BARTLES TADCASTER
Also for Environmental
ELECTRIC
Stewardship
Entry Level & HL Schemes
WATER
GAS All aspects of Planning Work

contact Brian Bartle

FOR YOUR LIVESTOCK THIS SPRING! email bb@bartles.co.uk
• Beef • Calves • Dairy • Sheep tel 01937 835303
ROADS

Available now!
Valuers to & pleased to be associated with corNForths
• Straights
• Blends
• Concentrates
• Minerals
• Calf Milk Replacers
Minexcel Nutrition
Suppliers of quality feed supplements, protein
Delivered throughout Yorkshire
concentrates and coarse mixes for cattle and sheep.

01757 213 421 (Mill Office) 07775 506248 (Mobile) Also on farm analysis of forage and feeds.

Also suppliers for the nationally recognised

www.minexcel.com

Life-Gard range of colostrum powder and pastes

for lambs and calves.
Pleased to be associated with Stuart Cornforth.

Minexcel Nutrition, Brandesburton,

Driffield, East Yorkshire
Tel: 01964 542518 Mob: 07776194155
One of Yorkshire’s leading independent farmer-based companies Email: info@minexcel.com

18 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 cornforths

A bite and a pint

The Cornforths business includes new rabbit feed and we are always
two main areas – the feeds side, expanding our range.’
with their own mill near Wetherby,
At a time when many new businesses
and the country store where feed
have found times hard Stuart’s business
and many other products are sold.
appears to be riding along quite nicely.
The business has grown markedly in
Let’s hope it stays that way!
the past couple of years, since the
opening of the store.
CORNFORTH’S ANIMAL FEEDS
‘The feeds business is still the much
Selby Livestock Market
bigger proportion of our work,’ says
Bawtry Road,
Stuart. ‘But the shop is contributing
SELBY YO8 8NB
well too. We have just launched a new
horse feed range and a new range of Tel: 01757 213421
buckets. We have also changed our Email: stuart@cornforths.com
branding. There’s such a lot going
on. The market is also doing well so Web: www.cornforths.com
we can’t moan at the moment with Peter played the host
the way prices are. We also have a

Selby liveStock
auction mart ltd
“YORKSHIRE’S FRIENDLY LIVESTOCK MART”
Weekly Sales of Fatstock – Wednesdays
Pigs 9am – Sheep 9.45am – Cattle & Cows 10.30am
Store Stock – Saturdays
Pigs 9.45am – Cattle 10.30am – Sheep 12 Noon
Fur, Feathers & Miscellaneous Items
All stock to be pre-entered. Payment on day of sale.
Personal attention given to customers at all times by Auctioneers and staff
Tel: 01757 703347. Fax: 01757 213293
www.selbymart.co.uk
Auctioneer & Valuer Richard Haigh F.I.A (Scot) 0776 8594535

FarmersMart Spring 2010 19

 cornforths
All about local people
Smiley time
Stuart entertains the ladies
20 FarmersMart Spring 2010
… and this
is how it all
started
The Cornforth family has, ask us to make them some. But
over many years, built a solid it was about six years ago that
reputation for the quality of their we set up the company properly.
own livestock and customers are We are now UFAS registered and
clearly attracted to their feeds by deliver to as far afield as Hexham,
how well their stock looks. Sheffield, Skipton and the east
coast. We make what many tell us
‘We use all of our own feeds,‘
is the top end of the range and we
says Stuart, ‘So we know that
are always happy to see customers
everything works and how well it
who want to see what goes into
works. We wouldn’t sell anything
our feed. We have a very loyal
that we hadn’t tried and been
customer base and do particularly
happy with ourselves first. I think
well with pedigree customers.’
people like that and respect what
Farmers Mart congratulates Stuart
we do.‘ Stuart started Cornforths
and the Cornforth family on what
Direct Feeds by selling imported
they have achieved in a relatively
calf milk from Holland about 15
short time.
years ago.
‘Customers came to see the calves
and saw our feed, then they would
Leading the field, in the science of crop protection.
Working in partnership with Cornforths.
Supporting local producers.
Phoenix Agronomy Ltd
The Stables Wighill Park Tadcaster LS24 8BN
Tel 01937 832200 Fax 01937 834968 e-mail office@phoenixag.co.uk

TAKING GOOD QUALITY MEAT FROM
THE FARM TO THE DINNER PLATE
JOHN DAVISON TELLS FARMERSMART ABOUT HIS EXCITING PLANS
Supporting local produce and
indeed local business is something
very close to John Davison’s heart;
not only do he and his wife Kathleen
run Lough Green Farm in Langley
near, Hexham, Northumberland
singlehandedly, but they’re on the
verge of diving deep into the world
of hospitality, specifically the pub
licensee trade after opening up the
Carts Bog Inn earlier this month.
On paper, becoming a landlord and
landlady isn’t the easiest of things;
it requires dedication, knowhow,
time and above all else, excellent
community spirit. Luckily for the
Davisons, the latter is something
they have in abundance. Not only
is John a traditional 4th generation
farmer and president of the Bleu Du
Maine Sheep Society, but he is also
a key supplier to a local butchers at
Haydon Grange.
“I think it’s so important to support
and sell to local businesses, even
my stock is sold locally at Hexham
Auction Mart. Because my son
Stuart, who’s 30 now has been
involved in the hotel trade since
he left school and because he’s a
chef as well, we intend for him to
manage the pub once all the papers
are signed off. My plan is to sell
cattle to him and get the eventual
meat back through the pub. So it’ll
be good quality local produce on the
customer’s plates and I, the farmer,
can see the process through from
start to finish,” John beams.
John insists his role will be that of
handyman in and around the pub, a
modest assumption considering the
exclusivity of the family’s potential
davison
business. He explains, “Traceability
is so important nowadays, advertising
our produce on the board outside
the pub should prove to be a very
unique selling point; these are really
exciting times for us.”
Lough Green Farm has been
owned and run by generations of
the Davison family since 1916 and
has homed John, Kathleen and
their family since 1995. In 1955
however, John’s Father decided to
add to Lough Green’s 170 acre plot,
by taking on neighbouring 120 acre John Davison
Vauce Farm. In total both farms now
occupy 20 Bleu Du Maine pedigree
award is more impressive when having received so many prestigious
ewes, 40 pedigree Texel ewes, 140
you’re up against so many well- awards over the years for the quality
cattle and 180 Bleu Du Maine,
regarded competitors; last year we of their stock, they’ll defiantly set the
cross breed Texel ewes. John tells
won in the championship category standards in good pub grub.
us a bit more about his farming
with home bred ewe.”
origins; “I grew up on the farm and
I never really wanted to do anything With so many fingers in so many pies, John and Kathleen Davison
else; my father taught me everything being centred in the community’s Lough Green Farm, Hexham
I know. I would hand everything local pub should come naturally Northumberland NE47 5ND
over to Stuart, but he’s never been to John, Kathleen and Stuart, and 01434 684 656
involved in the overall running of
things. I was attached to the Bleu
Du Maine first in 1990 because of
their large carcass, which isn’t over
fatty; crossed with a Texel, they
BRitiSH BleU DU MaiNe
produce a top class butchers lamb.”
SH EEP S O CI ET Y
Like many commercial farmers,
Society SaleS 2010
John and Kathleen take very few
holidays; Kathleen in particular
enjoys competing in dog agility NSa SoUtH WeSt Sale – eXeteR
contests in her spare time, whilst august 18th Registered Rams & Ewes
John has always thrived off live stock Catalogues from Rendalls Tel: 01392 276404
competitions especially the Great
Yorkshire Show. “The Yorkshire
show has a good traditional of being
caRliSle PReMieR Sale 13th august
Catalogues from Harrison & Hetherington Tel: 01228 590490
a live stock show and it actually
manages to get better every year,
WoRceSteR Sale 18th September
because it draws in exhibitors from
further afield,” explains John, “Any All classes – Contact McCartneys 01905 769770
NSa Builth Wells 20th September
Pure bred & Millennium Bleu Rams
Contact H & H 01228 590490
Breed Secretary 01291 673816
www.bleudumaine.co.uk
FarmersMart Spring 2010 21
 coulthard
THE MAN AND THE MACHINES
LUCIE CARTER MEETS WITH ALISTAIR COULTHARD TO FIND OUT MORE
The phrase ‘boys and their toys’
springs to mind when meeting
with Alistair Coulthard, a farmer
and machinery enthusiast who
has a collection of models that
could almost match the inside of a
Lamma marquee.
Alistair and his family have owned
Smith House Farm, an arable and
live stock farm, in Stockton-on-
Tees, Cleveland for almost fifty
years and have always had an eye
for modern machinery. Alistair tells
us; “I bought my very first Massey
Ferguson in 1986 to help me with
the contracting work I was taking on
at the time. But I think my Grandad
some of
alistair’s
equipment
Tractors
• 7485
• 7480 + 95 Loader
• 8240 xtra
• 3120 + 925 Loader
• 3080
• 699
Montalbo Rd
Barnard Castle
County Durham
DL12 8ED
Geoff Thorn
Tel: 01833 637537
Mob: 07860 784904
geoff.thorn@carrs-billington.com
22 FarmersMart Spring 2010
bought one of the first ever Massey
machines in the North East; I think
it was in 1936 during the war and
it cost £350. It was known just as
little grey fergie.”
As well as keeping a herd of 100
suckler cows on their 240 acre farm,
Alistair and his full time worker Glyn
(and up to 4 casual workers in the
busy season) also deal in contracting
work and are experiencing excellent
trade doing so; “We expanded the
contracting work quite substantially,
we’ve taken on a lot more work in
hedge cutting, round bale silage,
haylage and straw, and ploughing
right way through to sowing. In total
OTHER EQUIPMENT
• 2 Six Furrow Dowdswells
• 1 Five Furrow Lem Ken
• Simba Culti Press
• 4 M Folding Lem Ken Power Harrow
• 3 M Maschio Combination
• 4 M vaderstad drill
• 3 M Front Mount Mower Conditioner
• 3 M Centre PiVot Mower Conditioner
• 8 M Krone Tedder
• 7.6 M Krone rake
• 2 Welger 535 round balers
• HS 2000 Mc hale wrapper
• 6.5 M Mc connell Hedge cutter
• Pottinger Mex VI Forage Harvester
MAIN DEALERS FOR MASSEY FERGUSON
KRONE, LELY AND VICON
We are pleased to be associated with
Alistair Coulthard and we wish
him continued success for the future
From left: Keith, Alistair Coulthard and Glyn
we work over 1,900 acres, on other
peoples land as well as our own”
Alistair explained.
Although the contracting work is a
major source of trade, Alistair insists
that his love of live-stock farming is
ever present, despite the difficult
times. “Trades coming back a little
bit at the moment; on average it’s
been down £100-150 per head
which is obviously disappointing,
but over the last couple of weeks
things are beginning to turn round.
We began breading from Hereford
cows with our own Limousin bull but
we are gradually replacing Hereford
with Limousin cows rearing their
offspring through to fat fed on clamp
silage and beef nuts. We have stuck
with those breeds mainly because
that’s where the demand lies and
that’s what the butcher wants.”
With a whole array of Massey
Ferguson models presented proudly
on site, which includes the 7485
tractor model, the 7480 + 975
Loader, as well as a HS 2000 Mc
hale wrapper and a 3120 + 925
Neil Granger T/A GBUK
Unit 5 Zetland Buildings, Longbeck Trading Estate, Marske, Redcar, Cleveland, TS11 6HB
Office Tel/Fax: 01642 758 060
E-mail: neilgranger@btconnect.com
Suppliers of Agricultural Wear Parts, Tools, Compressors,
Pressure Washers and all Spares
We are pleased to be associated with Alistair Coulthard
and wish him continued success for the future.
 coulthard
Loader to name a few, Alistair’s
passion for technology is clear for
all to see. And with an average of
30,000 bales baled each year,
they’re very much needed. “I’ve
always used Massey machines
because of their reliability, ease of
use and the level of technology they
showcase, which in my view is way
above any other. And of course,
not forgetting Massey’s hydraulics,
which are far superior to any other
on the market,” commented Alistair.
But he’s not at all biased, having
traded other makes and models,
“We tried others but have always
gone back to Massey, because we
encountered various problems in Just a few of Alistairs’ machines
the past with other makes. We have
Carrs Billington close by at Barnard
back, so we are able to bail and
castle, who look after us really well.
wrap in one operation. We also use
I honestly cannot imagine doing the
the machines for tedding, raking and
amount of work we do without the
all our cultivation requirements with
use of these machines; they’re just
ease.”
so easy and efficient, which means
that we can pretty much take on With the start of the busy arable
anything.” season just around the corner,
Alistair and his team of men and
Technically, the machines work
machinery really do have their work
excellently for Alistair, who has
cut out.
built up a contracting career since
his school days where he began
modestly with just the one hedge Alistair Coulthard
cutter. “We have recently purchased Smith House Farm TS21 1AG
two fully- specced dyna vt tractors
that can power three metre mow Tel: 01642 580709
Mob: 07836 371161 WOW : a big Massey fan
conditioners on the front and back,
cutting 6 metres at once. The same Fax: 01642 570141
tractors will operate the round baler, a.jcoulthard@hotmail.co.uk
with a combination wrapper on the
Coatham
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and wish them continued success for future

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14 Marazion Drive Smith House Farm, Elton
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and we wish him continued success for the future

FarmersMart Spring 2010 23

 carrs billington
£250K
investment
in Hawes
Chris Berry witnesses the opening of the
all-new Carrs Billington store
Carrs Billington Agriculture opened
its all-new country store in Hawes
at the end of January and chairman
of the company, Chris Holmes,
was on hand to cut the ribbon and
thank those responsible.
‘Jim McRobert and his team
have done a fantastic job. This
expenditure reinforces our
commitment to British agriculture
and particularly agriculture in the
Yorkshire Dales.’
The investment in the premises at
Hawes, on Burtersett Road, has
24 FarmersMart Spring 2010
run to some £250K and benefits
from heating which is the first of its
kind in the North East.
‘We are utilising what is known as
an air-source heat pump,’ says Jim
McRobert, who is responsible for
the Hawes branch. ‘It works like Carrs Billington chairman Chris Holmes & Jim McRobert at Hawes
an air conditioner in reverse and is
extremely economical.’
a good employer we felt it necessary diversifying into other areas. We
The Hawes branch employs around
to provide far better facilities for our see serving this rural community
a dozen staff, with the Askrigg site
team as well as improving our retail as one of our missions in life, so
also still in operation.
environment. We are an agricultural by having a better store, better
‘We had to invest in the building business and we wanted to displays and better staff conditions
here because it was antiquated. As move with the times as well as I believe we’re now doing just that.
 carrs billington

All smiles at the sales counter

Happy families

We are finding that more and more

people who are buying farms aren’t
necessarily from farming families
but they are also coming and buying
a lot of their requirements from us
and looking for our advice.’
Chris Holmes reported that the city
was once again expecting good
results from Carrs.
CARRS BILLINGTON
AGRICULTURE
Burtersett Road, HAWES
North Yorkshire DL8 3NP
Tel: 01969 667334
hawes@carrs-billington.com
www.carrs-billington.com

FarmersMart Spring 2010 25

 carrs billington
Ever-expanding
Carrs Billington
Carrs Billington Agriculture
believes in supplying all farmers
needs through a one-stop shop
approach – and that’s exactly what
they are now in a far better position
to do at Hawes. The CBA branches
now cover an area which extends
from the Midlands to Scotland with
a strong presence in Yorkshire,
Cumbria and Northumberland.
The company was formed through
a merging of Carrs Agriculture Ltd.,
Billington Agriculture Ltd., and AF
Feeds and believes in benefiting
from economies of scale in order
to provide a very close customer
relationship. Their stores and
outlets include everything from
feed, tractors and all manner of
farm machinery, machinery parts,
fertiliser, animal health products,
agrochemicals, horticultural and
all manner of country-related
retail products. They are also a
major supplier of premium quality
compounded and blended feeds and
have a substantial market share.
With the acquisition in 2005 of the
Pye Bibby business Carrs Billington
26 FarmersMart Spring 2010
increased the number of animal
feed production sites under its
direct control in the North West.
Subsequently it launched a new
production partnership with two
trade associate companies to cover
feed requirements throughout
Wales and the borders. This new
partnership, known as Bibby
Agriculture, is a standalone company
which retained the original Pye Bibby
sales and technical teams. Feed for
this business is manufactured at
Carrs Billington’s Stone Mill and at
two other mills in Carmarthen and
Llansantffraidd.
Chris Holmes, chairman of Carrs
Billington Agriculture (Sales), stated
“as a company we have had huge
success with our aim for helping our
customers improve farm profitability
through research and technology.
Following the launch of AminoMax,
our patented by-pass protein, we
have struggled to keep up with
demand from our production plant
at Langwathby in Cumbria. We
are currently in the final stages of
negotiating a new plant in the USA
to produce AminoMax”.

Heroes of the milk industry
Chris Berry talks with Sue Varley of
Chestnut Dairies in East Yorkshire
When Eric and Sue Varley started
Chestnut Dairies back in 1982 little
did they know where it would lead.
They now collect from 32 dairy farms
throughout North and East Yorkshire.
On the face of it everything about
their location is wrong. They are
situated near the coast, at Seaton,
Hornsea and there are very few dairy
farmers around.
During last year’s Dairy Farmers of
Britain debacle they took on some
of the dairy farmers affected in
Scarborough and the North York
Moors. They now haul milk from as
many as 60 miles away.
‘There’s nothing right-minded about
what we do,’ says Sue. The Varleys
faced a dilemma back in the early
80s. Their overdraft and high interest
rates meant that there was only one
way their dairy farm was going to go.
‘Peter Faulkner from ADAS told us that
if we carried on the way we were we
would have to pack up and leave. It
was Eric who drove the dairy business.
We acquired a pasteuriser on hire
purchase, got the packing equipment
and then he would go out and sell
the milk and deliver it. I’d be the one
processing it. We started with our own
milk, but within a short time we were
buying milk in.’
A tie-up with Frank Dee supermarkets
was their first big win, followed by
Jacksons supermarkets.
‘We delivered to them for many years
and as they grew we grew. They were a
fabulous family to work for. When they
sold out to Sainsburys they helped us
out by introducing us to them. We’re
still in 26 of Sainsburys stores today,
but now via Robert Wiseman Dairies.’
Today the Varleys process about one-
third of the milk that comes in from
their 32 farms. Two-thirds of it is
collected by Wiseman’s.
‘When Jacksons sold out to Sainsburys
our milk processing went up 120%
in four weeks. I didn’t see my family
because we were all working flat out.’
Claire, the eldest, Mathieu and
Danielle live and work on the farm and
in Chestnut Dairies, which processes
milk and produces a bit of cream and
Yorkshire curd.
Sue and the rest of the family have
been hailed by some as heroes for the
ailing farmers who lost out through
the Dairy Farmers of Britain collapse,
including Bishop Burton College’s own
dairy unit.
‘When DFoB went into receivership
there was one particular Saturday
night when a farmer rang me and
said Mrs Varley will you take my milk?
When I came off I realised we had to
do something and at that point we took
the decision to take more farmers on.
The following morning I got in touch
with most of the local supermarkets
and the managers on duty had a really
positive feel for it. You see I think it’s
an all round picture. Some of these
farmers have only 30 cows but they
talk to them as if they are people. How
can you take that away from them?
Then you’ve got the younger lot with
young farmers to support and those
with kids coming out of university. If
we don’t encourage dairy farmers and
pay them properly it’s not going to be
there.’
So if the big boys in the dairy world
cannot make things pay on haulage
and all manner of other areas, how can
Chestnut Dairies make enough itself to
be able to help other dairy farmers?
chestnut dairies
Eric gets up close and personal
‘We want our farmers to survive. We cows go right next to Hornsea Mere
want them long term but we won’t be and that’s what we use on our logo.’
false. We have taken on a number of
Sue reserves a special mention for
farmers from the Scarborough area and
David Levitt who works with Kite
the North York Moors and financially
Consulting.
we’re okay. We’re paying around
25ppl at the moment but we’d like to ‘David has helped us enormously.
get more for them. The Dairy Farmers He’s helped us very much with our
of Britain farmers that we took on are relationship with farmers and the way
not on our existing contract, because if in which we feed our cattle.’
we had done that we would have been
jeopardising the others.’ CHESTNUT DAIRIES
The Varleys’s own dairy herd runs to Stud Farm, Seaton/Sigglesthorne,
some 100 cows and they are milking HORNSEA,
around 80. East Riding of Yorkshire
HU11 5RJ
‘It’s a closed herd but not pedigree.
We don’t push our cattle here. Our Tel: 01964 535061
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FarmersMart Spring 2010 27
 BISHOP BURTON farm
College farm well placed
for the future
Bishop Burton College Farm is
a mixed-farming operation that
incorporates dairy, sheep, pigs and
arable sectors. It offers students
excellent facilities in which to
learn about both the hands-on and
management of farms.
Dominic Naylor is the farm manager
having come back up north from
Dorset where he was a farm
manager. He is originally from
Cheshire. He tells of the farm set-up
at Bishop Burton as it is today.
‘We have a 150-cow dairy herd;
625 ewes which lamb in March;
200 sows which farrow outdoors
on concrete; and 500 acres of
combinable crops and vining peas.’
Dominic is particularly pleased
with the improvements that have
been made to the dairy herd in
recent times, which have taken the
herd average from 8000 litres to
10,000.
28 FarmersMart Spring 2010
‘The potential for increasing milk
production was already there. The
emphasis had previously been on
breeding, which was a good thing,
but we have now improved the
fertility too. The key to dairy success
is always in fertility rates and ours
has dropped significantly from 440
days to 395.’
‘We have succeeded whilst also
placing a heavy emphasis on good
welfare, both for the cows and
our students. We have put in a
new parlour, a 24/24 Westfalia
herringbone parlour, which means
that we can have as many as four
dairy students on duty at any one
time as well as the cowman himself.’
Rubber matting has been utilised in
the cattle shed areas and Dominic
tells of how this has reduced the
incidence of solar ulcers massively.
‘We didn’t have a real problem with
this before but as a result of the
rubber matting our rate of cows
Chris Berry talks with Bishop Burton
College farm manager Dominic Naylor
Dominic Naylor with his flock
suffering from solar ulcers has Dominic believes that the reasons
dropped by 50%. You should always for the greater production of the
aim for zero in terms of problems dairy herd are down to the herd’s
and we’re now down to just 2%.’ diet, which is maize-based.
When the old parlour was sold ‘We feed a mix of 65% maize and
for scrap the farm invested in 35% lucerne. The cattle have no
an oscillating brush which the ryegrass in their diet. Our maize is
dairy herd absolutely loves for grown under plastic. Last year we
backscratching, backside scratching planted in the third week of March
and anywhere else! and harvested on 29 September. We
turn out the cows in Spring but we
THOMPSONS
EST. 1926
OF YORK
ANIMAL FEED COMPOUNDERS
Jubilee Mill, Murton, York YO19 5UT
Tel 01904 488388
Fax 01904 488517
Email info@thompsons-feeds.co.uk
Web www.thompsons-feeds.co.uk
We are pleased to supply feeding
stuffs to Bishop Burton College

