FarmersMart - Spring 2010

The NorTh’s Number oNe FarmiNg guide

move with the times

Issue 18 | Spring 2010

www.Farmers-marT.co.uk

carrs biLLiNgToN oPeNs iT’s doors aT hawes

goiNg, goiNg, goNe: eXciTiNg saLes aT hoPes

riPoN ceLebraTe Their mosT successFuL showcase To daTe

wiTh The saddLeback sPeciaLisT

Managing Director/ eDitor Simone Gallon Tel: 01274 610 101 [email protected]

conSULtant eDitor Chris Berry Tel: 0113 2643 645 [email protected]

aSSiStant eDitor Lucie Carter Tel: 01274 610 101 [email protected]

SaLeS Manager/SUBScriPtionS Ben Walton Tel: 01274 610 101 [email protected]

aDVertiSing accoUntS Manager Nicola Robson Tel: 01274 610 101 [email protected]

FeatUre eDitorS Jennifer Mackenzie, Phil Read, Wayne Hutchinson, Tim Gibson, Chris Berry

DeSign James Ockelford

The FarmersMart 40 Stockhill Road, Greengates Bradford, BD10 9AX Tel: 01274 610 101 Fax: 01274 621 730 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

We mail to over 8,000 industry contacts with an approximately readership of 24,000 throughout Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, County Durham, Northumberland,Berwickshire, Roxburghshire and Dumfries and Galloway.

The FarmersMart is published quarterly by Little Red Marketing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by means electronic, photographic, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publishers. Views expressed in The FarmersMart are not necessarily those of Little Red Marketing Ltd.

Front cover courtesy of John Sutcliffe.

Welcome What a winter it has been snow, ice, rain and wind all the elements for this past season. I hope it has not inconvenienced your lives too much! As I am writing this the sun is out and the sky is clear blue, so let’s hope this is the start of spring!

This edition is packed full of really positive features and it shows that you are all working and looking ahead to the future; I hope they will give you some inspiration to keep on going.

We have been out and about covering open days, conferences, auction marts and many winners from last shows including a few features on pig farming which is great to give this industry a boost. I hope you enjoy reading about them.

We have covered pre show time quite extensively so make sure you see the diary section to get all the dates. Also GYS are filming student Frances Griffiths over the three days for the on-line video they are preparing. Driffield Agricultural Society are planning a new showcase building which they are putting in place this year-see pages 7,8 and 9 for more details.

On a serious note we have been given excellent advice from the police and Harold Woolgar on preventing farm theft. This is rife at the moment so please take the advice given as we know there are millions of pounds worth of equipment that have been stolen. We will cover more of this in detail in the next edition–see page 40 for the valuable advice.

If you haven’t already signed up for Beef Expo which is at Hexham Auction Mart on the 27th of May go to page 9 for more info. This is always a great event run by Euan Elmsie on the behalf of the NBA. Farmersmart will be sponsoring and exhibiting there so come and see us!

I hope you all have a great spring, before you know it we will see you at all the shows!!

Kind regards, Simone ([email protected])