top them up every day with maize.
If we just turned them out and
left them we would only get to an
average of 7000-7500 litres.’
What has been achieved on the dairy
farm in recent times is welcome
news, especially as last year’s Dairy
Farmers of Britain collapse saw
the farm lose tens of thousands of
pounds.
‘Thankfully our milk yield went up
because if it hadn’t we would have
lost even more money. We’re now
with a local dairy – Chestnut Farms
– and Sue Varley has been fantastic
for us. Our milk price has gone
from 17ppl with DFoB to 24.4ppl
and Sue is always working hard to
improve it for us. She’s passionate
about the business and her farmer
suppliers.’
Dominic believes there is a future
for students in dairying, even if they
are not from a traditional farming
background.
‘I have a student from Beverley
who is not from a farming family at
all, but he is committed to being a
cowman. With talk of larger dairy
units I believe there are going to be
opportunities for people like Chris
(Dann).’
Two sectors of Bishop Burton College
Farm make up approximately 70%
of the farm’s income. The Dairy
Robert D. Webster Ltd.
New Holland T8000 Series
New Holland T6000+ Series
0% FINANCE AVAILABLE ON VARIOUS MODELS
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Robert D. Webster Ltd
Kilham, Driffield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tel . 01262 420226
Owstwick, Nr Roos, Hull . . . . . . . . . Tel . 01964 670251
Howden, Goole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tel . 01430 430624
BISHOP BURTON FARM
sector is one – pigs are the other.
‘The pair of them have the ability to
make or break the farm and between
them they have done so in the past.
Pigs, two years ago made a loss, then
last year the dairy side tried its best
to do so. The history was that five
years ago we had huge losses in the
pig system. The college destocked.
The East Riding is famous for pigs
and it was decided that the college
would restock. That’s when a high
welfare angle was come up with,
providing added value. We went for
a system that was Freedom Foods
accredited, farrowing outdoors in
arcs on straw, but on concrete.
Pig welfare was improved and we
eliminated problems such as soil
compaction and soil erosion. Now
the DAPP (daily average pig price)
has gone up we’re back doing well.’
Sheep are a big passion in Dominic’s
life, indeed his vision one day would
be to run a Dales farm with Mule
the livestock enterprises with wheat, can. That’s fairly unique amongst
sheep. At Bishop Burton the flock
includes Mules, Texels and Lleyns. barley, oil seed rape, vining peas and agricultural colleges today.’
maize all being grown.
‘The Mules are fantastic for fertility
‘Everything is done in-house with the BISHOP BURTON COLLEGE
rate, giving 200% every time and
exception of combining and spraying. Bishop Burton, Beverley
producing fantastic lambs. We took
Local contractor Andrew Cooke East Yorkshire HU17 8QG
first prize at Thirsk Christmas Market
looks after all of that. We sell corn
in December.’ Tel: 01964 553000
to Wm Thompson of York and buy
Once again there is a complete diet back as feed. We do all of our own enquiries@bishopburton.ac.uk
feed mix for the sheep too. cultivation work with the students
www.bishopburton.ac.uk
The arable operation complements doing as much of the work as they
New Holland T5000 Series
New Holland T7500 Series
FarmersMart Spring 2010 29
 ASKHAM BRYAN COLLEGE
We are the future
of farming
Askham Bryan is the UK fastest
growing land based college and
agriculture is at the centre of the
curriculum.
John Wray
Over £4m has been invested in
the College’s Westfield Farm over
the last four years and agriculture
student numbers grew by 47%
last year. The farm comprises 430
hectares (1062 acres) including
both the land at Westfield Farm
and at nearby Headley Hall. The
dairy herd comprises 250 Holstein
Friesians, 220 ewes are kept and
the College is also home to the
National Beef Training Centre and
its 80 head of beef cattle.
As John Wray, Section Leader for
Agriculture says: ‘We have both
robotic and traditional rapid exit
milking parlours which allows
our students to experience both
systems. We’ve expanded our dairy
herd and recently invested in new
cubicles. We grow oilseed rape,
barley and wheat and now have a
big drill and sprayer so our students
can have hands on experience of
work previously undertaken by
contractors.’
Mike Patch is the College’s Farm
Manager. Mike comes from
Hampshire and studied agriculture
30 FarmersMart Spring 2010
Mike Patch
at College before working on his
family farm and on dairy farms in
New Zealand. He was accepted onto
the Velcourt Management Training
scheme last year and spent time
working at Hartpury College before
his appointment at Askham Bryan.
‘I’m enjoying working alongside
both students and teaching staff
and being able to demonstrate the
use of management information
systems alongside their practical
work,’ he says.
From the Scottish border to the
Midlands: centres across the North
of England
The College’s main residential
campus is at York, there are centres
at Bedale, Guisborough, Harrogate
and Thirsk and work based learning
programmes are operated from
other locations across the north of
England. Courses include full time
further education courses for school
leavers, apprenticeships and work-
based learning, degree and short
training courses for businesses and
the self employed.
Welcome to Westfield farm
Meet some of our
successful students
John Henry
From apprenticeship to a degree
John Henry started his studies
with an Apprenticeship and is
now studying for a Foundation
Degree in Agriculture and Land
Management. ‘I didn’t start out
with the intention of studying
for a degree’, says John ‘but
along with other Askham Bryan
students I went on a study visit
to Sweden and that inspired me
to take my studies that one step
further.’ John, who comes from
Northallerton, sees his future very
much in dairying and is optimistic
about the future of the sector.
(Photo above shows John
Henry with Course Manager
Lindsey Wedgewood)
Amanda Thomas
Apprenticeship leads to best
student award
Amanda lives and works at Scorton
near Richmond. She was already
working on a farm when she heard
about work-based learning with
Askham Bryan College at a local show.
‘ I didn’t want to go to college full-time
but I wanted to learn more about
agriculture and they explained that on
an Apprenticeship I could work and
develop my practical skills, and attend
college part-time to get a qualification.
I’ve successfully completed the
Apprenticeship and was very proud
to be chosen as Best Student of the
Year. I’ve had great support from my
employer, the course managers and
my assessors and I’m now half way
through my Advanced Apprenticeship,’
she says.
 ASKHAM BRYAN COLLEGE

Qualifications Come and Take a Look for Yourself

Level 1: Diploma: Land Based
Studies (Agriculture)
Level 2: Diploma: Agriculture
Level 3: Extended
Diploma: Agriculture
Level 2: Apprenticeship in
Agriculture (Crops or Livestock)
Level 3: Advanced Apprenticeship
in Agriculture (Crops and Livestock)
Level 4/5: Extended Foundation
Degree: Agriculture and
Land Management
 evel 5: Foundation Degree:
L on any of the courses available at Askham Bryan College.
Agriculture and Land Management
Level 6: BSc (Hons) Degree:
Sustainable Land Management
Further Education Further Education Higher Education
Taster Days Information Sessions Information Days
(1.30 - 4.30pm) (10am - 12 noon)
For anyone interested in studying
For those in Years 10 or 11 at Find out about life as a student, for a degree. Study routes for
school who would like to try one meet the staff and a enjoy a tour those with and without A levels.
or two subjects before applying. of the campus and residential
24 March 2010 from 2pm
Separate information sessions for accommodation
5 May 2010 from 6.30pm
parents, guardians and teachers.
17 March 2010
24 March 2010
28 April 2010
5 May 2010
12 May 2010
23 June 2010
Please contact us to book your place, request or prospectus or more details
Askham Bryan College, Askham Bryan, York YO23 3FR
Tel: 01904 772277; email: enquiries@aslkham-bryan.ac.uk
Centres at Bedale, Guisborough, Harrogate and Thirsk.

Other subjects available include

Animal Management, Business and
Rural Retailing, Butchery and Food Family Days Out Admission charges apply for adults
Chain Technology, Countryside
and the Environment, Engineering
and Construction, Equine, Forestry
Lambing Sunday - 14 March 10am-4pm
and Arboriculture, Horticulture and
Floristry, Sports Surface Management,
Open Day - Sunday 20 June
Public Services and Sport.
Certificates of Competence in
agricultural and land-based subjects.
Bespoke training for businesses on
your premises or ours.

Ben Fargher Dan Hird

Training whilst working on the
family farm
Ben’s family have a mixed farm
at Bulmer in North Yorkshire.
‘They also look after the Castle
Howard estate’s beef herd which
supply the award winning Castle
Howard farm shop. I’m studying
for an Apprenticeship and the
combination of practical work on
our farm and day release study at
the College is ideal for me and our
family business,‘ says Ben.
McCain Foods scholarship endowment winner
Dan didn’t take the conventional
route to a degree course. Rather than
choosing to study for A levels, he
successfully completed a programme
of work-based learning at Askham
Bryan and then moved on to a
Foundation Degree in Agriculture.
Last year he became one of the first
students to be awarded a McCain
Foods scholarship endowment. ‘Two
awards were available nationally
and both were awarded to Askham
Bryan College students,’ he explains. Photo shows Dan Hird and
‘The other winner, Jessica Robinson, Jessica Robinson, winners of
and I are now both studying for BSc McCain Foods Scholarship
Hons Degrees in Sustainable Land Endowments, meeting Hilary
Management.’ The judges praised Benn during his visit to Askham
Dan’s strong entrepreneurial spirit Bryan College last year
– he has already set up his own
business selling lamb directly to
customers – and by his determination
and enthusiasm for the agricultural
industry.

FarmersMart Spring 2010 31

 goddards
THE GODDARDS: FARMERS,
ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND
AWARD WINNERS
The preservation of land has, and
always will be a main priority of most
farmers, but for Michael Goddard of
Lowe Farm in East Drayton near
Retford, maintaining and indeed
improving the environment within
his farm is paramount.
The Goddards
The Harold Woolgar
Insurance Team
35 High Street, Epworth, N. Lincs.,
Tel: 01427 873388 / 873888
We are pleased to be associated
with Michael Goddard and wish him
continued success for the future
32 FarmersMart Spring 2010
Last year Michael and his wife
Caroline were awarded the highly
regarded Wilkinson Environment
Award for Nottinghamshire, after
years of their continued work was
recognised by a number of judges.
LUCIE CARTER MEETS
WITH MICHAEL AND
CAROLINE TO HEAR
MORE ABOUT THEIR
PRESTIGIOUS WIN
Lowe Farm was named winner in the creating the best environment for our
small farm category and was granted wildlife.”
overall winner, but competition was
Realising the uniqueness of his
strong with 25 farms fighting for the
farm, Michael applied in writing
coveted award.
to the competition and after just
Michael tells FarmersMart more a few months was notified that his
about the award itself; application had been successful and
“the award is based that Lowe Farm was a real contender.
on three main aspects After being visited by four judges
of work; conservation, from the National Farmers Union
enhancement and of (NFU), Wilkinsons and The Farming
course environmental. and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG),
We’ve done a lot of the farm was observed, assessed
work here through the and scored. Amazingly it took just
years, not only have one day for the decision to be made,
we increased the size and Lowe Farm was crowned the
of the farm itself, but eventual winner.
we’ve put up brand new
NFU judge Simon Fisher was
barns, created pond
blown away, “The Goddard’s farm
areas for the wildlife,
was a superb example: a family-
concentrated on hedge
run farm with both arable and beef
laying and put new
enterprises. It is obvious that Michael
margins down out in
and Caroline care deeply for their
the field. It’s all about

farm and have a strong passion for
farming and wildlife.”
Lowe Farm has been in the family for
many generations since the 1940’s,
when it originated as a modest 38
acre farm. As a fourth generation
farmer, Michael has made some real
changes in the aesthetics of the site
itself and the way in which things are
run; “We are very traditional really,
because of time constraints we don’t
really show our animal. We focus our
attention on how we keep the cattle
and how we can introduce new
processes on a day to day basis.”
Significant changes were made
in the mid-eighties when Michael
made a conscious effort to improve
the efficiency of their farm. First
they planted more tree shrubs and
reclaimed pond areas, and then they
began work on gapping hedge rows to
benefit the cattle. On perhaps a more
practical note, Michael introduced
Nitrogen fixing clover to pastures and
silage lays, we helps to boost fertility
and cut down on artificial fertilisers.
“It’s so important to be forward-
thinking these days, we have
embraced things like the Carcass
Grading Scheme and other modern
techniques” Caroline insisted. “We’ve
also diversified slightly; we now do
goddards
a lot of contracting work bailing,
wrapping and hedge cutting, which
is essential when you’re a small farm
like we are,” Michael continued.
As well as keeping a heard of 68
Suckler cows, Lowe Farm also
includes arable crop over its 280
acres and is ideally set upon a variety
of land conditions; from heavy clay
soil to low lying grass land. Michael
explains how this can work in his
favour, “We make the best from what
we have; we have implemented the
land to suit its animals. And we deal
locally, all our grain is marketed to
local farmers and we sell our cattle
locally at Newark Market, meaning
that our produce can be sourced,
traced and sold within close proximity
of its origins.”
Perhaps the most obvious positive
about Lowe Farm, is the enthusiastic
nature of its owners. Michael and
Caroline’s wonderfully refreshing
attitude is infectious. Their farm is
original, efficient, environmentally
friendly and of course, award worthy.
Michael and Caroline Goddard
Lowe Farm, East Drayton
Retford DN22 0LN
Tel: 01777 248864
FarmersMart Spring 2010 33
 ROBSON
MIDDLE HORSLEYHOPE
FARM: HOME OF 1ST
GENERATION FARMERS
LUCIE CARTER VISITS PHILLIP AND BEVERLEY
ROBSON TO HEAR THEIR UNIQUE STORY
Beverly and Phillip Robson, are
quite unusual; as tenants of Middle
Horsleyhope Farm in Consett,
County Durham, they don’t stem
from a generation of farmers, in
fact they’re the very opposite. After
securing their tenancy in November
1996 from Lambton Estates, the
couple took it upon themselves to
bring in more live stock and really
develop the farm.
Phillip tells us more about the unnerving
transition; “Originally, we just used to
work here but when we got married
we moved down to Oxford to work
on a big estate down there. Then the
Gentleman we had worked for up here
at Lambton Estates retired and offered
us the tenancy, so we built things up
from there; at that point we’d only
managed a few grass parks so the idea
of raising stock was quite daunting.”
34 FarmersMart Spring 2010
Middle Horsleyhope Farm was like a
home to Phillip before the tenancy had
even been agreed, because he had
worked on site for over 20 years prior.
“I was always interested in farming
from a young age. Although my Dad
didn’t run a farm, he did used to run
a livestock haulage business, so we’ve
always been involved in the industry
to some extent,” Phillip explains. “We
are first generation farmers, we’ve
had nothing handed to us- we literally
started everything from scratch,”
Beverley admits.
Over the years the couple have single
handily transformed their sheep &
cattle farm into an award-winning,
380 acre business; “as well as this
farm, we also rent another 120 acres
over on the neighbouring plot, so we
manage 500 acres in total; but I’m
always on the look out for more local
The Robsons
land,” Phillip adds. In addition to Farming, Phillip Robson
likes to dabble in other things; cattle
It’s easy to assume that because the
judging, sheep showering, road gritting
Robsons work alone, the prospect
for the local council and even fencing
of attending and indeed competing
contracting; “I’ve judged suckler cows
in shows is one of little priority to
and calves at the local shows, which
them. But their thirst for winning is
did help me when I was showing
something that has always remained.
because the two go hand in hand
Beverley tells us, “Over the years we
you see. And we’ve had the mobile
have showed an awful lot, in summer
sheep shower for a decade now and
2008 we achieved champion carcass
it’s always been incredibly popular,
lamb at the Great Yorkshire Show, and
one year I think we showered over
we’ve competed at Smithfield with the
40,000 sheep.” Not bad for a couple
commercial cattle.”
who work primarily on their own.
As fans of various nation-wide carcass
So what exactly do the Robsons think
competitions, Phillip and Beverley
of the farming industry as a whole?
admit that it can sometimes be
“It’s looking very promising but you
difficult to attend and participate in
can’t really tell with farming, it just
those shows further afield. “There
takes one thing to change things.
aren’t too many carcass competitions
But on a positive note our lambs
about in the summer; it’s mainly the
are up by 10 to 15 pound a head
Great Yorkshire which is the closest
on average compared to last year,”
to us. And during the winter months
Phillip explained. “Where exporting
it can be quite hard getting down to
is concerned there’s almost a pound
Smithfield. Carcass confirmation on
to a euro, which means this will
the Dutch Texel breeds is always great,
probably be the best option for us in
our winner at the Great Yorkshire in
the future.”
2008 achieved 38 kilo live and 21
kilo dead, which is a fantastic score” For Middle Horsleyhope Farm, it seems
explains Phillip. Phillip and Beverly’s best options are
there in abundance, proving that the
Currently, Middle Horsleyhope Farm
transition into Farming can be an
is home to 750 breeding ewes (both
enjoyable and extremely diverse one.
Dutch Texel and Beltex breeds) and 40
cows. But would they consider taking
on other breeds? “At the minute we’re Phillip and Beverley Robson
happy dealing with the fat lambs. So Middle Horsleyhope Farm
I’d say we have enough things going Consett, County Durham
on at the minute. There’s a chance DH8 9DE
we might cut the cows back and push
Tel: 01207 508226
the sheep up, that’s something we’re
looking at,” Beverly replied.

WE’RE ON TO A WINNER
LUCIE CARTER MEETS WITH ADRIAN HARRISON TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HIS CHAMPION JERSEY
After only six years of showing at
the Great Yorkshire Show, Adrian
Harrison of Manor Farm, Thornton
Rust near Leyburn, knows just
how the sweetness of success
can smell. At last summers event,
Adrian, his Father Morris and
his younger Brother Chris, were
declared winners after their in-
experienced Jersey Cow triumphed
in a number of highly competitive
categories; “We’ve shown our cattle
since 2003, but have never done as
well as we did last year” explained
Adrian.
Adrian’s win came as a result of
his blossoming self-belief in one
particular cow; “I was fairly confident
taking just the one cow with me;
because I knew she was on form,
simple really. In the run up to the
show we boxed her on her own just so
she could fill herself up.” Such know
how and possible favouritism did pay
off, Adrian adds, ‘I was struggling a
bit for time, so I decided to rely on
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‘Hillside Lasers Ann’ completely. On
the Tuesday she won the junior breed
champion class and then went on
to win the overall breed champion.
After doing so well that day, she
was entered into the interbreed
competition on the Wednesday and
won supreme champion”, not bad for
two days work.
The family’s two day celebrations
stem from over 30 years working
in dairy farming, having helped his
Father on the family run farm since
the tender age of 16, Adrian’s love
for the industry is what has always
maintained his keen interest. “I’ve
been involved ever since I left school,
when I was 19 I went to study at York,
enrolling in a year-long NCA course in
agricultural studies. When I returned
home, I began to help my dad out
on a more permanent basis because
his full-time helper left to work on his
own farm.” After naturally developed
alongside his Father, Adrian soon
became his professional partner.
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HARRISON
Having once kept Holsteins and
over 200 Mule sheep as well as
their acclaimed Jerseys, Manor
Farm was, like the majority of the
industry, devastated by the foot
and mouth outbreak and had to
re-evaluate things soon after; “We
had around 15 Jerseys left which
we decided to restock by breeding
onsite, mainly because of our milk
contract commitments” Adrian
admits, “although as a whole I do
prefer the Jerseys; they’re easier
to manage when it comes to the
daily running of the farm, the milk
they produce is really high quality Adrian with his champion Jersey
and I can stock more per hector
then I could with any other breed.
It’s the 2nd highest growing dairy
always ensured the quality remained
breed in the world at the moment,
the same” Adrian continued. It’s an
perhaps because they’re such an
exciting time at Manor Farm; the
easy, manageable cow.”
prospect of this summer’s events,
Manor Farm now occupies over especially the Great Yorkshire Show
160 acres, the buildings on the is wonderfully positive; “I’m really
plot including the family home and looking forward to competing again,
out-houses were built when Morris I’m on a Jersey cattle society judging
bought the land originally. Unlike panel myself which helps, I wouldn’t
many farming families, Adrian’s wife say I have a upper hand, but I have
Gillian isn’t involved in the farm, but an idea of what to take and what
runs her very own mail order business some judges may be looking for.”
‘Tenigo’ which is situated directly at
So are there any winners in the
its centre and sells unique gift and
pipeline as yet? I asked. “It’s hard
animal merchandise. “She’s never
to predict at such an early stage, I
really been involved, because she’s
have to wait until they come into milk
always had her own career, when we
to see if there is any real potential”
got married and moved here; we built
Adrian admits.
the office here on the farm and went
from there” Adrian explained. Here’s hoping!
Fortunately, Adrian and his family
have sustained their contract for Adrian Harrison, Manor Farm
Wensleydale Creamery for many Thornton Rust, Wensleydale
years and throughout the dreaded Tel: 07974941863
ongoing recession, “We have suffered
a little, because milk prices were a www.winking-cavy.co.uk
lot higher during 2008, but we’ve
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Tel: 01969 667334
Carrs Billington would like to wish
Mob: 07801 564020
The Harrison Family
jim.mcrobert@carrs-billington.com continued success
FarmersMart Spring 2010 35
 sutcliffe

SUTCLIFFE:
THE SADDLEBACK SPECIALIST
LUCIE CARTER TALKS WITH THE MAN HIMSELF AFTER HIS MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR
John Sutcliffe, breeder of pedigree
British Saddleback pigs, is a man you
should know. Based at Bridgefield
Farm in Ulverston, Cumbria, John
has made a real name for himself
over the years as an expert in
perfect pork production.
After watching his Grandfather farm,
and helping his Father develop his
own land, John always had a flair for
keeping animals; “My Dad moved
the family to Lowick in 1960 and
we’ve extended as more and more
land became available. We now
John Sutcliffe John with his champion at GYS
own 140 acres in total, although
the land is split by the main road,
Bridgefield Farm is the heart of our
shows for over 15 years and a faithful personally don’t have enough; you help young vets to develop, “I have
pig enterprise.”
supplier to local farm shops. He need lots of commercial pigs. The some trainee vets that come round
To classify John simply as a farmer explains, “It’s definitely important British Saddleback are a rare breed in the summer during showing time;
would be a discredit; not only does he to incorporate something different, and as such are commanding uplift more often than not they’ve never
run a local pig finishing unit, but he’s you can’t make a living out of these on commercial prices; it’s a specialist handled a pig in their life before. We
been a prize winner at agriculture guys,” he said admiring his herd. “I niche market. Without Airey’s go through all the preparation for the
slaughter house, only 6 miles away, shows with them and show them
none of this would be possible.” how to wash the animal. Ironically,
John supplies three specialist they usually end up showing the pigs

H. C. AIREY & SONS LTD butchers locally. “Continuity of

supply and consistency are the key to
themselves. It gives them so much
confidence.”
a successful partnership. I decided
AbATTOIR & CUTTING PLANT very early on that I get my pleasure
John’s love of pigs, specifically the
British Saddleback and Hampshire
from breeding pigs and butchers
breeds came as a result of the
are the ones to sell the meat. I
dreaded foot and mouth outbreak,
actively promote the butchers at all
which left him to re-evaluate and
the shows I attend as their success
SHEEP, GOATS, CALVES, PIGS, is my success. All the Saddleback
reassess the animals on his farm.
“We were taken out in 2001 and we
pork, sausage, bacon and ham are
CATTLE, BOTH U/30 & 30/48MTHS available mail order from any of the
lost about 80 pigs, 300 sheep and
200 cows. I just couldn’t give myself
three butchers via their websites or
back to the cattle after the trauma
CMI, EBLEX & FARM shops.”
of it all. The number of pigs we have
But that’s not all, John is also involved has expanded from then on, but it’s
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36 FarmersMart Spring 2010


long time to gradually build up. The
pigs now occupy all the buildings
previously occupied by the cattle.”
The decision to cut out all cattle
and focus solely on pigs is a very
We are pleased to be associated with
John Sutcliffe and wish him continued
success for the future.
TEL: 01695 724331
uncertain one, so what made
John run the risk? “Pigs are such
interesting animals and I can manage
them myself. You don’t necessarily
need someone to help you full-time
as you would with cattle. At the time
of foot and mouth I was employing
three people, but afterwards I cut
back completely, so now it’s just me
and Stuart who comes and helps
one day a week,” John explained.
At a time when animal welfare is
so prominent in the media and the
production of traceable food a major
issue, John’s attitude as a breeder
is wonderfully traditional. He tells
us, “My pigs are extensively reared
and free range for the majority of the
year; in winter they’re in buildings
that are very airy with no heat or
enclosed spaces. I try to work with
nature and keep the pigs as naturally
as possible. Commercially however,
pig production is working with
very fine tolerances of profitability
and producing a cheap meat for
the wholesale food markets; and
doing so very successfully. Taste
and succulence are the key to my
Saddleback meat products.”
Following his most profitable year of
selling, John and his pedigree pigs
have battled through the recession
and proved that Great British produce
is just that. “There’s only a finite
area of land in the UK and we have
got to produce as much food from it
as possible,” he explains. “This area
is a livestock area in which lambs
and fat cattle are now reaching the
prices they should have years ago.
Its only because cheap imports have
sutcliffe
been coming in, we’re now getting
to a more even playing field. There
has been a very noticeable increase
in the Traditional Meat Marketing
Scheme as it’s now known, in the
amount of pigs going through to the
butchers. British farmers really have
the skills, the soil and the farms
to produce a lot of food, given the
opportunity and the right price in
which to do so.”
Inspired by a recent television
programme, John insists that the
future of pig farming is very promising;
“I recently watched a programme
with Jimmy from ‘Jimmy Farms’,
who I think does a marvellous job at
looking at the overall concept of food
production worldwide. Programmes
like this make you realise just how
on the edge of viability the human
race is in terms of feeding itself. Pig
keeping at the moment is becoming
very fashionable,” laughed John.
And this is one trendsetter you’ll
want to watch.
John Sutcliffe
Tel: 07887731552
Johnonthego7@yahoo.com
www.saddlebackpigs.co.uk
FarmersMart Spring 2010 37
 HOUGH
INTRODUCING THE
GODFATHER OF FARMING
LUCIE CARTER MEETS WITH BRYAN HOUGH TO HEAR HIS INSPIRING STORY
When it comes to farming, there’s
very little that Bryan Hough doesn’t
know. The term ‘generation farmer’
is somewhat lost on the 77 year old
farmer who, over his fifty years in
the industry has had a truly mind
blowing career.
Now retired, Bryan and his Wife
Rose of Burnedge Bent Farm in
Grasscroft, Oldham rely on their
Son Darren to do a lot of the hands-
on work. “Darren helped on the
farm since his school years, after
he worked in machinery and with
heavy goods he decided he would
come back to farming; he has a
tremendous amount of skills,” Bryan
explained.
With such a charismatic and locally
well-known Father, it’s no surprise
that Darren’s skills around the
farm are second-to-none; Bryan’s
38 FarmersMart Spring 2010
work over the years in teaching,
mentoring, dry stone walling and of
course farming would leave even the
most experienced of minds, utterly
astounded.
“I’ve lived here at Burnedge Bent
Farm since 1947 and I became
manger of the farm in 1960 when my
Dad gave me the manager’s position
and most of the responsibility. I
bought my dad out, out of his four
children, I was the only one interested
in farming,” but he didn’t stop there.
From his early years, his progression
into other aspects of agriculture did,
in his words, ‘snowball’.
“It all began with a certificate I got
from the City and Guilds Training
program, which showed that, as a
farmer I was fully technologically
capable. I also received a life
Censorship in Farming qualification
again from City and Guilds
around the same time.”
Bryan’s most prominent
moment came in the late
sixties when Graham
Suggit from Huddersfield
Technology College
asked him to pass on his
knowledge and teach.
“He wanted me to teach
veterinary work and show
students how to castrate
pigs. Soon after Gordon
Parry, a teacher from the
nearby Upper Mill village
heard about the work I was
doing and asked me to teach
at a school there; he offered A young hopeful Bryan Hough
me a paid teaching position and
insisted I was a natural,” Bryan
credentials, Bryan has been
beamed. “It was my certificates that
vice president of the White Bred
really led me to teaching; in all I’ve
Shorthorn Association Carlisle for
been teaching agricultural studies
the last ten years and is also a
for over 40 years; I taught in high
member of the Galloway Council.
schools across Todmorden, Upper
Perhaps Bryan’s most favourite
Mill and Huddersfield.”
career move was his work in dry
Proving that his love of teaching stone walling, which he has done
never faded, Bryan went from full- for much of his adult life; “I was
time teacher, to mobile mentor with president of the dry stone walling
over 45 trainees at one point; “I Association for 6 years, but I recently
worked as a Youth Training Scheme retired,” Bryan explains, “At least
(YTS) trainer for some time, across he’s supposed to have!” intervened
Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire Rose. “I wouldn’t say I’ve given it all
and even the Isle of Man; I just up,” he continued, “because I’m still
thought it was so important to pass president of the Lancashire branch
on the knowledge I had. These days of the association. So I do some
it’s often the case that there’s plenty teaching with that, but definitely
of work for everyone but a alack of not as much as I used to and it’s
skills to be able to do it.” voluntary.”
As well as his wonderful teaching With such a committed farmer
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at its reins, Burnedge Bent Farm
now boasts a Flock of 460 Texel
sheep, 200 of which are pedigree,
producing quality Texel Rams. 30
white bread cows, 35 galloways
“I have had to keep moving with the times and rely on
other areas of the industry to keep us going, we did
after all start here with one single hen pen.”
and blue greys. Bryan explained;
“Darren really helped to introduce
the texels to the farm because they
can be more profitable, but I was
always fanatical with galloways.
HOUGH
bryan hough
So how, over the 50 years of with are still relevant today.”
farming have standards in livestock
Bryan is currently in the early
changed? “Cattle are defiantly better
stages of jotting down his fondest
now,” Bryan insists, “they’re much
memories and developing them into
bigger and are exported a lot more
a book; “the reason being is simply;
often. The cattle we keep are so
I don’t think anyone else has had so
quiet compared to other breeds and
many different jobs, I mean at one
they’re such an easy carving. It’s
time I had 25 trainees, was teaching
more or less a closed heard here
20 community groups, teaching
now, apart from buying the odd bull
night classes and running a farm;
now and again.”
I honestly don’t know how me and
For a man who has pretty much seen Rose managed it all.
it all where agriculture is concerned,
And manage it they did; with a
Bryan tells us, without any reluctance
career spanning so many years, so
that he has no regrets; “Absolutely
many sectors and several counties,
none at all, my family and I have had
Bryan’s eventual book is sure to be
to keep moving with the times and
a best seller.
rely on other areas of the industry to
keep us going, we did after all start
here with one single hen pen. At one Bryan, Darren & Rose Hough
stage in my career I even did a lot Burnedge Bent Farm
of after dinner speaking, advising Grasscroft
audiences how to care for the land, Oldham OL4 4EB
and of course its animals, problems
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FarmersMart Spring 2010 39
 security / harold woolgar
Thefts of tractors and farm
machinery continues to rise
By Phil Read OBE Security Editor and harold woolgar
Farmers Mart has been following
the rise in thefts of agricultural
machinery in recent months, with
incidents in the north of England
seeming to reach epidemic
proportions. Everything from
tractors, trailers, horse boxes and
quad bikes are disappearing, with
police insiders telling Famers Mart
that some stolen equipment is
being exported through Ireland to
Africa and the Middle East. Another
lucrative destination is East Europe
where stolen agricultural equipment
is big business.
At the back end of 2008 police in
the south of England smashed an
organised criminal cartel who was
exporting stolen tractors to Poland.
Six tractors, stolen from Kent, Sussex,
Hampshire and Berkshire, and a car
also stolen from Berkshire, were
seized near Radom and returned to
the UK. Police now believe those
arrests may have displaced criminal
into the north of England.
The National Plant and Equipment
Register, who operate Europe’s
largest database of owned and stolen
plant equipment fears that criminal
gangs are using this illicit trade to
launder money. Their figures make
stark reading. The register’s annual
theft report found 184 tractors,
worth about £2.1m, were stolen
in 2008 compared with 74 the
previous year. Quad bike thefts rose
from 122 to 223 and fork lift truck
thefts from 33 to 55. These figures
are continuing to rise.
CARRS BILLINGTON AGRICULTURE
INTRODUCE OF THE CAMELID RANGE
It’s almost 200 years since J.D
Carr started baking bread in a
shop in Carlisle. He was very
good at it and would probably
have made a comfortable living
for the rest of his life, but he was
ambitious and wanted to do more.
Carrs Billington Agriculture was
eventually born and the rest it
seems is history.
40 FarmersMart Spring 2010
Insurance Broker Harold Woolgar,
a farming insurance specialist, told
Farmers Mart, “In the past three
years we have handled and paid
out claims in excess of £600,000.
Clearly theft is a major problem on
farms.
Handling so many claims has
given Harold a unique insight into
the problem, and he is able to
recommend sound advice to prevent
and detect thefts. His advice starts
with basic farm security. “Clearly
the automatic farm gate is a start.
Security lights and alarms are the
second line of defence, and vehicles
stored in locked buildings are highly
desirable,” says Harold.
Fitting a GPS tracker system is the
next thing on Harold’s list. “Trackers
are clearly the most successful line
of recovery. We had a client’s Land
Rover Discovery and trailer stolen at
noon, one Saturday lunchtime, this
was traced back along the motorway
and then up the A1 where the police
helicopter tracked it to a depot
and the police made a successful
recovery of several stolen vehicles.
Similarly a tractor was stolen, and
moved in a container to the Stranraer
Port, ready transport to Ireland
where it was then to be moved from
the container and driven on board
the ship, but the Tracker alerted the
Police car on the dockside and again
an arrest and a recovery was made,”
added Harold.
Police Inspector Richard Coldwell
The company still has an eye
for new products and so when
approached by Alpaca importer
and breeder Pat Bentley to produce
a bespoke product for Camelids, Dr
Cliff Lister, Ian Powley and others
set about the task.
Much research and trialling led
to Camelid Care Coarse Mix
being born. The feed is now a
from Otley Neighbourhood Policing
Team where some of the recent
thefts have taken place told Farmers
Mart that he was keen to encourage
farmers to report any suspicious
incident to the police. “If someone
comes onto your farm snooping then
we need to know. Thieves may be
planning their next theft or using the
visit to record your tractor’s identity
numbers which they need to disguise
a stolen tractor before trying to sell
it.” The police need descriptions,
vehicle registration numbers or
photos from a camera phone.
Finally both the police and Harold
are keen to make sure farmers use
FarmWatch. As Harold explained,
“Are you a member of a Farm Watch
Group? They certainly have proved
to be very successful on a great
number of occasions, perhaps it is
time we talked more frequently and
market leader sold all around the
country via our own branches,
feed merchants and a network of
suppliers.
As specialists in Animal Health
care products it was natural to
progress onto products such as
Colostrum, Milk Replacers and
Mineral Supplements etc. The latest
additions to the range are grass and
with conviction to the local police. If
you are not already a member, then
now is the time that you joined or
organised a group in your area”.
The advice from Harold is:
• Don’t leave the keys in
• Use a security gate
•U
 se security lighting in
drives and yards
• Fit a tracker
•P
 ostcode the roof of trailers
– big large letters
•P
 ostcode welding on trailers
tractors and machinery
•P
 hysically secure with steering
wheel locks and chains
• Record serial numbers,
engine numbers etc.
herbage seeds which produce ideal
pastures for Camelids, along with
the equipment required to maintain
your pastures.
If you would like more
information please visit
www.carrs-billington.com
or call Ian Powley on
01900 824 105.

ALPACAS, THE FASHIONABLE CHOICE
JENNIFER MACKENZIE VISITS BRIAN AND KIM RAINE TO FIND OUT MORE
A small farm in the south of the Lake
District National Park enabled Brian
Raine and his wife Kim to revisit his
ancestral agricultural roots and quit
the world of international business.
Four years ago the couple fell in love
with Town End Farm, Crosthwaite,
in the Winster Valley near Kendal,
and, as well as including the letting
holiday cottage they wanted, it also
had 50 acres of land.
“I worked for various very large
companies, mainly in trouble-shooting
roles, and I wanted to do something
radically different. Kim had always
sewed and knitted, having been
taught by her grandmother who was a
seamstress. We talked about having a
few cattle and sheep. Then Kim said
why don’t we have alpacas! We looked
into it and then started to investigate
further, visiting different breeders. We
decided to go for top class animals
as the venture needs to be in a niche
market.”
Now the herd numbers around 100
animals, including 40 breeding
females, which are run alongside a
small herd of pedigree Belted Galloway
G W Taylors
Hay & Straw Merchants
General Haulage
Long or Short Distance
We are pleased to be associated with
Brian Raine & Family
and we wish them continued success for the future
Contact Richard Taylor on 07870 175545
cattle and a flock of Wensleydale
sheep, all registered under the Town
End prefix, to assist the Raines in a
quest towards self-sufficiency.
The prime focus of the farm is the
alpacas which started with 13 top-
class, prize-winning breeding females.
All the fleeces from the alpacas are
processed in a mill and they return
spun for weaving or knitting into
top quality garments to Kim’s own
designs, using the wide variety of
natural colours of the fleeces.
Each alpaca produces between one
and two kilos of top quality fleece a
year and, to supplement this, more
is bought in. The alpaca accessories
are sold on-line as well as through
top store Selfridges and also at local
shows and events where the Raines
promote the animals.
As well as using the fleeces, there
is a ready demand for alpacas for
breeding as well as geld males to be
kept as pets and the Raines keep a
variety of colours of animals, both for
their own use for the fleeces and for
animals for sale. Most of the Town
End alpacas are the Huacaya type
RAINE
with a more woolly appearance, the
remainder being Suri, recognisable by
their dreadlocks and the hardiest and
heaviest of the two types.
The animals are susceptible to similar
diseases as sheep and as well as
encouraging newcomers to alpaca
keeping and breeding, the Raines are
keen to pass on their knowledge and
support as well as running courses,
which include basic husbandry.
Details can be seen along with
Brian Raine
animals and garments for sale on-
line at www.town-end-alpacas.co.uk.
Town End Alpacas is a member of the 4 Star status with a Gold award and
British Alpaca Society and the Raines sleeps four adults and two children.
are the welfare representative for The superior accommodation and the
the North West group of the British location - close to Windermere and
Alpaca Society. the south Lakes and in the Winster
Valley - has attracted visitors from
Testament to the quality of animals
around the globe as well as from the
in the herd is their achievements at
UK. The cottage is offered at reduced
shows, including winning the supreme
rates for couples on their own and it
champion Huyacaya among strong
is available for short breaks as well as
competition at the Westmorland
holidays.
County Show in 2009 with the home-
bred male Town End Magnus, now
two years old. Full details are available at
www.town-end-farm.co.uk
The holiday cottage at Town End has
Mob: 07740 918380
been upgraded to English Tourist Board
We are proud to be
associated with
Brian and Kim Raine
Riverside Business Park, Natland Road, Kendal, LA9 7SX
Providing a comprehensive total farm animal service.
Fertility, nutrition, mastitis, worming and health planning advice
including NWDA health initiative and Dairy Co Mastitis plans.
Telephone: 01539 722692
24hr emergency service
Also at: Tithe Barn Veterinary Centre, Kirkby Lonsdale
Part of the XLVets Group
www.westmorland-vets.co.uk
office@westmorland-vets.co.uk
www.xlvets.co.uk
For further details
contact
Ian Powley
01900 824105 CAMELID CARE PRODUCTS
We are pleased to be associated with
Brian Raine and wish him
continued success for the future.
www.carrs-billington.com
FarmersMart Spring 2010 41
 HOPES OF WIGTON auction mart

Buying, selling, moving

– it’s all happening at Wigton
Chris Berry talks with Bruce Walton & Ian Ritchie at Hopes
Sheep, cattle … and a dairy farm,
were all on offer in late February
at Hopes of Wigton, but there’s an
even bigger sale to come that is the
talk of the mart at the moment.
‘’We’re in the process of selling this
site to Tesco,’ says Bruce Walton,
director of Hopes Auction Company
of Wigton. ‘Plans are due to go in
front of the planners soon and we’ve
Auctioneer Bruce Walton
secured a site to move to on the south
east side of Wigton. There are pros
and cons to it, but the last thing we
would like to see is Tesco come here
and then the town’s other businesses
die. I think there’s more of a risk of
that happening if Tesco came and
took a site on the edge of town.’
Whilst thoughts of an impending
move are on Bruce’s mind, as well as
many other farmers and those who
live and work in Wigton, he reports
that the mart itself is performing
solidly.
‘We sell prime cattle and prime
sheep on a Tuesday and we’re a
dedicated slaughter market. We get
anywhere between 150-250 cattle
and 500-800 sheep at this time
of year and prices on sheep have
remained fairly good. Last week we
averaged just short of £2/kilo for
good quality lambs, but cattle prices
have just eased in the past week.
They will be 10-15p/kilo less than
they were this time last year. I think
that’s pretty general throughout the
country. The meat wholesalers are
telling us they can’t sell the better
cuts- steaks, top sides. I think that’s
because there are quite a few cattle
about and that people are short of
money. On the lamb side the export
side is still keeping the trade buoyant.
The Pound/Euro has helped, but isn’t
helping just quite so much at the
minute.’
Bruce believes that, following the
experiences of mart closures in 2001
and 2007 there has been a greater
realisation of the need to keep the
livestock market system alive.
‘I think many do realise the benefits
of livestock markets but you’ve
always got the diehards who will go
deadweight. The danger of that, and