contents

news ............................. 4, 5, 6,7

Showtime ......................... 8, 9,10

Precise Solutions ......................11

Bateman ................................. 12

Protek ..................................... 14

Saddleback ............................. 15

BaSF .......................................17

cornforths ..........................18-20

Davidson ................................. 21

coulthard ...........................22-23

carrs Billington ...................24-26

chestnut Dairies ...................... 27

Bishop Burton Farm ...........28-29

askham Bryan college ........30-31

goddard .............................32-33

robson ................................... 34

Harrison .................................. 35

Sutcliffe .............................36-37

Hough ................................38-39

Farm theft & Harold Woolgar .. 40

raine ...................................... 41

auction Mart ......................42-44

Pearson .................................. 45

Mercer ...............................46-47

Faulks and co ......................... 48

Barr/Walton ............................ 49

news from abroad ................... 50

Dairy ....................................... 51

Huddleston ........................52-53

Selby auction Mart .............54-55

Farmway ................................. 55

Machinery ..............56-58, 65-66

Lely ........................................ 59

guy Machinery ...................60-61

J Wood & Son ....................62-63

WcM ...................................... 67

Severn ...............................68-69

Farmstar ............................ 70-71

Middlemiss ......................... 72-73

Jackson ................................... 74

Yorkshire generators ................ 75

Property .................................. 76

green Farm Health ............. 78-79

Farming People ..................80-81

Sanderson ..........................82-83

Yorkshire Young Farmers .......... 83

gripple .................................... 84

competition ............................ 85

contractors guide .................... 86

Each edition of FarmersMart contains essential information about the agricultural industry. As a subscriber you’ll get regular updates, a chance to voice your views - and much needed encouragement. Just fill in this form and send with a cheque for £15 (payable to Little Red Marketing Ltd.) to: The FarmersMart, Office 1, 40 Stockhill Rd, Greengates, Bradford, BD10 9AX. Or call Ben Walton on 01274 610 101, email: [email protected]

name ........................................................................................ tel no. ............................................

address .................................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................. Postcode .........................................

GET YOUR COPY

p41

p5 p55

FarmersMart Spring 2010 �

news

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 Agency said: “Environmental management is an important aspect of modern farming which can also help to increase profits. Helping the next generation of farmers to develop their knowledge and understanding of environmental issues is our main aim in providing this bursary.”

STUDENT BURSARY ANNOUNCED

John Wray, section leader of Agriculture at Askham Bryan College commented: “Improving communication between farmers and the Environment Agency,

through our students, will help improve understanding and knowledge between both parties and ultimately benefit the countryside.”

Left to right, Liz Philip, Principal, Askham Bryan College, Iain McDonell of the Environment Agency, and foundation degree students, Rose Tomson and Will Dickson testing water quality at one of the College ponds.

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.’

TimE Of ChAllENGE fOR fARmiNG

FarmersMart Spring 20104

news

TEL: 07793 742543 / 01937 841371www.machinery4agriculture.com

Specialising in Used Agricultural EquipmentSimba Culti Press 4.2m DD press £9,500

Strimech Muck Grab £900Kuhn Mower Conditioner FC280P £3,500

Front End Ballast Weights - P.O.A.12 ton Muck Spreader Hire – £100 per day

Large Post Knocker - £50 per dayWanted: All types of farm machinery and equipment.

Good prices paid.

PRE - STRESSED CONCRETE SPECIALISTSTelephone : 016973 32585 or 016973 42277

MANUFACTURERS OF ALL TYPES OF PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE PANELS AND GENERAL PURPOSE INSTANT

WALLING - SILAGE FARM & INDUSTRIAL USE, HOLLOW CORE FLOOR UNITS AND ‘T’ BEAMS MADE TO MEASURE

CONCRETE POSTS & PANELSCONCRETE POSTS & PANELSFOR INSTANT SECURITY WALLING

CONCRETE LIMITED

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 iae on 08451 777200.

iAE DElivER NEW livESTOCk EqUiPmENT TO ADAm’S fARm

Countryfiles Adam Henson with IAE’s Area Sales manager Paul Walkden

TimE Of ChAllENGE fOR fARmiNG

FarmersMart Spring 2010 5

news

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

fARmERS OfERED NEW GREEN fUNDiNG DEAl

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

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.

EXTRA COUlTER ClEARENCE fOR miN-Till

FarmersMart Spring 2010�

news

Full and partial house clearances. See website for dates.