D.A.Harrison
Waverton, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 0AE

• Haulage & Storage •

• Sand, Gravel & Aggregates •
• Ready Mixed Concrete •
• Skip Hire & Waste Disposal •
• Stevedores at Silloth Docks •
• Pre-Stressed Concrete Products •
Brian Johnston Haulage
All Livestock Haulage Admin: 016973 42277
RMC: 016973 61777
We are pleased to be associated with Skip Hire: 016973 31000
Hopes Auction Mart
and wish them continued success Haulage: 016973 44000
for the future

Wishing Hopes Auction Mart

Tel: 01768 894 274
all the best for the future
Mob: 07885 774742

42 FarmersMart Spring 2010


In concentration
I’m really not trying to scaremonger,
is that if a meat company goes down
when you’re selling direct, you’ve lost
your money. If you sell through the
auction mart you get paid. I think it’s
very important for farmers to realise
that if auction marts weren’t around
there would be no competition and
HOPES OF WIGTON auction mart
they would lose out big style. It
has happened twice in the past 10
years and I cannot emphasise it too
strongly. There is a great danger out
there.’
Hopes of Wigton has worked hard
over the years with both its buyers
A full ring
and sellers around the sheep and 9 or 10 each week from a wide
cattle rings. area and include wholesalers and
local butchers. On the sheep side,
‘We pull cattle numbers from as far
where several buyers now purchase
as Egremont in the west to Hexham
on behalf of a number of others,
in the east. There are tow Hexham
farmers here today. Our buyers
continues page 44
around the cattle ring number around
FarmersMart Spring 2010 43
 HOPES OF WIGTON auction mart
we usually have 5 or 6 around the
ring, which always creates healthy “I think many do realise the benefits of
competition. That’s what our job is all livestock markets but you’ve always got
the diehards who will go deadweight.”
about, securing the best price for our
farmer customers whilst also looking
after our buyers.’
bruce walton
Bruce comes from Wark in
Northumberland, where his mother
still keeps about 100 sheep. He went
to Hexham Mart when he left school
at 16 and came across to Hopes of
Wigton 10 years ago.
Wigton and the countryside around
is still a heartland for dairy farming
and despite talk of many going out
of milk during the times of Foot and
Mouth nearly everyone in this area
has stayed in. However, a dairy farm
came up for sale on the day I visited
due to a farmer’s ill health. The
auction, following straight on from
the cattle, sparked a great deal of
interest.
Ian Ritchie, land agency manager for
Hopes of Wigton, told me about it:
‘It’s not often we get a dairy farm come
up for sale at all. It’s been around two
or three years since the last one. I
believe this particular farm in Kirkbride
would appeal to someone who’s an
existing farmer looking perhaps for a
house for his son and maybe wintering
for followers.’
The sale of Studholme. Kirkbride
which extended to 106 acres and
briefly consisted of a 3 bedroomed
farmhouse and a useful range of
both modern and traditional farm
buildings, including cubicle sheds, a Ready to buy
modern 10:20 swing over parlour,
modern slurry handling facilities and
silage clamps was sold as a whole to
Mr Graham Hewitt for £775,000.

HOPES AUCTION CO LTD

93 High Street, WIGTON
Cumbria CA7 9PG
Tel: 016973 42202
auctioneers@
hopesofwigton.co.uk
www.hopesofwigton.co.uk Plenty to say Where’s your cap

BRAYTON
HigH PRessuRe WAsHeRs

• SaleS • Hire • Service • repairS

• part excHange Welcome
contact US today For a
demonStration at yoUr premiSeS
We are pleased to be associated with
Hopes Auction Mart and we wish them
continued success for the future

Tel: 01228 537 761 OR MOBile: 07860 556929

10 AlleNdBROOk ROAd, ROseHill esTATe, CARlisle

44 FarmersMart Spring 2010


No way farmers should
fund disease
Chris Berry talks with David Pearson of Deepdale, Upper Wharfedale
When there was talk recently
of charging farmers yet another
levy – this time on funding the
government’s costs on controlling
diseases – there were many who
were livid.
David Pearson, who farms in one of
Yorkshire’s more remote locations
at East Deepdale Farm, near
Hubberholme in Upper Wharfedale,
was amongst those who were quick
to announce their displeasure.
‘I think we do a lot, quite frankly,
and I’m against it. A lot of it is out
of our control, containing diseases
like Foot and Mouth and Bluetongue.
They were brought into this country.
I think the government should look
to tightening up import policies and
shambolic border controls before
they start looking to get farmers
to help them out of it. For instance
take Pirbright, where they let the
disease out. Why should we pay for
something like that?’
‘Farmers spend something like
£300m per year on vaccinations and
biosecurity measures at the moment
in this country trying to keep us right
and correct on disease control. It
already costs us a lot of money.’
David believes that whichever party
is in power after this year’s General
Election they will still be looking
towards this additional tax on
farmers.
‘I wouldn’t be at all surprised if, no
matter who gets in, they would be
looking after some kind of help to pay
for the incidence of disease.’
“I think the government
should look to tightening
up import policies and
shambolic border
controls before they start
looking to get farmers to
help them out of it.”
David Pearson
David also has his own views, shared
by many other farmers, about the
one disease that has not received the
media attention of the rest – TB.
‘This is the only disease that I could
see we could have any control over.
Of course if farmers had been allowed
to do it themselves they would have
stopped it by now.’
He’s talking of a badger cull.
‘Is it right to kill 40,000 cattle a year
and not kill badgers. It’s a ridiculous
situation. I’m not talking about taking
out the whole badger community
completely, just in the hotspots. It’s
when you get far too many in one
place that disease starts up.’
David is a representative on the
NFU North East livestock board
and has farmed at Deepdale for
many years. He was born in Pateley
Bridge and originally came to work
at Buckden, 5 miles away from
Deepdale. The farming operation
runs to 750 breeding sheep, including
predominantly Swaledales but with
a few Cheviots; and a suckler herd.
He lives with wife Margaret, with his
son Nigel and his family next door
at West Deepdale. Together the two
properties make up the hamlet of
Deepdale.
In common with many farmers he
has seen farming change massively
over the past decades.
‘The paperwork involved now is just
ridiculous. Our politicians are so
impotent. When I started all I had
to do was make sure my animals
pearson
were kept in good condition and
try to see a profit at the end of the
day. I paid my rent, my dues and
the paperwork was minimal. We had
no licence forms, passports, animal
medicine books. I do believe in a
certain amount of traceability but
there’s nothing wrong with a holding
number and a unique flock number.
I think this latest attempt at getting
us to pay more is just a cheek and
I know that’s the opinion of many of
the farmers from between Skipton
and Hawes.
DAVID PEARSON
East Deepdale Farm,
Deepdale near Hubberholme,
Skipton, Upper Wharfedale
Tel: 01756 760867
FarmersMart Spring 2010 45
 mercer

Nick Mercer - charity runner and farmer

Running for Dom

Chris Berry talks charity work with Adel farmer, Nick Mercer
Nick Mercer is a man on a mission.
This year he has entered the
Leeds 10K, York 10K, Hull 10K,
the Pennine Lancashire 10K and
will take part in the Great North
Run for the third time. His reason
is simple – he is raising funds
for charity, and in particular for
Martin House Children’s Hospice
in memory of his godson Dominic
who passed away at just 19 years
of age.
He farms at Adel, on Eastmoor
Farm, just north of Leeds, where
his father farmed before him. Today
it is his commercial gardening and
garden site maintenance work
as Adel Farms and Gardens that
makes up the larger share of his
income, but the 60 acres at Adel
where he runs a flock of around 90
Mule and Mule X Texel ewes and a
small herd of cattle is also where
he trains in readiness for this year’s
fund raising efforts.
‘When I packed up playing rugby
for Yarnbury up at Horsforth I
wanted to do something to keep
myself fit. I was very much inspired
by the wonderful Jane Tomlinson
and the work now carried on by her
husband Mike and their children.
Martin House was the obvious
choice as my charity as they looked
after my godson Dom, giving
such superb support and respite
to Dom and his family during his
battle against Duchenne Muscular
Dystrophy which eventually claimed
his life in 2006. Dom was a lovely
young man who wanted to be a
sports journalist and despite his
illness had gained a place at Trinity
& All Saints before his death. He
continues to be my main inspiration
during all of my runs. I am not and
never will be a good runner, but
that’s not the point. When you see
so many people who are prepared
to train and run in events like these
for so many different reasons it is
truly fantastic.’
Farming still remains a focal point
for Nick. In recent times he has
been using the Hampshire tup to
his Texels, whilst using the Texel
tup with the Mules and selling his
stock at Wharfedale Mart.
‘The reason I decided to use the
Hampshire was that two years
ago when lamb prices were down

Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart Ltd

LEEDS ROAD, OTLEY, LS21 3BD
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SEE YOUR STOCK SOLD AND COLLECT YOUR PAY ON THE SAME DAY
AT OUR “FRIENDLY” YORKSHIRE LIVESTOCK MART
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
We are pleased to be associated with Nick Mercer of Adel Farm & Gardens
and wish him all the best for the future
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MONDAYS (Weekly) Pigs, Prime Sheep, Cull Cattle & Prime Cattle
THURSDAYS (Seasonal) Special Catalogue Sales of Breeding & Store Sheep
FRIDAYS (Fortnightly) Store Sheep, Dairy Cattle, Calves, Stirks, Feeding Bulls,
Breeding & Store Cattle
SATURDAYS Farm Equip, Implements & Machinery
(Monthly at 10am Jan - Nov)
also Fur & Feather sold at 12noon
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ON-FARM SALES, LAND & PROPERTY SALES / VALUATIONS AND CLAIMS CONDUCTED
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Telephone: (01943) 462172 Fax: (01943) 461135
Ian Smith ALAA (Market Manager) 07738 043771
www.wharfedale-farmers.co.uk

46 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 mercer

Nick and young pup Ted

Sponsor nick by going to

www.justgiving.com/
nick-mercermartinhouse10Kruns

I just wanted something a little bit doing it in the memory of Dom

different. I’ve been very pleased with and to help others. Whatever you
the way they have gone and they can give Nick will be grateful for.
stand a very good comparison with If you go to www.justgiving.com/
the Texel lambs. The only problem nick-mercermartinhouse10Kruns
is the availability of Hampshire tups you will find all the information you
up here, but the society does have need.
a sale at Skipton each year.
Farmers Mart applauds Nick for his
‘When my dad farmed here it was efforts and is visiting the site to give
connected to the Eastmoor Young right now!
Offenders Unit, but then we were
offered the farm ourselves. We
used to milk 40-45 dairy cows www.justgiving.com/nick-
at one time and the lads from the mercermartinhouse10Kruns
young offenders unit used to come or give Nick a call direct
and learn how to milk. Today with on 07712 189631
just 60 acres we have diversified
into the gardening business and it is
now a combination of that and the
farm which keeps the job right.’
Nick contacted Farmers Mart more
to promote the charity running that
he is doing than to bang on about
either his farming or gardening
business. He is looking for more
farm businesses to sponsor him as
he embarks on not just his running,
but also a swim across Lake
Windermere later this year.
‘Saturday 4 September will see me
donning my wetsuit and swimming
across Windermere once again for
charity. I’m not sure whether that’s
a good idea, as I’m not particularly
a swimmer, but I’ve been watching
the TV programme The Lakes and
this swim is only a mile.’
Nick deserves every bit of our
support. A tear still comes to his eye
when he mentions his godson Dom.
He’s not doing what he’s doing for Nick Mercer also runs Adel Farm and Gardens
any great personal glory, he’s just

SAVILLE FARMERS AND CONTRACTORS

• Round and conventional bailing • Hedge Cutting
ADEL FARM AND GARDENS • Muck Spreading • JCB Work • Quality hay and silage for sale
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ALL ASPECTS OF LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN MAINTENANCE
We cover Wetherby and Yorkshire areas
Tel: 01132 780295
Mobile: 07712 189631 Saville Farmers And Contractors are pleased to
adelfarmandgardens@live.co.uk be associated with Nick Mercer
Adel Farm & Gardens are pleased to
support Martin House Hospice Tel: 01132886341 Mob: 07850915453

FarmersMart Spring 2010 47

 new products

FAULKS & CO LTD

LAUNCH NEW RANGE OF
QUALITY HAND TOOLS
Faulks & Company Ltd were to give the same service on tools
established in the British we give with Tubtrugs®, friendly
Agricultural Trade in 1981 selling staff and consistent fast ex-stock
the now obligatory Rubber Feed deliveries” he added.
skip. Which was followed in the
Agricultural and contractors tools
90’s with Gorilla Tubs® which
come in Cool Grey and natural
bought long lasting buckets to sites
materials such as “Ash Wood”
all over the world. Faulks & Co
made to last and provide first class
now decided to offer quality hand
value for money. The range will be
tools as part of their growing range,
developed further over the coming
under the Wm.Faulks Brand.
months by listening to the Trade and
The range is made up of over 60 giving them what they want!
products which fall into the following
groups:
For more information visit
• Shovels, spades and Forks www.wmfaulks.com
(mostly All Steel)
• Manure, Hay and Bedding Forks
• Cutting and chopping tools
• Hammers and driving tools
• Miscellaneous Tools (inc.
Mattocks & Squeegees)
Chris Birch, UK Sales Manager;
“Quality has been at the forefront of
all our development work. We intend

48 FarmersMart Spring 2010


PIGS WORTHY OF FROM PEDIGREE PIGS
THE BIG SCREEN TO PERFECT PORK
CAROLE BARR OF CROOK BARN STABLES
EXPLAINS MORE
Babe, Miss Piggy and Porky
Pig; all famous, all memorable,
but nevertheless, all fictional.
Carole Barr’s real life herd of
British Lops, however, which are
based in Torver near Coniston,
were in recent years thrown into
the spotlight and given the real
Hollywood treatment.
2006’s ‘Miss Potter’ the enchanting
tale of the life of Author Beatrix
Potter captured all that’s great
about natural England, especially
its quality of pedigree pigs. Being
approached by a major film
production company came as much
as a surprise to Carole as it would
to, well, anyone; “We knew that
they were filming here in the Lake
District and that they were using one
of the farm houses locally to recreate
Beatrix’s home. The farm house
they eventually used belonged to
friends of mine and they mentioned
they were looking specifically for
pigs to feature on screen.” The rest
it seems was history.
But it’s not all lights, camera,
action; Crook Barn works primarily
as riding stables and has done for
twenty years. When Carole bought
the typical Lake District bank
barn all those years ago however,
she simply couldn’t resist housing
animals other than horses. “We got
our first pig about 15 years ago, we
have kept different breeds of pigs
but we decided to help the British
Lops, because they’re the rarest of
the traditional breeds and need help;
they make good mothers, have good
litter numbers and perhaps most
importantly, they make good pork.”
On the contrary to popular belief
Carole insists that, “Although pigs
and horses traditionally don’t mix,
most people who’ve got a horse
will tell you can’t get it past a field
full of pigs but ours are ok together.
The pigs will sometimes be out in
the field with the horses and they’re
both equally tolerant.”
Its not very often you find a horse
lover who farms pigs, let alone one
that does it with such high regard
and success; a couple of years ago
Carole received the award for overall
champion at the Cheshire show with
her pedigree pig, Ashghyll Harmony.
Much of Carole’s achievements
have come as a result of Crook
Barn Stable’s beautiful location;
“We’re lucky here, it’s obviously a
beautiful area, we have the riding
on our doorstep and of course the
thriving tourism all around us. And
although like everyone else we are
in a recession, people have always
got to eat.”
And eat they will; home bred,
pedigree pork hopefully.
Crook Barn Stables
www.pigsandpoultry.co.uk
015394 41088
BARR / WALTON
FARMERSMART VISITS THE REAL LIFE WALTONS
AND THEIR AWARD WINNING STOCK
Last year there was one pig that
really did rule the roost, throughout
all the competitions up and down
the country; ‘Deva Hover 199’ or
‘Peony’ as she’s more personally
known, scooped up several awards
and cast a shadow on her fellow
contenders.
Jan and Andrew Walton of Church
Farm, Backford in Chester, always
knew that they had a winner amongst
their herd of pedigree Duroc pigs, but
remained pleasantly surprised with
Peony’s success across the board;
“she achieved Supreme Champion
at Stafford, Shropshire & West
Midlands and the Great Yorkshire same masters degree as Andrew.”
Shows. As well as that she was The Walton’s agricultural education
Reserve Supreme at Cheshire Show has perhaps led them down their
and she was named Reserve Female chosen career path; Jan said “We
Pig of the Year, an award which
developed our own food production
comes from all the BPA sponsored
company Deva Foods which means
shows, 14 all together; there are four
we can sell the very best meat to
heat winners from each show, so
our chosen outlets, via our on-site
we were competing against over 50
processing area.”
other Champion Pigs in total,” Jan
When they moved to their beloved
explained.
farm, it wasn’t the developed and
Church Farm also occupies a MV productive site it is today; “We bought
accredited flock of 180 pedigree the farm with just 2 small paddocks
Charollais sheep and 250 MV the barn, the shed, and the house
accredited commercial ewes in a basically; and now 8 years later we
flock consisting of North Country are pushing on two hundred acres.”
Mules, Cheviots, Lleyns, Texels, Jan now has her eye on one pig in
Border Leicester’s and crossbreds. particular; “We might take ‘JJ’ out
Jan and Andrew’s passion for late in the summer, just by looking at
producing the best possible animal him I can tell he has real potential.”
stems from their life-long love of Let’s just say that JJ has some
farming, two academic degrees each extremely large trotters to fill.
and naturally, her partnership with
Andrew; “I have an agricultural based
Jan and Andrew Walton
degree from Leeds University in
Church Farm
Animal Science and a masters degree
01244 851 705
from Bristol in Meat Science, the
SKIPTON AUCTION MART
Gargrave Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire
Auctioneers & Valuers
Weekly Sales of:- Primestock, Cast Cattle & Sheep, Rearing Calves, Crop
Fortnightly Sales of:- Beef Breeding Cattle, Young Feeding Bulls & Store Cattle
Pedigree & Commercial Newly Calven & In-Calf Dairy Cattle & Dairy Young Stock
Major Seasonal Sales of:- Breeding Sheep and Store Lambs
Inc: NEMSA Mule Gimmer Lamb Sales & MSBA Masham Gimmer Lamb Sales,
Mule & Continental Gimmer Shearling Sales, Swaledale Draft Ewe & Shearling Sale, Pedigree Sheep & Cattle
Specialist Sales inc:- Poultry & Waterfowl, Working Sheep Dogs
SKIPTON MACHINERY SALES (4X4’s Tractors & Machinery), Reclamation, Salvage & Furniture etc
Country, Farm & Flock Books, Border Fine Art
On-Farm Stock Sales, Dispersals & Valuations Undertaken
Farmstock Office:- Skipton 01756 792375
Auctioneers: Jeremy Eaton (General Manager) 07747 780481
Ted Ogden (Farmstock Sales) 07855 958211
Diane (Field Officer) 07834 050193
www.ccmauctions.com
FarmersMart Spring 2010 49
 news

Festival Provides
Roaring Trade
for Farmers
Phil Read reports from Yemen on how
religious festivals are big business
for farmers
It’s the end of November 2009 in
Sana’a, the capital of Yemen in
the Middle East and the city has
the same buzz and excitement as
Oxford Street on Christmas Eve.
Millions of Muslims are making
last minute preparations for Eid
Ul-Adha, the second major festival
in the Islamic calendar.
And just as Christmas isn’t the same
without turkey, Eid also has special
festive fare, but whilst turkey is
based on Victorian custom, Eid is
rooted firmly in religion.
Eid-ul-Adha celebrates an event over
4000 years ago mentioned in both
the Bible and the Quran, when God
appeared in a dream to Abraham
and to test his faith asked him to
sacrifice his son. As Ibrahim was
about to kill his son, God intervened
and instead provided a lamb as the
sacrifice. This is why today all over
the world Muslims sacrifice a sheep
(alternatively a goat or cow can be
used), as a reminder of Abraham’s
obedience to Allah.
And for the Muslim farmers of Yemen,
this festival is literally ‘manna’ from
heaven. Today goats and cows are
the favoured dish of the day, and
the centuries old farmers market in
Sana’a is the centre of this festive
business.
Families sacrifice the beast at Eid
and it has to be eaten in three
days. Typically a family will share a
large animal with other friends and
neighbours to cut down on costs,
and to give them a better chance of
eating it in the required time!
Business was brisk when I popped
down to the market 2 days before
Eid. Bartering and dealing was
taking place on every corner and
farmers agents were busy drumming
up business. People were arriving in
droves in pickups to take the beasts
away, and traffic was chaos. So how
much were animals selling for?
Farmers told me this was definitely
their most profitable time of year,
and many had travelled from villages
miles away to sell their stock. A goat
sells for anything from 150 to 250
US dollars (£89 - £150) while the
more popular cow or bull was selling
for 500 US dollars for a small cow
to 1000 or even 1500 for a large
beast. (£300, £600 - £900)
As money continued to change
hands it seemed that everyone
wanted to either sell me a cow or
proudly show me the animal they
had just bought. Driving away I
could see the occasional vehicle in
the traffic carrying its live cargo to
the family home, where in a couple
of days the father of the house will
ritually slaughter the beast in strict
accordance with Islamic traditions
ensuring the meat is halal.

Unique Combination Proves a Big Hit

Bryce Post Drivers have now introduced a
unique combination of patented features on
the telescopic mast of their Suma range of
post drivers. This combination features an
automatic twin pulley system which allows
the hammer to travel the full length of the
mast at all times without any manual or
mechanical adjustments.
This, together with a specially rolled beam
gives a simple strong & lightweight design
keeping weight to a minimum without
excessive fabrication. A patent is also pending
for a mast lubrication system which allows
both sides to be lubricated from ground level,
addressing an important HSE area. In addition
a special certified & tested one-piece post cap
is also fitted to hold posts handsfree – see
picture. This one-piece design eliminates the
possibility of welds cracking on a fabricated
version and the cap also slides on independent
guide rails.
The patented combination also features a
mast tilt ram bracket which has no moving
parts and is virtually maintenance free. This
patented mast tilt ram bracket is standard
fitment on all side-mounted machines. The
automatic telescopic mast complete with
mast lubrication system and one-piece post
cap are standard fitment on all the 7 models
offered in their range which includes models
for telehandlers and diggers.
For more info call Jock on 01573 440314
or visit www.brycesuma.co.uk

50 FarmersMart Spring 2010


RABDF CALLS FOR FLAT RATE PAYMENT
The Royal Association of British
Dairy Farmers has called for all
producers to receive a share of
the £25m EU dairy aid package
in response to the government’s
consultation on the fund’s
allocation.
“Every single dairy farmer was
adversely effected by the global
downturn in market prices, therefore
they should each receive an equal
share of the fund based upon
production between October 2008
and September 2009, a figure that
works out at a flat rate of 0.2ppl
for milk produced in this period,”
commented RABDF technical and
policy adviser, Tom Rabbetts.
Dairy Farmers to Benefit from
50% Funding in Yorkshire Region
A release from Yorkshire Forward at
the end of February has brought a
much needed boost to the support
of Farmers in Yorkshire. Grants
are available to those making
investments which will improve the
health and welfare of their cows.
Investments covered are for
“Technologies” such as Robotic
Milking, or Rapid Exit milking
parlours; “Dairy Herd Housing”
such as cubicles and improving
ventilation etc and “Dry / Youngstock
Housing” – for improvements to
housing and welfare.
The grant rates vary from 20%
on building new housing, and can
be up to 60% in “Less Favored
“The alternative option to offer
0.5ppl for the first 100,000 litres
and thereafter 0.15ppl would favour
smaller producers; unfortunately
we have been unable to find any
supporting evidence to prove that
they were affected by the slump
in milk price any different to larger
producers. To do so would take
some time and we want the fund to
be distributed at the earliest in the
simplest and most efficient manner.
“Furthermore, that option would
only present an advantage to
approximately 3,500 producers and
far more suffered from a low milk
price. In fact all dairy farmers’ farm
gate milk prices were hit hard during
Areas” (LFA) for technologies and
improvements. The program is
set to run over the next 3 years.
Individuals can have up to 2 years
to complete their whole project.
There is a minimum grant rate
of £25,000 so projects have to
be big enough to ensure that this
represents the percentage of grant
that is applicable to their project.
An example is that a non LFA farmer
will have to be spending a minimum
of £50,000 on new technologies
or infrastructure improvements in
order to claim their 50% grant and
get £25,000 funded.
Farmers looking to take up this offer
are invited to fill in a “Expression
of Interest” form which can be
dairy
the downturn, therefore we believe He adds: “Awarding 0.2ppl is not
that they should all receive the same a huge amount for farmers, but it
flat rate payment,” he explained. may help to pay a bill or two. We do
not believe that this is the best way
RABDF however has not backed the
forward to achieving a free market;
government proposal that farmers
the fund was introduced mainly to
producing less than 50,000 litres
support weaker EU member states’
a year should be exempt from
less efficient farmers and while we
funding. “If a producer has milk
are grateful of the fund, it is unlikely
quota, is registered with the RPA
that it will support these farmers in
and is contributing to the dairy
the longer term.”
industry, then why shouldn’t he
or she receive the fund too? The
number of producers below the www.rabdf.co.uk
50,000 litre threshold is relatively
small; therefore it’s unlikely that to
pay these producers will cause too
much administrative burden.”
downloaded at: www.yorkshire- package nationally so this will benefit
forward.com/rural other regions as well as Yorkshire’s
farmers. The news of this is a major
If your expression of interest is
boost to Dairy Farmers across the
deemed to be suitable for funding
county, especially as many were
Yorkshire Forward will send an
hit by losses last year due to the
application out and details of
collapse of DFB. At that point
deadlines when work needs to be
last year Yorkshire Forward helped
completed and monies claimed.
many Dairy Farmers with free
After the work is done, you’re not
advice and seminars to try and help
finished! Yorkshire forward may
those affected. The coming months
need updates from you and your
will reveal more information about
vet as to how the investment has
this support, but at long last Dairy
improved the welfare of you cows
Farmers in the region seem to be
for the following 5 years.
getting some welcome support!
Yorkshire Forward is the “Regional
Development Agency” and other
“RDA” for other regions are likely BY TIM GIBSON
to also be offering a very similar
FarmersMart Spring 2010 51
 huddleston

Andrew, Harry and Lisa Huddlestons by the Three Peaks

scenic and successful

wayne hutchinson visits the beautiful overhouses farm
Perched high over the Lune Valley,
and a backdrop which includes the
famed 3 peaks, Whernborough,
Ingleborough and Penyghent, in
the distance is Overhouses Farm,
a unit of around 400 acres and run
by John and Dorothy Huddleston
in partnership with sons David
and Andrew, who have maintained
the family tradition of breeding
high quality livestock, noted both
locally and further afield.
A skilled eye for livestock netted
Andrew an award last year as he
fended of all comers at the NSA
North Sheep event in the stock
judging competition, where 6
breeds of sheep, with four in a pen,
had to be placed. Despite some
chiding from his wife, Lisa, about
taking his time he netted a cheque
for £150, which he insists, dryly,
hasn’t changed his life and he didn’t
give up his job despite the fame that
came about because of it!
Core of the business is the Swaledale
flock, which provides the pedigree
sheep and also mother’s to the Mule
gimmer lambs which are produced
and sold at Hawes, Bentham and
Lancaster sales in the backend.
The quality of their mules has also
influenced a demand for their line
of Blue Faced Leicester tups, with
some of the top bloodlines having
Overhouses breeding in them
somewhere. They lamb around 25
– 30 BFL ewes each year. They
also keep a flock of Lonk ewes,
which are run as a pure flock and
also crossed with the Leicester,
and because of their tremendous
confirmation also produce a strong,
well made fat lamb.
The farm also carries a noted
suckler herd, consisting mainly of
British Blue cross cattle, which
run with the British Blue bull. They
took the championship Bentham,
their local Auction marts show
and sale for pens of 4 in the steer
and heifer classes. The cattle are
mainly John’s interest, as Andrew
comment that he himself “Prefers
not to bother about cows until
Sunday dinnertime!”
Andrews passion for his sheep can
be seen in his dedication to touring
the show circuit each summer,
and it can be surprising where he
and Lisa pop up, showing their
Swaledale sheep from Lancaster to
Eastgate, high in County Durham.
They try and enter as many classes

SWALEDALE
SHEEPBREEDERS’
ASSOCIATION
For further details please contact the Secretary -
John Stephenson

Tel: 01833-650516
Email: jstephenson@swaledale-sheep.com
website:- www.swaledale-sheep.com

52 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 huddleston

as they can at each show, and have
some great successes over the
years picking up championships
at Bentham, Hornby and
Ravenstonedale as well as points
cups at Moorcock, Hornby and
Bentham shows, as well as picking
up many tickets and trophies at
Muker show, which is deep in the
heartland of the Swaledale breed.
He has been showing sheep as
long as he can remember, showing
crossbred ewes as a “tiddler” and
considers it a vital part of both
marketing and socialising too.
Each backend he sells a selection
of his best Swaledale ram lambs,
which have gained a good reputation
for going on and doing well. He has
won the coveted championship
tickets at the society sales at both
Kirkby Stephen “C” District and at
Hawes “B” District too, selling to
a top of £2500, and seen lambs
that he has bred go on and sell as
shearlings for £3500.
Off the farm Andrew and Lisa are
keen Christians, and having met at
a Methodist chapel service they still
attend the local Methodist chapel
in Wray and are involved in various
youth groups, organising meetings
for people in their 20/30’s. Andrew
was also involved in Sportsreach,
a Christian football group, before
his knees got too old for it, and led
his team to a memorable league
title some years ago and being
the leagues top goal scorer in the
process. Despite this Christian
outlook, he does have his faults and
is a supporter of the “Red Devils”,
but eventually he may be forgiven
for that too!
Looking to the future Andrew and
Lisa, with 2 year old son Harry,
both feel that farming has a bright
future, with the world population
increasing and food security
becoming an issue, they see
farmers are going to be increasingly
important as food providers, more
than park keepers which over the
last couple of decades they have
been thought of.
John and Dorothy Huddleston
Overhouses Farm,
Wray, Lancaster
Tel: 01524 262726
Harry helping out

RI Raw Feeds (UFas RegIsteRed 1058) Towers Gornall

Chartered Certified Accountants
Feed MIll CapeRnwRay, CaRnFoRth
Blended Feeds FoR Cattle and sheep Towers & Gornall are pleased to be associated with
Andrew, Lisa and David Huddleston and wish them
delIveRed oR selF ColleCtIon every success now and in the future

we are pleased to be associated with

29 Main Street, Bentham
the huddleston Family and we wish them continued Near Lancaster, LA2 7HQ
success for the future Tel: 015242 61206
Fax: 015242 63130
tel: 015242 219 22 / 07968693989 admin@towersandgornall.co.uk

FarmersMart Spring 2010 53

 selby auction mart
Great start at Selby Mart
Chris Berry visits the mart they call the friendly one
Richard Haig in action
It’s been a very strong start to the
year so far as Selby Livestock auction
Market is concerned. Auctioneers
Chris Clubley and Richard Haigh
both reported an excellent trade in
January and February.
‘The year has started well,’ said Chris.
‘Prices are higher than last year at
this time in all of our three sectors
of pigs, sheep and cattle. We have
seen a little dip in the sheep numbers
54 FarmersMart Spring 2010
coming forawrd this week and to be
fair we expected a little dip in the
cattle trade but I think the shortage
of cattle is holding up the trade rather
well. A lot of our farmers haven’t
bought the numbers of store lambs
they would normally have done and
that reflects in the numbers coming
forward. Sheep averaged 180p/kilo,
cattle 165p/kilo and pigs around
107p/kilo today (Wed 17 Feb). We’re
averaging around 15% up on the
sheep price from last year and 10%
up on pigs. The cattle price is around
5% higher.’
Chris believes the export market for
sheep is still being aided by the weak
pound against the Euro. ‘The pound
is a lot weaker than it was last year at
this time and that is helping the job
keep going, although it is becoming a
bit stronger now.’
Richard Haigh sees the sheep
market steadying as the pound grows
stronger: ‘That is what happens. The
other side is that as store sheep and
cattle are dear going in, they have to
be a good trade going out for farmers
to make their margins.’
Chris also runs his own land and
estate agency business which
celebrates its 21st anniversary this
year. He tells of a recovery in the
 FARMstAY

Auctioneers Chris Clubley & Richard Haig

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST
residential market place since the the Friendly Auction Mart and with
New Year, although very little on the prices as they are it looks set to

SERVES UP A £4,200
agricultural land market. continue being a very friendly place
for some while yet!
‘We have started the year really well
on residential having sold several

CHARITABLE TREAT
properties but there is nothing much SELBY LIVESTOCK
on the farming side. I think it’s AUCTION MARKET
everyone’s desire to hold on to their
Bawtry Road
little bit of England and that’s what
SIMONE VISITS SCAIFE HALL FARM AND
SELBY YO8 8NB
all farmers are doing. When prices
Tel: 01757 703347
ENJOYS A DELICIOUS BREAKFAST
are going up they tend to hold on and
wiat for them to fall.’ info@selbymart.co.uk
www.selbymart.co.uk
The mood around Selby Market was
certainly happy. Selby is known as Bumper Yorkshire farmhouse to ‘struggle on regardless.’ What we
breakfasts, all 164 of them, were want to them know is that potential
served up over three days and six help could well be available. We’re
sittings at this year’s annual Charity only a phone call away.”
Farmhouse Breakfast. Husband
The 2010 Big Breakfast was
and wife farmers and on-farm
organised and run jointly by REAL
accommodation providers Chris
Food and Farming, which promotes
and Christine Ryder threw open
and supports the Yorkshire Dales
their doors at Scaife Hall Farm,
uplands and the communities and
Blubberhouses, for the 2010 feast,
businesses that depend on them,
which raised £4,200 for the ARC-
and local members of Farm Stay
Addington Fund.
UK, Britain’s biggest network
The national charity helps maintain of farm-based accommodation
the economic and social fabric of providers.
UK farming communities, notably
It again shone the spotlight on
Are they happy? through its Strategic Rural Housing
the value and importance of using
Scheme, which provides housing for
quality local produce, as well as
farmer and their families who have
the starting the day with a healthy,
to leave their farm and cannot find

Chris Clubley & Co

nutritious breakfast.
anywhere suitable to live.
Barclays Bank was main sponsor,
ARC-Addington Fund director Ian
with support also received from
Bell OBE said: “Fund-raising is vital
other local and regional suppliers
Land and Property Sales to us and the resounding success of
Specialists in sales of farms, smallholdings, bare land & development opportunities. and individuals.
the Yorkshire Big Breakfast event
Auctions
Farm machinery & livestock sales, 6 weekly antique & collectables sales, bankrupt stock etc. is very appropriate, as we have A venue is already in place for the
Valuations been particularly active of late in 2011 Charity Big Breakfast – St
Professional valuations for sale, finance, year end, probate, amalgamation, dissolution and taxation. George’s Court B&B, Old Home
re-housing a number of families
Compensation Claims across the county who have been Farm, High Grantley, Ripon, to
Negotiating for road schemes, pipelines, cables, wayleaves, easements, telecommunication masts etc.
forced to come out of farming or be hosted by Will and Lindsey
Planning Appraisals
Farm buildings, agricultural dwellings, building concessions, diversification opportunities. have retired. Hitchen.
Subsidy Claims
Advice & assistance with Single Farm Payment applications and transfers and Entry Level Stewardship. “We’d like to hear from other Photos: Organisers and helpers
families who may be facing similar are pictured at the 2010 Yorkshire
60 – 64 Market Place, Market Weighton, York, YO43 3AL problems. Many farmers are not Charity Big Farmhouse Breakfast.
Tel: 01430 874000 Email: agriculture@chrisclubley.co.uk keen to talk to us and are prepared

FarmersMart Spring 2010 55

 ripon farm services

Cautiously optimistic at Ripon

Farm Services 2-Day Event
Chris Berry Visits the biggest farm machinery open days in Yorkshire
Individual company machinery open
days don’t come much bigger than
those run by Ripon Farm Services
in January each year. This was
the second they have held at the
Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great
Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate
and it was massively well attended.
Customers came from as far afield
as the Holderness coast, Swaledale
and Doncaster.
Managing Director Geoff Brown
commented that he felt that 2009
had been a good year for farm
machinery although down a little on
the previous year.
‘Some sectors of farming are still
struggling a little, but on the whole
Geoff Brown with some of his team
there’s quite a bit of confidence
around. New tractor unit sales are
down, but not tremendously. It’s a Geoff’s opinion was shared by optimistic: they had carried on as they were at
bit early to say how 2010 is going many of the farmers at the show that time I don’t think we’d be here
‘If you compare the sheep and beef
to go, but all in all I can see us still to varying degrees. Martin Wilson now. I feel that we’re in a better
prices to five years ago there has
having a good year.’ of Beckwithshaw was cautiously place than we were two years ago.
been a definite improvement. But if

56 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 ripon farm services

Farmers Jim and Tony Barton

At the end of the day with farming completely the other way. This last
you can’t stand still, you’ve got to harvest we have come out about
reinvest, keep pushing forward, or £100/tonne for wheat.’
you will end up going backwards.
Father and son Jim and Tony
We’re heading in the right direction,
Barton, who are more used to being
but there’s still further to go yet.
asked questions about cricket, also
We’re living a little bit off the
believed that last year wasn’t too
exchange rates and we could do with
bad, but with slight reservations:
a little more of a secure footing.’
‘We were slightly up on last year on
Ben Dale who farms near
wheat, but we’ve still a lot of it in
Boroughbridge believes that the
the shed. Barley was down a lot and
confidence in farming may have
rape averaged out about the same.
reached a plateau:
Last year we’ll have done okay.
‘I think there’s more confidence We’ve bought fertiliser to use this
than ther was five years ago, but I season and that’s come down a lot,
don’t know that the confidence is so that’s a help.’
any higher than it has been for the
Jim believes that when all is said
past two years. We’ve had two good
and done nothing much has changed
years and it isn’t, just at the moment,
since a decade ago:
like it was last year. In 2009 beef
and sheep prices were good, but
cereal prices, as we all know, went continue page 58 Farmers Martin Wilson

FarmersMart Spring 2010 57

 ripon farm services
‘Inputs have gone up and outputs
have too, but I don’t see us making
any more money than we were ten
years ago. We’re keeping our head
above water.’
The two day event, now firmly
established as the first major farm
machinery show of the New Year,
saw the official launch of both the
new John Deere 5 Series and 8R
Series. The masses of trade stands,
reflecting Ripon Farm Services
huge portfolio of farm machinery
franchises ensured that both halls
of the Yorkshire Event Centre were
full.
One of those exhibiting was
OPICO,dealing in grassland
maintenance, arable equipment
and dryers. On hand was their sales
manager Charles Bedforth who
added his comment on the industry:
‘The feeling this year is that life is
going to be harder. Farming, as we
all know, is up and down all the time
but we believe that with fertiliser
prices coming down this could be a
good year.’
Certainly over the two days there
was a great spirit at the Ripon farm
Services open days. Clearly the time
and effort that goes into organising
58 FarmersMart Spring 2010
Starting them young
an event of this magnitude takes Time to chat
some organising. Geoff Brown and
his team are to be complimented on
the way in which they put together
two great days. Here’s to next year!
RIPON FARM SERVICES
Head Office,
Dallamires Lane, RIPON,
North YorkshireHG4 1TT
Tel: 01765 692255
Email: sales@r-f-s.com
Web: www.r-f-s.com
Also with branches in:
• DARRINGTON
• KILDWICK, nr Keighley
• OTTRINGHAM, nr Hull
• TADCASTER
RIPON LAND ROVER
Hutton Bank, RIPON
North Yorkshire HG4 5DT
Tel: 01765 646464
lrsales@riponlandrover.co.uk
www.riponlandrover.co.uk

ACHIEVE SPEED
AND EFFICIENCY
WITH LELY
After a six years’ period, both
the Lely Splendimo M mowers
and the Lely Splendimo MC
mower conditioners have been
replaced by new and improved
models featuring state-of-the-art
technology. The modifications
are mainly aimed at reducing the
weight of the various models so
that the necessary lifting power
fits in better with the low power
requirements of these mowers.
Changes include the use of a new
a user-friendly non-stop break back
device. This allows the mower to
swivel easily to the rear as well as
vertically allowing it to travel over
quite large obstacles. For transport,
the mowers fold hydraulically into
a 110-degree position, which limits
height and makes them very easily
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and safely transported by road.
From a recent independent mower
test it has become clear that
Lely Splendimo mowers require
considerably less power than
comparable mower types, resulting
in savings of one litre of fuel per
hectare. Customers are amazed
at the outstanding output and
low power requirements of Lely
Splendimo mowers, even under the
heaviest of conditions.
My Lely Welger Baler “shifts on a
bit!” the words of Contractor Paul
Colmer who purchased a new
Lely Welger Variable Chamber
RP435 Master Baler purely on
the recommendation of a fellow
contractor. Six weeks and 3000
bales later Paul is happy with the
advice given. “If anyone knows about
COMPACT FOR
TRANSPORT
lely
balers and which one performs best appreciates the benefits of having
it has to be a contractor who has all the baling controls through the
been baling for 30 years and has electronic in-cab ‘e-link’ so that
tried most makes” says Paul. “So on from his cab seat he has all the
the recommendation that the Lely essentials within easy reach – and
Welger was best for performance that includes his flask of coffee!
and reliability, I bought one straight
away, and it is simple to operate!”
For more information visit
Speed and efficiency is much
www.lely.com
approved by Paul but he also likes
the ease and simplicity with which
net rolls can be changed over. He
TELESCOPIC MAST
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e-mail: protechmachinery@yahoo.co.uk
fax: 01386 750772
www.protechmachinery.co.uk
FarmersMart Spring 2010 59
 guy machInery
Guy Machinery takes over
Skipton Auction Mart
Chris Berry visits the Second Spring Show
Transforming the cattle and sheep
pens of Skipton Auction Mart in
February, to a farm machinery
show has been done before, but
it’s still quite a feat! This was the
60 FarmersMart Spring 2010
second Spring Show held by Guy
Machinery Ltd, in conjunction with
Pearson Farm Supplies Ltd and it
proved even more popular than the
first time around.
Plenty to chat about
Big screen presentations were a
major draw, plus the highlight of
the afternoon and evening being the
grand parade of farm equipment,
along with a chatty role-play by
Graham Guy and Valtra’s Andy
Miller.
The day also offered an opportunity
for Graham Guy to launch his
new Ifor Williams distributorship
having also taken on the business
of Lindley Pate recently at Gisburn
Auction Mart.
There was a tremendous presence
from many machinery and parts
suppliers. The grand parade saw an
array of Valtra machines as well as
Krone and Can-Am.
Preparation for Grand Parade
A charity raffle was also held to
win a Can-Am Outlander 400 quad
bike which was worth £5800.
Both Graham (Guy Machinery) and
Chris (Pearsons Farm Supplies) had
funded the price of the bike equally
and all proceeds through the charity
raffle were to go to the Special Care
Baby Unit at Airedale Hospital. The
lucky winner was Alan Smith from
Ingleton.
The attendance was well over
1500 on the day from right across
Graham’s trading area with many
taking a keen interest in the latest
range of Valtra tractors. The
Schaffer range also proved very
popular too.