MART OFFICE:Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart

Thirsk Rural Business Centre, Blakey LaneThirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3AB

Tel: 01845 523165 Fax: 01845 526604

www.thirskmarket.come-mail: [email protected]

EVERY THURSDAYWEEKLY DEDICATED SLAUGHTER SALE

300 prime pigs & cast sows @ 9.00am1500 prime sheep & cast ewes @ 9.30am

550 prime cattle & young bulls @ 12 noon(preceded by OTM cattle & cows)

All stock must be CLEAN & TAGGED

EVERY OTHER TUESDAY OF THE MONTHFORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE STOCK

SALE OF STORE & BREEDING SHEEP as forward @ 1.30pmTOGETHER WITH FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE CATTLE @ 2pmUsual selection of Cast Cows, Young Bulls & Store cattle. See website for dates.

EVERY 1ST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH @ 10.00AMMONTHLY COLLECTIVE SALE OF MACHINERY, FUR & FEATHER

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 &gardening requisities, Timber etc.

Collective entries taken on Friday before sale 10am - 5pm.Fur & feather on day 7 - 9am.

FORTNIGHTLY ALTERNATE TUESDAYS TO STORE SALES @ 4.30PMFORTNIGHTLY SALE OF FURNITURE, ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES

Clean Double & Single Beds, Suites & Modern Furnishings, over 1000 lots of quality goodsAlso usual collection of collectables, brassware, glassware, pottery, pine effects, nearly newfurniture. Antiques, Furniture & Collectable entries 12 noon to 5pm Monday day before sale.

Viewing from 12 noon on day of sale

Faster – Tighter – Easier – Safer

Please contact: John Mob: 07966 285240or Steve Mob: 07931 511090

www.quickfencer.com • email: [email protected]

• Available with postdriver backshift. Choice of Masts

• Bryce, Malone, Wrag and others• All machines will take 2 x500 mtr or 2 x300, or 3 x100, rolls of net• Horse and Deer version available• Re-rolling attachment (roll wire back the same diameter) as the original• 7 day money back guarantee (subject to terms and excludes return carriage)

¥ Reduces mastitis cell counts, and controls other pathogens.¥ Readily accepted by livestock.¥ Helps reduce foot problems. ¥ Fits in with existing manure / slurry systems.¥ Higher moisture absorbency than shavings or straw.¥ Available all year round.

Dri-Bed Alternative bedding products for all livestock situations

[email protected] www.4recycling.co.uk

Tel: 0800 0121769We also produce other bedding products and conditioners,

call for further information or visit our website.

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

PROSECUTiON fOR fARmERS

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.

DRiffiElD’S NEW DESiGNS GET UNDER WAY


showtiMe

Marchrickerby Spring Show Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11th