Guy Machinery Ltd was established
at Skipton Auction Mart in October
2005, taking over the franchises
and customer base of the former
Gibsons Tractors.
A full agricultural contracting service
is provided through the sister
company, C & G A Guy Contractors
Ltd, based in Colne, Lancashire.
Wednesday 17 March sees a
double-whammy of an event when
both the VALTRA EXPERIENCE
2010 and the official opening of
Guy Machinery in Gisburn will take
place. The full new range of Valtra
tractors will be on show including
the A, N, T and S series tractors
Time to smile
guy machInery
Co, do you want one?
which will all be on display together
for the first time. Experts will be on
hand to advise on the best tractor to
suit each farmer’s requirements and
the Valtra tractors can be driven on
the day. It’s a real hands-on day.
GUY MACHINERY LTD
Skipton Auction Mart
Gargrave Road
SKIPTON BD23 1UD
Tel: 01756 799184
Open day saw the launch
sales@guymachinery.co.uk
of Grahm’s new Ifor
www.guymachinery.co.uk
Williams distributorship
FarmersMart Spring 2010 61
 j wood & son

Landini & Schaffer make their

mark in North Yorkshire
Chris Berry talks with Mark Bentley at J Wood & Son
One of the winter farm machinery
programme’s most well attended
open days up in the North York
Moors is J Wood & Son’s annual
event. Over the years the numbers
attending this social occasion
at the Kirbymills premises have
grown markedly and the latest such
gathering took place in the back
end of last year.
Mark Bentley of J Wood & Son was
heartened by the numbers attending
and is particularly pleased with the
way in which the Landini tractor
range has begun taking a foothold
in the area.
‘We’re still establishing ourselves as
Landini dealers here but we are really Mark Bentley
pleased to report that the range is
very well liked and has fast become
appreciated by many of our farmer of users are on the increase. The tractors in the years to come.’
customers. The Landini tractors range provides something for every
The new addition to the J Wood &
seem extremely well-suited to the farmer we serve and we believe that
Son stable is the Schaffer forklift
area we operate in and the numbers even more will benefit from Landini

62 FarmersMart Spring 2010


which proved a real hit on the day.
‘We only took delivery of our first
machine about a month before this
open day, but we’ve already had
them out on to farms and they have
been very well received. They have
seen a great deal of interest from
everyone here today.
The J Wood & Son open day also
included equipment on show from
several manufacturers including
Twose, Major, Warwick, Rabe,
Ritchie, Welger, Teagle, KRM,
Standen Pearson and Cherry
Products.
Mark reported that the early part
j wood & son
of 2009 had seen a good start to
the year, with a dip in sales during
August and September, but with
sales coming back well in the latter
months of the year. ‘Overall we’re
pleased with the year,’ he said.
J Wood & Son has been servicing
the needs of local farmers in North
Yorkshire for 130 years.
J WOOD & SON
Kirbymills, Kirkbymoorside
North Yorkshire YO62 6NL
Tel: 01751 433094
www.johnwoods.co.uk
The new Schaffer range
FarmersMart Spring 2010 63

RITCHIE RESPOND
TO OVERWHELMING
DEMAND
For 2010 the Ritchie Grassland range
of products is expanding to satisfy
increased demand throughout all
regions of the UK. Market demands
from farmers utilising both larger and
smaller hp tractors has encouraged
Ritchie to revamp its products to
include appropriate versions of the
popular Grassland products and
these new machines will be on
display at the Spring and Summer
County Shows.
Heavy rainfall, constant machinery
traffic and livestock movement all
compact the soil, which in turn
reduces air and water movement
throughout the soil structure. Ritchie
have two machines in their armoury
to reduce this imbalance allowing
fertiliser and nutrients to easily access
the soil producing maximum benefits
VALTRA EXPERIENCE 2010
Commencing earlier this year at
Lackham College, Wiltshire and
continuing through to Scot Grass
on the 11th May Valtra will be
holding a series of experience days
throughout the UK and Ireland.
These one day events will take place
on successive Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays throughout the Spring
at selected locations ranging from
dealers’ premises to farms, auction
marts, colleges and showgrounds up
and down the country.
Farmers, contractors, foresters and
machinery
for root growth and grass production.
The Ritchie aerator is available in
2.50m and 3.00m widths and
both machines require 60-80hp
for operation being ground driven
and weight ballasted to assist with
soil penetration. The twin rotor
arrangement has an adjustable central Available with a 3, 4 or 5 leg system, be encountered. A levelling roller
angle setting up to 10o to help break all components bolt onto the 2.5m follows to level the grass. The 3-leg
up compaction. Requiring no tools frame so that farmers can select machine requires 100hp whilst the 5-
to adjust, the rotor is easily moved how much soil aeration and pan leg needs 120/130hp depending on
to suit soil conditions. Equally ballast disturbance is required. field conditions. On badly compacted
can be added or removed to ensure land there is very little root growth
the machine operates on its two skid The soil is first cut by disc, which
with water standing on the top surface.
depth settings. is followed by a carbide steel tine.
The introduction of a regular aeration
Each leg vibrates in work due to the
Ritchie launched the 2.5m width system improves grass growth and
double spring construction, producing
Actisol Grassland Subsoiler in 2009. produces vigorous crops.
improved shattering of the compacted
Operating at 250-300mm depths, pan, with less power required. An
this machine penetrates 50-100m automatic trip operates on each leg www.ritchie-d.co.uk
deeper than the Ritchie Aerator. should a boulder or hidden obstruction
indeed anyone interested in Valtra
machines will have to opportunity
to experience representative models
from each of the four ranges; from
A Series machines starting at 74hp
through N and T Series to the latest
S Series up to 370hp.
Visitors will have the opportunity
to enter a draw at each and every
location, the winning prize for which
will be a £250.00 voucher which
can be exchanged for goods at the of events, where the prize will new Valtra tractor order.
sponsoring Valtra dealer. All visitors be a voucher entitling the winner
will also be entered into a national to £5,000.00 worth of options
www.valtra.co.uk
draw held at the end of the series (Recommended Retail Price) on a
FarmersMart Spring 2010 65
 machinery
CLAAS
ANNOUNCE
ENGINEERING
WINNER
The CLAAS Group has announced
that Harper Adams student Jonathan
Bradbeer is the winner of its
fourth Scholarship for Agricultural
Engineering.
Jonathan Bradbeer originates from
Stroud in Gloucestershire and is in
his second year at Harper Adams
University College (HAUC) where he
is studying MEng (Hons) Agricultural
Engineering.
As the winner of the CLAAS
Scholarship Jonathan’s fees for
the second and fourth years of his
studies will be covered, whilst in
year three he will complete a 1-year
sandwich placement at the CLAAS
Group headquarters at Harsewinkel,
Germany. As part of the Scholarship,
Jonathan will also be offered a
summer placement with CLAAS UK.
In selecting Jonathan as its latest
Scholar, CLAAS not only took
into consideration his academic
background, but also his character,
skills and enthusiasm for agricultural
engineering.
Launched in 2005 at the personal
instigation of Helmut Claas, the
CLAAS Scholarship is open to one
second year student per year who is
studying on either the MEng/BEng
(Hons) or BSc (Hons) Agricultural
Engineering, or the BSc (Hons)
Agricultural Engineering Marketing
66 FarmersMart Spring 2010
and Management courses at Harper
Adams.
As a family owned company, CLAAS
see the training and education of
young engineers as essential to
the lifeblood of the agricultural
engineering industry as a whole.
By the fact that the Scholarship is
specific to HAUC, CLAAS recognises
the leading role that the College plays
in British and European agricultural
engineering education.Demand for
engineers currently exceeds the
number of graduates and in recent
years the numbers enrolling for the
engineering degree courses at HAUC
has risen by around 10% per annum
The CLAAS Group currently has
engineering centres in America,
India, Hungary, Russia, France and
Germany. In seeking to establish a
more diverse international community
of young engineers, Dr Claas has
recognised the need to encourage
a wider spread of international
engineers, especially in the area of
field-testing. But with engineering
centres around the World, it is also
important that the teams are able
to communicate using a universal
language such as English.
www.claas.co.uk
MASSEY
FERGUSON
WINS AT
AGRITECHNICA
The new Massey Ferguson Hybrid
combine, the MF 9280 DELTA,
has won Combine - Machine of
the Year 2010 at the Agritechnica
Show. The coveted award, issued
by an independent jury of leading
German agricultural journalists,
recognizes excellence of design
and technical achievement.
The judges were especially
impressed by its extremely
economic, straightforward yet
innovative design and industry
leading features which include
the impressive new 7 cylinder
496 hp AGCO SISU Power engine
equipped with SCR technology,
advanced HYPERFORMA threshing
and separation technology, and the
completely new VENTURI cleaning
system.
Dieter Daenzer, from the panel of
judges, said of the new Massey
Ferguson Hybrid combine,
“The industry has been aware for
some time that AGCO has committed
substantial engineering, research and
design resources into this machine.
Everyone’s expectations have been
high. We have to say that the new
Massey Ferguson DELTA combine
exceeds these expectations. It has
the potential to raise harvesting
productivity to a new level.”
Adam Sherriff, Manager of Powered
Harvesting said, “We are confident
this combine will put us in the
capacity stakes where it matters
for large scale producers. Tests
have shown the combine not only
provides the performance, but uses
10% less fuel for the same output
in equivalent conditions,” added Mr.
Sherriff.
This award also reflects Massey
Ferguson’s innovation and success
in its introduction of clean, efficient
engine technology which is also
on display in its award winning
MF 8600 series tractor range.
These were the first tractors in the
world to be brought to the market
with SCR Technology. The MF
8600 Series incorporates AGCO
SISU Power SCR engines and
has become the benchmark for
cleanliness of emissions and fuel
efficiency. Previous awards include
the 2009 Tractor of the Year Award,
SIMA Show Golden Palm Award
for Innovation 2009, Agro +Mash
Expo Grand Prize for Innovation
(Hungary), and a Gold Medal in the
Demopark Innovations-Award in
Germany.
For more information go to
www.masseyferguson.com/delta

Selling all of your potato crop
Chris Berry talks with Mark Tomlinson of Wholecrop Marketing Ltd
It’s one of the success stories of the
past two years – and it’s all down to
just how well farmers really can work
together. In 2008 WCM was born.
Its full name is Wholecrop Marketing
Ltd and it is based at Wold Dyke
Farm, Middleton on the Wolds in the
East Riding of Yorkshire.
‘The company name really explains
what we’re all about,’ says Mark
Tomlinson who together with David
Burks and eight potato growers in the
area believes the group has already
made significant progress in a very
short time.
‘The thing is that anyone can market
the best quality potatoes, you don’t
have to be very clever to do that, but
everyone knows that there can be a
huge variation in quality produced for
a number of reasons. Why we chose
the name for the company was to
ensure that everyone knows we are
here to trade the whole of the crop,
that’s where the skills David and
I have learned in the trade over the
years are brought to bear.’
‘If you don’t know the industry too
well, or if you are trying to market
your potatoes on your own, you can
Mark Tomlinson (left) of WCM
sometimes find that the best of your
crop goes easily, but the rest tends
to stick. What we do at Wholecrop
Marketing is to make sure that there
is a home for every potato grown. We
are wholly concerned with making
sure that the maximum return is
gained for everyone connected with
the group.’
Indeed such has been their success
in doing just that they have already
attracted many more potato growers,
who have come forward in recent
months to benefit from the expertise
Mark and David have to offer.
But it’s not all about the marketing
of the end product. WCM starts at
the very beginning and helps potato
farmers out all the way.
WCM specialises in seed potatoes
and works in conjunction with all of
the major seed breeding companies
in both the UK and Holland, which
means they are able to supply quality
seed potatoes of all varieties. Seed
consultant James Thompson works
closely with Mark and David and is
always happy to advise the group’s
members and many other producers
from not just Yorkshire but the
surrounding counties too.
‘We started out with purely our core
group of potato growing farmers,’ says
Mark. ‘But now we market potatoes on
behalf of an ever-increasing number of
potato growers who have seen what
we can do and have been impressed
with our record. We really do know
where those other markets are that
sometimes a farmer doesn’t.’
‘We are able to find markets for all
types of potato from bakers to salads,
crisping to chipping, and bags to
bulk. We provide the variety that the
market is looking for in both graded
and ungraded stocks and that’s why
we promote the fact that we are
concerned about making things work
for the whole crop of potatoes from
every farm.’
Mark is always interested to hear
from any potato farmer who is
looking to grow for and supply WCM
in the future. Both he and David
are committed to providing the best
in seed potatoes, the best quality
advice and recommendations on
which variety to grow – and they are
confident that every farm involved will
WCM
be satisfied by their attention to detail
in marketing the whole crop.
Such has been the belief in what they
are doing at WCM that they have
found support from Yorkshire Forward
and the Rural Enterprise Investment
Programme through grant funding.
They intend to host regular seed view
and variety open days in the future.
This is definitely a case of a forward
thinking company, utilising the talents
and experience of two very influential
men in the potato industry and allied
to a strong-willed group of farmers.
It is moving upwards. Should you be
considering a phone call to them for
next season? Perhaps you should!
WHOLECROP MARKETING LTD
WCM, Wold Dyke Farm
Middleton on the Wolds
Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire
YO25 9DD
Mark Tomlinson/David Burks
Tel: 01377 217873
Mob: 07535 402503
mt@wholecropmarketing.co.uk
www.wholecropmarketing.co.uk
FarmersMart Spring 2010 67
 brick green farm

ALL IN A DAYS… HOBBY?

LUCIE CARTER VISITS BRICK GREEN FARM TO HEAR WHY A PAST TIME NEVER BECAME FULL TIME
Playing football, learning to play
the guitar, going to dance classes;
all common examples of your usual,
run of the mill hobby. Now its not
very often you meet an individual,
let alone a married couple who’s
main interest include that of a 24
strong herd of pedigree, award-
winning Shorthorns, but venture
over to Brick Green Farm in
Barkisland, near Halifax and that’s
exactly what you’ll find.
Mark and Tracy Severn aren’t
your typical farmers, their farm
isn’t their business, nor is it there
livelihood, it’s simply their love.
And now, after just three years of
first admiring a friend’s bull, they’ve
stumbled into the agricultural
industry and thoroughly blossomed.
Tracy tells us more, “We’ll have had
the Shorthorns three years in May; Mark and Tracy with Freddie - their award winnning bull
we decided we were going to have
some pedigree cows because we’d
always helped a friend show who’d Whilst many would use this today’s climate. A lot of people who have never been too far away from
kept Dexters and south Devons. opportunity to throw in the towel inherited a farm and its animals the world of farming, throughout
The problem was we didn’t know so to speak, and focus on farming are struggling, so if you were raise his teenage years Mark worked on
which breed to keep, I wanted to full-time, Mark and Tracy did a herd from scratch and buy a a friend’s farm and Tracy’s Father
keep Herefords, and Mark decided the complete opposite; having premises and what not, it would be was a farmer himself.
he wanted blondes. Then one day established his very own machine even tougher. For my business, trade
Ironically however, the very same
we saw some cows down the road moving company during the mid is very good at the minute. That’s
Bull that had lured the couple into
that belonged to our friends; after nineties, Mark continued to work one good thing about the recession;
the industry just a few years ago has
we had found out what bread of away from the farm. “I don’t there’s a lot of firms shutting down
proved to be one of their most well-
cows they were we went to Carlisle think I would take it on full time, so were pulling a lot of machinery
regarded and high achieving yet.
and bought three; a cow, a calf and because I don’t really think you out,” Mark explained. Although they
‘Freddie’, the huge stock breeding
a young heifer.” can make a living out of farming in work in other positions, the Severns

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68 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 brick green farm

Shorthorn was shown at a number
of events last year and is in Tracy’s
words, ‘an absolute natural’; “We
took him out and showed him last
year and he adapted really quickly
to it all,” she said. “Because he’s
such a big bull, all the kids at the
show were coming up and having
their photo taken with him. In the
end he came second in the senior
bull class at the Great Yorkshire,
and at Cheshire County he took
three championships; native breed,
rare breed and any other beef
breed,” beamed Mark, “Not bad for
just it’s second ever show.”
One of the most prominent benefits
of not relying solely on farming for
Mark and Tracy is that they don’t
experience the industry’s downfalls;
“we can’t really comment on new
regulations and what not, but we
can most definitely appreciate
the problems in pricing and the
shortage in livestock. Things are
very expensive at the minute. What
you tend to get nowadays is larger
acreage farms rearing more animals,
which means that the smaller ones
gradually drop off. I suppose if
you’re a large landowner who is say,
growing your own cereal, and then
finishing cattle it’s worth while, but
its hard if not,” Mark admits.
Fortunately for Brick Green
Farm, its occupiers have a strong
and sustainable future ahead of
them, not only are they beginning
to embrace modern farming
techniques, but are looking ahead
to a particularly special event this
Summer; “This year I really want
to go to the 13th World Shorthorn
Conference at the Royal Highland
in Edinburgh. But it’s a long way
to go, there’s four days of showing
so we take a week off. We’re lucky
really because we’ve got such a
community of farms here; if anyone
has any problems or needs someone
to watch over things, there’s
always a person there to give you
a hand,” Mark continued. “Modern
society wants us to take the route
of scanning and recording; we’ve
just weighed some recently too
because weight recording is getting
quite important, especially for the
commercial side of things,” Tracy
concluded.
After such strong successes, Mark
and Tracy’s passion for farming,
particularly the Shorthorn breed is
wonderfully refreshing and proves
that the industry can be enjoyed
rather than simply endured.
Mark and Tracy Severn
Brick Green Farm
Halifax HX4 0DE
Tel: 01422822932
Mob: 07768211717

SDT Machinery Removals

Tel: 07718 724114
Fax: 01422 885250
Unit 1b,Topland County Business Park,
Hebden Bridge,HX17 5RU
Steven and Kay are pleased to be
associated with Mark and Tracy Severn and wish
them continued success for the future

FarmersMart Spring 2010 69

 farmstar
Nobody beats Farmstar’s
Open Day in South Yorkshire
Chris Berry make an annual trip to Marr
There is only one farm machinery
show of any consequence in
South Yorkshire – and that is held
each year, without fail at Marr,
near Doncaster and Barnsley just
off the A1. It’s the FARMSTAR
open day and everyone converges
from Yorkshire, Lincolnshire,
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
The line-up of tractors and farm
equipment is always excellent as is
the hospitality as this major social
as well as business event takes
place with well over a thousand
attending. Case IH tractors and
combine harvesters take up one
whole side of the yard and are also
on display inside too. The rest of
the huge outside area and effective
inside area is packed with other
manufacturers equipment from
Manitou to KRM.
One of the local businesses that has
70 FarmersMart Spring 2010
built up a significant name in recent Farmstar also has branches at is on days like this or throughout the
times is Philip Watkins and once Brigg. Market Weighton and Long year through our sales and service
again he had a presence at the show. Bennington, near Newark. operation.’
The company was incorporated in
Andrew Waddington was particularly
1988 and is presently under the
pleased with the open day: ‘These FARMSTAR
managing directorship of Andrew
days really do take quite a lot of Grove Farm, Church Lane,
Waddington.
getting together and I would just MARR, Doncaster DN5 7AU
The other manufacturers also like to thank all of our team for
Tel: 01302 786786
involved with Farmstar include the hard work they always put in
www.farmstar.co.uk
many of the farm machinery world’s to making sure our customers are
most famous names: Kverneland treated the right way, whether that
/ Vicon for ploughs, drills, power
harrows, fertilizer spreaders,
seedbed cultivators and mowers;
Richard Western for trailers, manure
spreaders and slurry tankers;
Kubota for ground care equipment
including compact tractors, ride on
mowers and utility vehicles; Cousins
of Emneth for rolls, furrow presses,
packa rollas, and v- formers;
Manitou for forklifts; Rau – sprayers;
KRM – spreaders; and Bomford for
hedgecutters.
MD, Andrew Waddington
 farmstar

Water Ballast Land

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End-tow model with
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Has the deal been done? Tandem roller, giving

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Rollers available in 5ft - 12ft widths.
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Rear Hydraulic Wheel Kit Rollers, 8ft & 9ft wide

For the name of your local dealer contact our

Agricultural Equipment Division
Greenfield Works Ballylough Road, Castlewellan,
Co.Down, Northern Ireland.
Philip Watkins on his stand Tel. 02843 778 711 Fax. 02843 772 050

Smiles in the snow

FarmersMart Spring 2010 71

 middlemiss

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

FAMERSMART TASTEs THE BEST PORK PIES IN TOWN
Tucked comfortably on the
cobbled Market Street in Otley,
West Yorkshire sits a family-run
butchers draped in tradition and
excellent reputation.
Geo. Middlemiss & Son has been
rearing, producing and selling fresh
meat since 1881 and is, according
to Tony Middlemiss, “very much a
generation thing”. Unlike the large
supermarket chains that seem to be
churning out meat at an exhausting
rate, this butchers prides itself on
local produce and properly trained
staff. Tony explains, “We source all
our meat locally within 10 miles;
we buy mostly from Wharfdale
auction mart, but occasionally we’ll
go over to Nidderdale to see what’s
available. We have a very strong
and long-lasting relationship with
our auctioneers, so we always know
we’re getting the very best.”
The ‘very best’ where meat is
concerned, can only ever come
directly from the farm Tony insists
and as a farmer himself, he’s a
man who knows what he’s talking
about; “We buy straight from farms perfect amount of time to produce
and then we make up from buying the end resulting taste.”
at Wharfdale farmers auction mart
and sometimes we go to Thirsk
or Selby. In the past we’ve kept
Of course during the recession,
trade at Geo. Middlemiss & Son
Rowland Agar
has suffered slightly, but Tony and
(Wholesale Butchers)Ltd
animals on our small farm, but
recently we downsized to just keep his team which comprises of Peter,
hens and chicken.” Martin and Danny help to turn that SUPPLIERS OF THREE DALES QUALITY MEAT
around; over the last three years,
Tony is very much a supporter of the butchers have entered a number
all things local; even the abattoirs of competitions and have triumphed Pleased to be associated with
he works with are within close across the board. Tony tells us Geo Middlemiss & Son
proximity and are indeed owned more, “We won the award for Best
by his friends. “I grew up with the Pork Pie at the National Supreme
men at Rowland Agar in Ilkley and Championships last year, and also Ilkley Abattoir, Little Lane, Ilkley, LS29 8HX
John Penny & Sons at Rawden so I at the British Pig Executive (BPEX) Tel: 01943 608042 www.threedales.co.uk
know exactly what I’m getting. After
dealing with the abattoirs, our meat
North West championship that was Fax: 01943 601586
held in Bolton.”
is then hung for 2 to 3 weeks, the

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All Types of fencing
AvAilAble
We are pleased to be associated
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0777 4775031
72 FarmersMart Spring 2010
 middlemiss

“If it’s meet, we’ve got it”

From left: Danny, Martin, Tony and Peter

At the National Exhibition Centre in
Birmingham, the team were judged
best in the national pork pie and
speciality hot eating pie categories,
after Tony’s son Peter entered the
competition with confidence. This
particular event was organised by
the National Federation of Meat
and Food Traders and the National
Association of master Bakers, again
in conjunction with the BPEX.
Perhaps, their most prestigious
local win came last year when they
were given the Harvey Nicholls
award for the ‘Best Yorkshire Pie’.
Such successes can only be a
good thing for such a traditional
business, which over the years has
become known as the butchers that
provide quality, value and of course,
service. “It’s about showing your
customers exactly what you have,
and just how good it is. We like
to stand out from the crowd with
everything we do, from training to
exposure; our younger lads Joe and
Andy, are currently enrolled in a five
year course at the Thomas Danby
campus of Leeds City College, one
of the last few butchers schools
in North England. Here they learn
the traditional art of butchery,
covering things like food hygiene
and handling, and meat inspection.
Danny also studied there and get the industry going again.” And
qualified with honors; soon after he what an inspiring message that is.
was awarded apprentice of the year
After Simone and the team tasted
at the Royal SmithField Show down
Geo.Middlemiss & Son’s deliciously
at Earls Court in London,” explains
juicy pork pies, FarmersMart can
a very proud Tony.
safely say that they’re worthy of
So what does the future hold for a their numerous awards.
butchers with such a phenomenal
history? “Well we’re always
Geo. Middlemiss & Son
investing; in machinery and
3 Market Street
property mostly,” continued Tony,
Otley LS21 3AF
“and we’re thinking about opening
Tel: 01943 462 611
another branch, but it’s incredibly
competitive and you have to make
sure you find the best possible
premises which is ideally located.
My message is simple, we have to

Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart Ltd

LEEDS ROAD, OTLEY, LS21 3BD WAITE & HARTLEY
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SEE YOUR STOCK SOLD AND COLLECT YOUR PAY ON THE SAME DAY
Chartered Accountants
AT OUR “FRIENDLY” YORKSHIRE LIVESTOCK MART David Hartley BSc(hons),FCA,FCCA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
We are pleased to be associated with Geo Middlemiss & Sons,
High Class Family Butchers of Otley and wish them all the best for the future

MONDAYS (Weekly)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pigs, Prime Sheep, Cull Cattle & Prime Cattle
We are pleased to offer our best wishes,
THURSDAYS (Seasonal) Special Catalogue Sales of Breeding & Store Sheep support and advice
FRIDAYS (Fortnightly) Store Sheep, Dairy Cattle, Calves, Stirks, Feeding Bulls,
Breeding & Store Cattle
66 North Street, Wetherby, LS22 6NR
SATURDAYS Farm Equip, Implements & Machinery
(Monthly at 10am Jan - Nov)
also Fur & Feather sold at 12noon Tel: 01937 587188 Mob: 07703 356473
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ON-FARM SALES, LAND & PROPERTY SALES / VALUATIONS AND CLAIMS CONDUCTED
Fax: 01937 587488
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - david@waitehartley.co.uk
Telephone: (01943) 462172 Fax: (01943) 461135
Ian Smith ALAA (Market Manager) 07738 043771 Registered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales to carry out audit work
A Member of the ICAEW Practice Assurance Scheme
www.wharfedale-farmers.co.uk

FarmersMart Spring 2010 73

 gordOn jackson
THE TRADITONAL WAY OF
DOING THINGS
LUCIE CARTER TALKS WITH SCOTS MAN GORDON JACKSON OF BLACKBURN FARM
Gordon Jackson and his wife Tanya
of Blackburn Farm in Newcastleton,
Roxburgshire have a lot on their
hands; not only do they run a
mammoth 6,500 acres combining
rough grazing, hill farming and
varied land condition, but they are
avid members of the Whitebred
Shorthorn Breeders Club.
“I thoroughly enjoy keeping rare
breeds and continue to cross
Galloways with the short horns
because they produce such good
Mothers and a very fleshy animal,”
Gordon explains. “As well as the
Galloways, we are also keen on the
Scottish Black Face sheep; all of
which are excellent because they
need minimal feeds, they are able to
cope with tougher land surfaces and
with and our highland conditions,
which actually manages to boost
their growth and finishing quality.”
74 FarmersMart Spring 2010
Along with his brother Peter and his
shepherd William Nixon, who works
via neighbouring McClough estates,
Gordon has tenanted Blackburn
Farm for 25 years and is all for well-
established, conventional farming;
“There’s definitely a strong future
for good old traditional farming,
without the rules, regulations and
red tape we see so much of these
days. Things are on the up though;
over the last six months cattle prices
have begun to be sustained and
farmers like myself are earning far
more at auction marts and sales.”
Although Gordon and Peter spend
much of their time selling their stock
on, they very rarely buy in, in fact
Gordon tells us that his herd is pretty
much a closed one; “In total we
keep 25 Galloways, 14 Heifers, 10
Heifer calves; the majority of which
are under 10 months old, 2000
Gordon Jackson presenting at the Autumn sale
Photo courtesy of Harrison & Hetherington
breeding ewes and 500 hogs,” not blue faced tup lambs, who he insists
bad for a three man, one woman like most of his cattle was “well-
team. “We are extremely busy at fleshed with a lot of character.”
the moment, with lambing and what
Gordon’s Nephew, 21 year-old
not,” Gordon continued, “Because
William also looks likes a promising
we have such a large farm, I’m out
young farmer as he continues to help
on the motorbike most days to reach
around the farm and is according to
all the animals.”
his doting uncle, ‘very enthusiastic’
On the showing side, Blackburn during show preparation time. So
Farm has won big in recent years; after achieving such good prices
Gordon tells us, “I just enjoy going to recently and with more hopeful
the shows, especially when we win,” sales coming up in the near future,
he laughs. “One of my ewes was the Jackson name is one to watch.
awarded Supreme Champion at the
autumn sale of Whitbred Shorthorn
Gordon Jackson
Cattle in Carlisle, in November last
Blackburn, Newcastleton
year and was eventually sold for
Roxburghshire
4,800 guineas to John Pattinson at
Hotbank, Bardon Mill in Hexham.” Tel: 01387375246
Another of Gordon’s wins came with
one of his most treasured Langham

The power you need by
Yorkshire Generators
Chris Berry talks with Richard Ogden of yorkshire generators
No matter where you are working it
is essential that there is sufficient
power supply available and that’s
where Yorkshire Generators come
in. They hire, sell, install and repair
all types of generators from 1kVA
to 1500kVA looking after everyone
from those involved in small events
right through to major industrial
applications.
‘We all need power, but there are
certain businesses where the power
supply is absolutely crucial,’ says
Richard Ogden. ‘That’s particularly
evident in those involved in
agriculture, cold storage, waste
recycling, banks and IT companies.
They need the insurance of having
a secondary supply if they suffer
with temporary power failures,
which appear to be happening
with increased regularity. Pig and
poultry buildings on farms rely on
it massively for such as feeding and
egg collection systems. We always
Richard Ogden at Greyfriars UK - mushroom growers
stock a comprehensive range of
new and used generators, which
means we can always find exactly
the right one to match any business
requirements.’
In recent times Richard’s team
has supplied a 100KVA generator
to Greyfriars UK, a mushroom
grower in North Yorkshire. The
generator works as prime power
for the company as a top up for the
total power requirements needed
on site as the cost to upgrade
the National Grid supply was too
expensive. ‘We are also currently
involved with Goldthorpe Feedmill
in South Yorkshire where we have
recently installed a 350Kva stand-
by generator. Another generator we
have also recently supplied was a
400Kva set to a quarry for powering
a stone saw.’
In the fencing world Yorkshire
Generators have also assisted
Grantley Sawmills too, having
yorkshire generators
installed a 200Kva Rolls Royce Since starting Yorkshire Generators
generator offering standby power just over three years ago Managing
just 18 months ago. Director Richard Ogden and his
business partner Steven Dresser
But that’s not all. Yorkshire
are very happy with the direction
Generators has also built up a healthy
the business is going. ‘Considering
slice of business from corporate
the difficult economic climate over
hospitality and event hire during the
the past 18 months, what we have
summer period; to assisting waste
achieved in a short space of time is
recycling facilities; and installing
remarkable. We have also been very
generators at sites where there is no
encouraged by the financial results
power, in remote areas for the likes
we have had so far and we are
of telecoms towers.
confident that the business is well
‘To compliment or generator business positioned in order to springboard
we also supply and install inverters to the next level when the economy
which gives you the opportunity to recovers.’
top up battery cells where there is
no mains power supply. A standby
For more information visit
generator would basically receive a
www.yorkshiregenerators.co.uk
signal from the inverter and remotely
start when the battery voltages are
low, in order to keep replenishing
and maintaining battery life’
FarmersMart Spring 2010 75
 PROPERTY

lAND MARKET REVIEW

By Andrew Black, DIRECTOR OF SAVILLS (l&p) ltd
Savills’ research shows that about
142,500 acres of farmland were
publicly marketed during 2009.
This compared with 192,000 acres
in 2008. Volumes continue to
remain very low year on year, and
are a far cry from the 1950s when
around 650,000 acres per annum
were traded.
Our Farmland Value Survey shows
that the average values for all types
of farmland across Great Britain
increased by around 6% during the
year although the range of values
achieved widened considerably
with arable land typically selling for
between £3,500 and £7,000 per
acre. Although supply nationally
was down by almost 26% there were
the most significant reductions in
the East of England (-47%) and the
South West (-31%).
The number of farms advertised
nationally for sale in the North of
England was down 24% on 2008
with the greatest fall in North
Yorkshire, whilst supply was level
in Northumberland and slightly up
in Cheshire. Including bare land
sales locally the area of land offered
for sale in Yorkshire was up 8% on
the previous year at 11,360 acres.
Demand continued to outstrip supply
throughout most of the year although
foreign buyers were to a large extent
replaced by English purchasers.
Values regained the 5% fall recorded
towards the end of 2008 and ended
the year up 4.6% in Yorkshire.
Forecast for 2010
As we leave a decade dominated
by tight supplies and fluctuating
farming fortunes, I can see no reason
to expect volumes to significantly
increase but argue that there must
be very little room for them to reduce
any further. Savills forecasting
model suggests growth of between
5% and 6% annually until 2015
which if achieved, is likely to match
many other investments. Challenges
range from potential climate change,
volatile input and output prices and
the frustration that increasing world
populations should lead to greater
demand for our products, which
never seems to quite happen. Losing
the IHT benefits of land ownership is
always a risk, although the removal
of Indexation Relief significantly
increased the potential Capital Gains
Tax liability. I believe that increased
supply would be good for the market
and provide opportunities for many
seeking to reorganize their businesses
or to relocate. Many currently feel
trapped and it is difficult to buy
a property unless you are a cash
purchaser. More profitability in
the dairy and cereal sectors would
provide more confidence for farmers
to buy land whilst the weak pound is
also important.
Earlier in the year we anticipated
some early sales by vendors nervous
about potential tax increases, this
has not been widely evident on
the open market with little new
activity. However, we have seen
some pressure for legal completion
before the end of the tax year on land
where a sale had been previously
agreed. We have experienced a slow
start to the year, possibly due to the
bad weather and inability to spend
any time on the land. The Farmers
Weekly land tracker has reported a
decrease of 4,771 acres (77%) of
land advertised to date (26th February
2010) compared to the same period
last year. This is followed by little
indication of huge volumes to be
launched on to the market over the
next couple of months. Therefore
those who are looking to sell may
benefit from the lack of supply and
frustrated buyers. We are however,
seeing an increased opportunity
to invest privately in farmland and
equipped farms, including sale and
leaseback options, on a variety of
farming enterprises, across the north
of England.

Park Hill Farm,

Wetherby

Rare opportunity to create a small

country estate set in about 85 acres
in the centre of the “golden triangle”
•4
 bedroom farmhouse with
agricultural occupancy condition
• extensive mature gardens
• modernised 2 bedroom cottage
• Grade 2 arable land
• parkland and paddocks

Guide £1.5 million

For further information or a free no obligation appraisal of your property, please contact:

Andrew Black Sarah Hinchliffe Tom Watson

MRICS FAAV BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV

Tel: 01904 617831 Tel: 01904 617819 Tel: 01904 617827

E: ablack@savills.com E: shinchliffe@savills.com E: tkwatson@savills.com

Savills (L&P) Ltd, 13-15 Micklegate, York YO1 6JH T: 01904 617800 F: 01904 617801
www.savills.com
76 FarmersMart Spring 2010
 green farm health

Where are you going

on 30 March?
Chris Berry talks with Chris Jeffery of Green Farm Health
Success in any business is not
about luck, it is about hard work,
determination, planning and
constantly changing your plans to
adapt to situations. Luck, if you
get any, is usually hard earned.
When you walk into the superb
facilities offered by Green Farm
Health at the all-new Thirsk
Livstock Market your first thought
will probably not be about how the
business has grown since it was
started just six years ago. You will
more than likely just be after what
you want, when you want it – and
that’s fine by Chris Jeffery.
In April 2004 Chris started up
Green Farm Health in Northallerton
serving the farming and rural
community of North Yorkshire with
animal health and related products.
Today the company has three Chris Jeffery

78 FarmersMart Spring 2010


outlets at Northallerton, Malton and
the impressive premises at Thirsk,
which covers some 6000 sq ft with
a country warehouse, shop and
feed store.
‘It’s all about looking after your
customers,’ says Chris. ‘That’s the
key to our success above anything
else. We care about stocking what
our customers want and we will
always listen to any new suggestions
they have. If you don’t listen then
that’s when you’re not going to be
in business for very long.’
Chris also believes that people have
heard enough doom and gloom
on the television and through the
media generally in the recent past.
‘I think everyone must be heartily
sick of hearing stuff like recession,
economic downturn and job losses.
It’s time for some good news. We
have gone from just a one-man-
band to creating jobs for nine local
people in the six years we have
been in business, and we now have
a very healthy turnover.’
In fact Chris is so upbeat about how
things are going that he and Kate
Williamson, who own the business
jointly, are giving all customers a
special day at Thirsk on Tuesday 30
March when they will be hosting a
quite substantial open day both in
their own premises and around the
“supplying agricultural
products for over 25 years”
Tel 01225 816500
green farm health
livestock market.
‘It is market day as
well,’ says Chris.
‘So it really looks
like being a busy
day. The prices of
beef and lamb have
been going pretty
well for quite some
time now so we’re
hoping that our day
will see everyone
with a real smile on
their face. We are
planning on having
a massive show-
cum-open day with
everything from our
own products on
display and trade
stands to farm Chris in the store
machinery stands
too. So there will
be plenty for everyone to see.’ general public customers are now Farmersmart congratulates Chris
utilising it. and Kate on the growth of their
‘It is the personal touch with
business. We will be there to
our customers that we value the ‘The parking here is a real bonus.
capture the best of the day for the
most. Recently we have taken on All of our customers can park really
Summer edition of the magazine!
the services of a veterinary nurse close to the premises and load up
in order to offer services such as very easily. We now stock a huge
micro-chipping and canine dental range of pet foods and rural country GREEN FARM HEALTH
clinics.’ wear and sales are increasing month Thirsk Livestock Centre
by month. Now there’s a bit of
The country warehouse at Thirsk Tel: 01845 522611
good news for everyone. We hope
has proved so popular since Green Mob: 07711 185170
to be absolutely stacked out with
Farm Health moved there three info@greenfarmhealth.co.uk
customers on Tuesday 30 March.’
years ago that more and more www.greenfarmhealth.co.uk
FarmersMart Spring 2010 79
 farming people
BGS GRAZING PARTNERS TO HELP GRASSLAND FARMERS
Sheep farmer Stuart Stark who farms
in the Vale of York, has joined the
growing team of British Grassland
Society (BGS) Grazing Partners,
after completing a training course in
mentoring skills held near Stoneleigh,
Warwickshire.
The mentorship scheme uses
experienced and successful dairy,
beef and sheep farmers to mentor
producers less confident in grassland
management skills, so they can
RE-STRUCTURED SALES TEAM AT SUZUKI
Suzuki GB PLC have announced
an internal re-structure of their
ATV sales team that will see
Richard Gregg take on the role of
Area Sales Manager for the south
of England, south Wales and
Northern Ireland.
Having worked as ATV Product Co-
ordinator for Suzuki over the past
three and a half years, Richard’s
impressive product knowledge and
industry experience will benefit him
LEADING PIG FARMER APPOINTED CHAIR OF
LANTRA’S ENGLAND COUNCIL
Richard Longthorp has recently been
appointed as Chair of Lantra’s new
Council for England. The UK Sector
Skills Council for environmental
and land-based industries made the
announcement, completing the final
piece of a wider initiative aimed at
ensuring it remains fully employer-
led across the four nations in the
United Kingdom.
A highly regarded pig farmer based
in Yorkshire, Richard Longthorp has
many years of experience in agriculture
NEW HEAD OF AGRICULTURE at FARMWAY
Farmway, the leading farmer
controlled business in the North
East of England has announced
that Simon Bishop has joined them
as Head of Agriculture.
Simon will be responsible for the
development of the agricultural
division, which supplies inputs to
farmers throughout the North East of
England, including fertilisers, seeds,
animal feeds, animal health, farm
yard furniture and dairy supplies.
Together with the direct sales force
Simon will be responsible for the
continued development of the service
80 FarmersMart Spring 2010
increase grass utilisation on their farms
and cut their costs of production.
“We trained our first nine grazing
partners in June last year and were
surprised at the demand for their
services. With 21 farmers already
matched to a grazing partner and
several on a waiting list, we were
keen to train some more, ready for the
forthcoming grazing season” explains
the scheme’s project manager Sara
Gregson.
in the challenge he faces in his new
sales role.
Co-worker and experienced Area
Sales Manager, Harvey Day,
moves to cover areas including the
midlands to north of England, mid to
north Wales and Scotland. Harvey
has been part of the sales team for
seven and a half years and his vast
experience in the industry has been
a great benefit in establishing the
Suzuki ATV Dealer Network.
and agriculture-related organisations.
As well as being the Chairman of the
influential AgriSkills Forum, he serves
as Chairman of the Pig Industry Skills
Strategy Implementation Group, Board
member of BPEX, Chairman of The
Green Pea Company’s Remuneration
and Nominations Committee, and is
the current Director with responsibility
for finance of Agskills Ltd.
Richard Longthorp said: “This is an
exciting opportunity for me to help
raise the profile of skills provision
and advice functions which are key
to the success of the division.
“Simon brings a wealth of experience
to the role which he has gained in
over 20 years working within the
agrochemical sector” said Peter
Hull, Farmway’s Chief Executive.
Simon Bishop said he was looking
forward to his new role and being a
key part of the future development
of Farmway which has a long and
proud history of supplying North
Eastern Farmers. He is confident
that despite the challenges that
The farmers will pay an initial £50
administration fee but receive the
help and guidance of Mr Stark free of
charge. On-going support by phone,
email or further meetings can also be
arranged directly with him.
For more information call Sara
Gregson on 01799 530934 or
email sara@saragregson.co.uk
Suzuki GB General Manager, Sales,
Paul de Lusignan, commented “We
are pleased to welcome Richard
into his new role in the sales team.
This is a vital role in supporting our
national Dealer Network. As day-to-
day contacts they ensure that our
dealers have all the products and
sales materials they need to offer
the best possible service to our
customers.”
throughout England, at a time when
better skills and training support are
so important for all our industries. This
sector makes a significant contribution
to the UK economy and clearly needs
to be seen as a priority sector to help
meet the challenges of climate change,
food and fuel security and countryside
management.”
www.lantra.co.uk
Simon Bishop
agriculture faces the future looks
very bright.
www.farmway.co.uk
Stuart Stark
KUHN
STRENGTHENS
PRODUCT
SUPPORT
TEAM
Mick Yates
Kuhn Farm Machinery has
strengthened its product support
team with the appointment of
Mick Yates to provide technical
assistance to the Kuhn dealer
network throughout the north
of England.
An experienced mechanic with a
longstanding interest in farming,
Mr Yates studied Agricultural
Engineering at Myerscough College
and has subsequently worked as a
service manager and workshop
foreman for one of Kuhn’s major
dealerships in the region.
The appointment is part of a
nationwide expansion by Kuhn
that has seen the company
double the size of its product
support team this year. This, says
the company, will achieve greater
efficiency and speed of response
in support of the dealer network
and their farmer customers.
Mick Yates will work alongside
Kuhn’s northern England area
sales manager Nigel Donkin
and report to technical manager
Robert Garthwaite.
www.kuhn.co.uk
 farming people