Maycountry Fest Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th

Sheffield Highland Fling May Day Sunday 2nd & Monday 3rd

newark & notts Show Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th

otley Show Saturday 22nd

Beef expo Thursday 27th

northumberland county Show Monday 31st

JuneScotSheep - Sterling Wednesday 2nd

Honley Show Saturday 12th

todmorden Show Saturday 19th

north Yorkshire county Show Sunday 20th

Lincolnshire Show Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th

royal Highland Show Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th

JulyHowden Show Sunday 18th

great Yorkshire Show

Tuesday 13th to Thursay 15th

cumberland county Show

Saturday 17th

Malton Show Sunday 18th

arthington Show Sunday 18th

Driffield Show Wednesday 21st

Penrith Show Saturday 24th

Weeton Show Sunday 25th

ryedale Show Tuesday 27th

Borrowby Show Wednesday 28th

Border Union Show Friday 30th – Saturday 31st

cockermouth Show Saturday 31st

augustSykehouse Show Sunday 1st

cartmel Show Wednesday 4th

emley Show Saturday 7th

Bingley Show Sunday 8th

egton Show Wednesday 25th

osmotherley Show Saturday 7th

Powburn Show Saturday 7th

garstang Show Saturday 7th

Dumfries Show Saturday 7th

Bakewell Show Wednesday 4th & Thursday 5th

Halifax Show Saturday 14th August

Danby Show Wednesday 11th

Malhamdale Show Saturday 28th

Bilsdale Show Saturday 28th

Weardale Show Saturday 28th

Wensleydale Show Saturday 28th

Keswick Show Monday 30th

glendale Show Monday 30th

Kilnsey Show Sunday 31st

SeptemberWestmorland county Show Thursday 9th

Kelso ram Sales Friday 10th

Penistone Show Saturday 11th

Stanhope Show Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th

Stokesley Show Saturday 18th

nidderdale Show Monday 20th

octobercountryside Live Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th

“i’ve seen the show go from strength to strength” says newly appointed northumberland county Show chairman, David carr “collectively as a committee we know what’s good, how to make it work, where we are going and what we want to achieve. We’re not simply organising a good day out; we are committed to encouraging all our young farmers to show and get involved and for our visitors we want to stress how important local farming is to the stability of our future food supply”.

Show Day’s are important socially historical events. “Our event is the biggest in the region (attracting 26,000+ in recent years) and we’re aware of our responsibilities to tradition” he continues.

Built on the ashes of a former show known as The Tyneside Show, with an almost 125 year old history but sadly bankrupted by 1970, the

Tyneside was reported in the 1950’s as a ‘Mecca for agriculturalists, country folk and townsmen alike’.

A 1953 report stated “They will come, the farmers and the factory workers, the shepherds and the shipbuilders and the men and women from many walks of life to cast their amateur and professional eyes over the 3,000 entries which represent the agricultural wealth of the county, the industry of its farmers, the skill of its craftsmen, the patience of its needlewomen and the diligence of its gardeners.”

Monday 31st May 2010 9am to 6pm

adults £10, Seniors £6, children age 3-16 £2.50, Family (2+3) £25

10% Discounted advance tickets tel: 0845 230 5177

www.northcountyshow.com

COmE AND ENJOY ThE NORThUmBERlAND COUNTY ShOW


showtiMe

Reno Pressure Washers from Sellarc provide greater cleaning power from more lightweight and mobile units. Available in choice of Cold and Hot, ElectricalElectrical models and Petrol or Diesel, Sellarc washers are designed for effective and economical cleaning anywhere.

All models are equipped with 8 metres of high pressure hose and a useful range of accessories.

AndAnd with working pressures of up to 3000 psi, the Reno can help to tackle the most stubborn of cleaning problems.

Call for full details today on 01772 862 948W. Bateman and Co. Garstang Road, Barton, Preston, Lancs, PR3 5AATel: 01772 862 948 Fax: 01772 861 639wwwww.bateman-sellarc.co.uk

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.”

“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

PREmiER Uk BEEf EvENT SPONSORED BY llOYDS TSB AGRiCUlTURE

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

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

iT’S CAllED ThE GREAT YORkShiRE fOR A REASON

near Barnsley, and talks about the ups and downs of preparing for the show ring. “I really enjoy showing, it’s great fun, particularly the social side. In fact the only down side is having to get up at 4o’clock on a show morning which I’m not too keen on!”

The episodes will also give viewers an insight into what makes a prize winning animal. John Dickinson,

from Doncaster, who judges Jersey cattle, will be giving his thoughts on what goes through a judge’s mind as the animals file past in the show ring. The footage can be seen on the website (shown below)

For tickets visit www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk or call 01423 541222 for more details.

One of last years winners


showtiMe

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!”

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 experience. The newly introduced rural craft demonstrations will also

ONE DAY, ONE mAmmOTh ShOW

the growing success of newark & nottinghamshire county Show has been highlighted following the shock news that its neighbour, Leicestershire county Show, has been cancelled for 2010; as a result newark which is held on the 8th and 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

back-bone of the show, complemented by a growing number of quality trade stands.

tickets are available online at www.newarkshowground.com or by calling 01636 705796

STANDiNG TAll AS OThERS fAll: NEWARk & NOTTS ShOW

be making a welcome return, as will the wheat to bread demonstrations and Clive the One Horse Mill. Displays from the Royal Signals White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team will take place in the Main Ring as well as the high level of equine displays that the Driffield Show has become known for.