Programme
Officer to
help steer
STARS OF THE SHOW
£3m funding
McVeigh Parker fencing, farming
and equestrian supplies is the
2010 official fencing supplier to

programme The All England jumping course,

Edward Wallington
A programme officer has been
appointed to help steer a
£3million funding programme
in Yorkshire and Humber that
will help farmers, foresters and
growers develop their skills and
enhance their profitability.
LandSkills Yorkshire and Humber,
managed by Lantra Sector
Skills Council, has appointed
Dr Edward Wallington to work
with Programme Manager, Julie
Hamilton, to help businesses
access up to 70% funding
towards a wide variety of training
Hickstead. This new partnership
provides McVeigh Parker with
the ideal opportunity to show off
their expertise in the supply of
fencing materials whilst supporting
Hickstead, the home of British
show jumping and polo.
Chris Hambridge sales director
for McVeigh Parker said “We are
very pleased to be associated
with Hickstead the prestigious All
England Polo Club and are looking
forward to working with them in
this, their 50th year.”
To celebrate this new partnership
McVeigh Parker are running a
competition with the chance to win
a pair of member’s tickets to The
Longines Royal International Horse
Show 28 July - 1 August.
In other McVeigh Parker news, the
company have recently opened
a new Lancashire branch. The
new site is perfectly placed to
serve the North of England due
to its convenient location right by
junction 25 of the M6. This new
farming and fencing superstore will
be offering lots of fantastic opening
offers and will provide free delivery
on orders over £200.00 (within our
catchment area), so make sure you
pay us a visit.
This new Lancashire branch will be
managed by their new recruit Kevin
Irlam-Mowbray, or Mowbray as
he likes to be known, who studied
at Riseholme Agricultural and
Caythorpe Agricultural Colleges.
Mowbray has worked on farms, for
Volvo and Simba machinery and
more recently selling trailers, so he
comes with a good knowledge of the
farming and business market. His
enthusiastic attitude and willingness
to learn and succeed will put this
new fencing and farming superstore
on the map.
McVeigh Parker has been selling
a huge range of farming, fencing
and equestrian products for over
30 years.
For more information visit
www.mcveighparker.co.uk
or call 0845 1207755

THANK YOU SCHOLES SAILS

activities.
Edward, a former Programme and

AHEAD INTO 2010

Business Development Manager at

the Forestry Commission, brings
a wealth of project management
experience to his role. He
commented, “I am really pleased
to be joining the programme. It’s
so important that agricultural
and forestry businesses keep
developing their skills and stay
abreast of industry development.
LandSkills Yorkshire and Humber
represents a real opportunity for
rural businesses to do this through
affordable and flexible training and
skills development activities and I
am looking forward to presenting
rural businesses in the region with
this exciting programme.”
Since the project began in
summer 2008 almost 3000
people have benefited from the
70% funding available. To date
LandSkills Yorkshire and Humber
has funded high level technical
training such as agronomy and
supported discussion groups and
supported study tours.
For more information please visit
www.lantra.co.uk/LandSkills
or call 0845 278 8800
GEORGE
As many of you will know George Some new faces have been records. Andrew Hart has superb
Smith retired from his position recently welcomed in the award- experience in the potato industry
as Groundsman at the Driffield winning potato farmers and at director level, and as a former
Showground at the end of packers team at Scholes, Driffield, Royal Naval Commando, he will
October. and East Yorkshire. Richard certainly have us all organised and
Scholes, Managing Director in ship-shape. It’s great to go into
George started work with us in April
commented “We are delighted to 2010 with such a strong team,
1991, following his (first) retirement
welcome Dave Bailey and Andrew having just had our best potato
from his position at Sunderlandwick
Hart; they both have great track harvest ever.”
Estates, initially coming in for only one
day a week. His position developed
from there and he has now been an
important full time member of staff
for many years.
George was presented with an
engraved carriage clock from the
society at the November Farmers’
market. Cheryl Nicholson, Driffield’s
show secretary commented,
“George’s dedication and
commitment to the society has
always been very much appreciated,
we hope to continue seeing him at
the society’s up and coming events.” Photo: Back Row, Left to Right: Richard Scholes, Managing Director;
Dave Bailey, Sales Manager; Andrew Hart, Potato Operations Director;
We hope that you will join us
Andy Murr, Farms Manager. Front Row, Left to Right: Sal Iveson, HD
in wishing George a very happy
Manager, Rachel Scholes, Storage & Logistics Director
retirement.

FarmersMart Spring 2010 81

 sanderson

TRADITIONAL BREEDERS WITH

THEIR EYE ON THE FUTURE
JENNIFER MACKENZIE TALKS TO CHRISTINE AND DAVID SANDERSON ABOUT THEIR AYRSHIRE HERD
Ayrshire cows are a family tradition
for Christine and David Sanderson
and the couple are aiming to breed
modern type cattle with good
lifetime yields. Ayrshire breeding
goes back more than 30 years at
the 207-acre all grass Thackthwaite
Hall, Wigton, Cumbria, where
Christine and David milk 134 cows
in their prizewinning pedigree
Sandersons herd.
Gradually re-building the herd after
losing all their livestock during
2001’s food and mouth epidemic,
the couple are content not to push
their lactational yields but are looking
for a long-lived, modern dairy cow
which can produce a total yield of
50,000 litres. The herd averages
7,000 litres a cow and with the
breed’s natural butterfat producing
ability with current constituent
averages running at 4.3 per cent
with 3.37 protein, they are expecting
to achieve a premium from their new
milk buyer from April, Milk Link.
Dedicated stockswoman Christine
began milking cows when she was
just eight years old, and when she
left school at 16 her parents Mary
and Chris Todd began grading
up their black and white cattle to
Ayrshires, following Mary’s family
tradition with the breed. Mary still
helps on the farm, feeding the calves,
with other part time help from Karl
Stephenson and Barry Williams.
Their Sandersons herd was re-
established primarily with the
purchase of the Waxham herd of
105 milking cows, mostly in their Christine & David Sanderson
second lactation and 10 of which are
in the herd today, and two heifers.
“The Waxham herd were different Christine, who has been secretary of
Further purchases were made from
type of cows to the pure Ayrshires the Cumberland Ayrshire Breeders’
the Waxham youngstock sale in
we had previously and we also Club for 14 years.
Carlisle as well as other individual
wanted to produce more milk from
purchases from herds in Cumbria Still open to select purchases of
these bigger, blended cows,” said
and Scotland. top cows which catch their eye, the

G D & M DUNGLINSON The Ayrshire Cattle Society are

delighted to be associated with the
BRUNSTOCK CARLISLE CUMBRIA CA6 4QG Sanderson family and would like to
TELEPHONE 01228 524918
congratulate David and Christine on
their accomplishment of winning
MILKING MACHINE TESTING AND SERVICING the Ayrshire Breed Championship
Our Westfalia trained engineer performs the Milking Parlour testing service. at the inaugural National All Breeds
Tests can be “static” performed between milkings or “dynamic” conducted
during the milking. Show and wish them continued
success with their Ayrshires.
At every visit our Engineer looks at a large number of measurements and
readings which must have values within internationally accepted criteria
according to relevant ISO standards BS ISO 6690: BS ISO 5707 Ayrshire Cattle Society, 17 Barns Street, AYR, KA7 1XB
WE CHECK: Tel: 01292 267123
• Parlour vacuum levels
• Effective reserve www.ayrshirescs.org
• Vacuum fluctuations
• Air losses
• Pulsation performance
• Fitting malfunctions
• Wear and Tear
HOPES of Wigton
Livestock Auctioneers & Valuers
WHY TEST
Hopes Auction Co. Ltd
The milking machine works extremely hard, each and every day twice a
93 High Street, Wigton CA7 9PG
day, sometimes more often
Telephone 016973 42202 / Fax 016973 45001
As with servicing, regular preventative testing ensures that the equipment E-Mail auctioneers@hopesofwigton.co.uk
is optimised to its intended performance parameters. A problem caught Web Site www.hopesofwigton.co.uk
early is a cost avoided.
Wishing continued success to David and Christine Sanderson
Studies of milking machine performance in UK often highlight major
deficiencies in performance related to installation, service and maintenance.
EVERY TUESDAY - throughout the year
Regular testing identifies these faults. Sale of Prime Cattle (Young Bulls & Clean Cattle) and Prime Sheep
THURSDAYS FORTNIGHTLY
Sale of Store, Beef Breeding & Dairy Cattle, Over Thirty Months Cattle & Calves.
For more information contact: Also Special Sales as advertised.
Michael Dunglinson on 01228 524918 All types of agricultural sales & valuations undertaken.

82 FarmersMart Spring 2010


Sandersons have invested in two
Middle cows at the Beeston Castle
sale, Emerald Mr at the December
2008 sale, the most paid at
5,200gns, which lifted the Ayrshire
championship at the National
All Breeds Show at Stoneleigh in
February this year, and Georgette,
purchased in 2007 for 5,000gns
in partnership with Chris’s uncle,
Nick Armstrong, of Mosedale End,
Mungrisdale, Penrith.
Georgette was breed champion four
times at the Westmorland County
Show, winning the dairy interbreed
once and she was also interbreed
dairy champion at the Cumberland
County Show. Waxham cows have
won the breed championship twice
at the Great Yorkshire Show. The
Sandersons have also won the
championship with a home bred
cow and a home-bred heifer won
the junior championship.
Despite re-establishing the
bloodlines, the herd has won the
large section of the Cumberland
Ayrshire Breeders’ Club each year
since 2001 with the exception of
2007 when the competition was
cancelled because of another foot
and mouth outbreak. The herd was
also the overall winner in 2009.
The herd is 50-50 Ayrshire Holstein
cross cows with most registered
in the Ayrshire herd book and the
Sandersons are keen to maintain
at least this proportion of Ayrshire
bloodlines to breed robust but large
animals which can withstand their
heavy farm. “It’s a question of how
far do we go in using Holstein blood
yorkshire young farmers
to suit our farm. It’s a heavy farm and
we want cows which are modern,
tall and sharp but still have plenty
of body and a bit of will to live. It’s a
happy medium,” said Christine.
David added: “We are happy to stick
around the 7,000 litre lactational
yield, not pushing the cow too
hard and taking it out of her. Our
benchmark is 50,000 litres in a
lifetime and at that we reckon she
doesn’t owe us anything. At that
level we maintain good quality
butterfats and protein which,
because of the breed’s natural
ability, does not cost us anything in
feed supplements, and we reduce
our level of replacements.”
Stock bulls are used on the herd.
The first was Syke Duty Free,
bought from Willie Templeton
followed by a Barr bull from Alex
Kirkpatrick. Home-bred bulls have
followed with Sandersons George,
out of Georgette, and another out of
a Waxham Esther cow, Sandersons
Extra Special.
Thackthwaite Hall is 600ft above
sea level and the cows are housed
from October to April and fed a semi
complete diet of chopped round
bale silage with a blend and brewers
grains, compiled by nutritionist Ian
Wozencroft, of New Breed UK.
They are topped up in the parlour
to a maximum of 10kg and 45 litres
of milk.
David & Christine Sanderson
016973 42608
YORKSHIRE
YOUNG FARMERS:
READY, SET, RALLY!
Over the next few months,
Yorkshire Young Farmers have
their hands full, heres just a few
of the exciting things you can get
involved in. On the 11th of April,
Yorkshire Young Farmers will
be hosting their very own Rural
Rally and Fencing competition.
The exciting event will be held at
Thirsk Rural Business Centre and
will begin at 9.30am with the
young farmer’s very first fencing
competition, to be followed by a
whole host of exciting exhibits and
contests including farm valuation
and mini-digger handling.
Yorkshire Young Farmers and its
members of over 2000, would
like to thank Thirsk Rural Business
Centre on Blakey lane in Thirsk,
for providing such a wonderful
venue and their continued
support, and also Farmers Mart
and its sister publication Fencing
News for sponsoring the fencing
competition.
If you would like any more
information on the Rural rally, please
contact county Chairman Stephen
Knowles on 07801 061 144
Yorkshire Young Farmers are also
gearing up to celebrate an important
milestone on 25 April with the fifth
annual running of the Mascot Gold
Cup held as always at Wetherby
Races on its family day.
The idea to create a race the
cuddly characters from sports,
businesses, charities and clubs all
stemmed from a jovial conversation
between Young Farmers at the
Yorkshire show in 2005. With
support from the team at Wetherby
Races and Conference Centre the
Mascot Gold Cup became a reality
in spring 2006 and has in its four
year history grown to be one of
the two largest such events in the
world.
For entry forms please visit
www.mascotgoldcup.org.uk
Based on last year’s first ever
Yorkshire’s Greatest Export,
Yorkshire young farmers have
been inspired to do a sponsored
paddle down to Torquay for the
2010 AGM. With the support
of sponsors and the chosen
charity RNLI members are keen
to succeed and raise as much
awareness as possible. Members
are currently building the man-
made contraption that will take
them on their trip and will be
launched at the beginning April.
The determined Yorkshire young
farmers will begin the four-day
challenge, from 20th April, at
Marsden, West Yorkshire. They
will make scheduled stops at a
number of great town’s en-route
to Torquay, where they will be
greeted by the rest of the 5,000
young farmers.
For further information about
Yorkshire Federation of Young
Farmers and any of their events
or to find out where your nearest
club is please contact County
Office on 01423 865870 or
office@yfyfc.org.uk.
www.yfyfc.g.uk
FarmersMart Spring 2010 83
 gripple

GRIPPLE’S AMERICAN ADVENTURE

The revolutionary Gripple T-Clip,
launched recently by the Sheffield-
based manufacturer Gripple
Limited, has been named as one
of the top ten new agricultural
products to be showcased at next
year’s World Ag Expo in Tulare,
California.
The Gripple T-Clip is an innovative,
wire-gripping device providing a
revolutionary way of starting or
terminating a fence. It replaces
the time and trouble of knotting or
stapling wires at the end post with
a fast, simple twist and push action
which then secures the wire.
A panel of agribusiness professionals
from across the United States,
including farmers, ranchers and
industry professionals selected the
T-Clip from more than 70 entries.
Bernie Cargle, chairman of the is a tremendous boost for the T- During the World Ag Expo, which to barbed wire and bracing, all
event, said: “These ten products Clip which created a buzz at the is the largest annual exposition of tensioned with the Gripple torq tool
showed the most potential in summer’s UK trade shows. The its kind and estimated to attract which optimises the life of fencing.
advancing agricultural production capability of this innovative end- 100,000 attendees, the Top-10 new
and have the potential to power post terminator adds to the proven products will be showcased inside
For more details about
global agriculture.” efficiency of the Gripple Plus, which then new product pavilion.
the Gripple success story
Eric Laroche, sales director of is already joining and tensioning
The Gripple agricultural division visit www.gripple.com
Gripple’s agricultural division, said: agricultural and viticultural fencing
provides a full system, from
“This global stamp of approval wires across the world.”
tensioning a traditional field fence

84 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 COMPETITION

KIDS
F N H O O X S A E P S

CORNER
R X W H E A T P E N E

H H D O N B E E K G I

Competition winners will receive a Case IH Puma 210

and a New Holland T7060 Tractor manufactured U X X R N E E H W I R
by Britain’s.
For your chance to win complete the show
inspired word search (to the right) and send to
B P O T A T O E S B R
Christian Gallon, The Farmers Mart, Office 1,
40 Stockhill Road, Greengates, Bradford BD10 9AX
A C X G X C B O B A E
Find the following names:

WHEAT R S A T O A W A T R B

BARLEY
B F X R X R C H T L W
CORN
POTATOES A E X X R T H E C E A
CARROTS
T P G E R O O V E Y R
PEAS
STRAWBERRIES W O R A R D T N O W T
rHUBARB
A W A L T O N S B Y S

£50 M&S LAST issue’s kid’s

VOUCHER corner solution
Competition Congratulations to Tom Edmondson from Low Snab Farm,
Keswick who one our Autumn/Winter Kids Corner competition.

11
Well done to Mrs Sue Bell from West Throphill Farm, Morpeth, P
Northumberland. The answers to the last competition were: 11
1) Grahame Kraft B A C O N
2) Seven T
3) National Vice Chairman of the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) 22
B A
22
For a chance to win £50 M&S vouchers
W H E A T
answer the following questions:
1) How many Massey Fergusons tractors E O
does Alistair Coulthard own? 33 33

2) When is the Green Farm Health open day?

F E G G S
44
3) In what year was Geo.Middlemiss & Son founded? S H C

Send all answers by the 31st of May to E O

The Farmers Mart Competition
Unit 1, 40 Stockhill Road E W
Greengates, Bradford BD10 9AX 44
P E A S
Or email simone@farmers-mart.co.uk

FarmersMart Spring 2010 85

 CONTRACTORS GUIDE SPRING 2010
Michael Herbert Agricultural Contractor
$PWFSJOH
BMM
BSFBT
PG
/PSUI

&BTU
:PSLTIJSF
1BVM+3PF
Forge Harvesting • Round Bailing & Wrapping HESSTON SQUARE BALING A L L M A I Z E O P E R AT I O N S
F R O M S E E D TO C L A M P
Muck Spreading • Slurry Tanking “MINI”, “MIDI”, or “BIG”
) *( )
$ " 1"$ * 5 :
. 6 $ ,
413 & " %* /(
Lime & Slag Supplied & Spread • Mini Digger Covering all areas of
) & 4 450/
4 26" 3 &
#" - * /(
N o r t h & E a s t Yo r k s h i r e
Fertiliser Application • Ploughing GRASS TEDDING
i. * / *u
i. * %*u
PS
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( 3 "4 4AND

5 & %%*RAKING
TEL:
Mob: 07932 726 486 Tel: 01484 844 616 /(
" / %
3 " , * /(
01347 811 140
Marsden, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire 07831 335 697

RICHARD BURNISTON & SON

AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS
Thomas Dirom
Agricultural Contractor
• ROUND & SQUARE BALING & WRAPPING • SUGAR BEET DRILLING Bobcat Hire with Driver • Tractor & Dump Trailer
• 6 ROW HOLMER TANKER BEET HARVESTER • STUBBLE TO STUBBLE Large Rear Discharge Muck Spreader • Ploughing, Combination Drilling
TEL: 07595 070 834 OR 01904 738 245 Forage Wagon Silaging • 230hp Tractor Hire with Driver
Quality work guaranteed!
DEUTZ FAHR TRACTORS & TELEHANDLERS
McHALE ROUND BALERS & WRAPPERS Tel: Tom on 07787 565298

KBA AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS

• SILAGE - WHOLE OR PART JOB • SLURRY TANKING & UMBILICAL
SPREADING WITH INJECTORS
• WHOLE CROP & MAIZE
OR SPLASH PLATE
• SEPTIC TANK EMPTYING AT COMPETITIVE
• TRACTOR HIRE - WITH OR
PRICES - ALL LAKE AREAS
WITHOUT DRIVER
• MUCK SPREADING

TEL: 01524 762 467 | MOB: 07899 857 895

If you would like to be included in our Summer 2010 Guide please contact Ben Walton on 01274 610101.

86 FarmersMart Spring 2010

 Moor Lane, Full Sutton, York, YO41 1HX
Tel: 01759 373062 / 01759 368563 (evening)
Fax: 01759 372929
Web: www.edwardstrailers.co.uk

www.edwardstrailers.co.uk
main dealer

For all your agricultural

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TracTors, combines, Trailers,
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