As always the Driffield Show 2010 will

literally have something for everyone, whatever your age or interests there will be something for you at the Driffield Showground.

Visit www.driffieldshow.co.uk for all the latest Show developments or alternatively contact the Show office on 01377 257494.

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 400 series baler and uniwrap, as well as the Class Arion 400 series tractor. Last but definitely not least, there is an exclusive 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

GET A SPRiNG ShOW iN YOUR STEP

David Tite - show director


precise solutions

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. Sensors can be mounted on virtually any type of vehicle to collect information while driving through the field. Information collected, including vegetative index, can then be utilized to measure the impact of nutrients, water, disease and other growing conditions on crops.

The latest Firmware 2.0 in the EDGE™ Display now adds guidance, steering and boom height control to this popular entry-level display.

The latest firmware for the EDGE display has a built-in, full-featured guidance system including an on-screen lightbar showing cross-track error and pass number. The EDGE display also serves as the user-interface for OnTrac2 - Ag Leaders’s new economical and easy-to-install assisted-steering system. With the EDGE display interface to the NORAC UC5™ Spray Height Controller users will be able to monitor and control boom height functions.

OnTrac2™ is an economical and easy-to-install solution for growers looking to add assisted steering to their operation to eliminate skips and overlaps, lower fuel consumption and reduce operator fatigue. This new assisted steering solution features quick and easy installation. The unique splitgear design of OnTrac2 does not require removal of the steering wheel for installation, but instead simply latches on and off for easy transfer across multiple brands

and types of vehicles. The whisper quiet high-torque, positive gear drive of the OnTrac2 delivers the turning power needed for demanding of agricultural vehicles.

For more information visit www.precise-solutions.co.uk

AG lEADER lEADS ThE WAY


bateMan / grahaM edwards

L M Bateman & co Ltd was formed in 1979; our main objective was to provide the agricultural market with a well-made product at attractive prices, coupled with exceptional service – which remains our objective in this, our 31st year of trading.

The main product is manufactured and fabricated in a purpose-built factory located in Cheddleton, North Staffordshire on a 4½-acre site. Bateman also stock product on an 8½-acre site located at Cullompton, Devon, where we also employ our own dedicated staff. All our products are distributed to customers, using our own vehicles and drivers, from either our Staffordshire manufacturing unit or our Devon depot for all our customers in the south-west.

We manufacture a complete range of animal-handling and feeding equipment using prime quality

tubular and RHS steel, galvanised to ISO1461. We supply these products all over the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe. Amongst these are our unique Tamar cattle crush and Thorne Sheepvet.

We aim to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction and all of our area sales managers are contactable by either mobile or home telephone.

Over the years, we have been proud to be associated with major projects, including cattle markets at Bakewell, Brecon, Carmarthen, Shrewsbury and most recently, Bridgwater. Our service has included the design, manufacture and installation of all the animal-handling equipment within the cattle market

For more information visit www.lmbateman.co.uk, or contact the sales team direct on 01538 361326

CATER fOR YOUR livESTOCk WiTh lm BATEmAN & CO

the top seller in the graham edwards 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 on the outside too. With the constant pressure on cleaning out ever since foot and mouth our customers have found this type of trailer to be much more useful for cattle.’

The wheels on the GET126 are on the side and it utilises 4 x 650 x 16 wheels, on 10-ply.

‘They are really Land Rover wheels, which makes life a lot easier and

mEET GRAhAm EDWARDS’ NEW BEST SEllER

provides for low running costs. The optional extras include a slam-shut partition gate and a spare wheel.’

The GET126 has become the top seller in the Graham Edwards Trailers range on the back of good cattle prices in the past two years.

‘Prospective customers always ask

how many cattle you can get in the trailer but that really is all dependent on the breed and the size and age of cattle. What I can tell you is that the GET126 is an excellent trailer for any kind of good towing vehicle.’

If you would like to know more about the GET126 why not contact Matt yourself.

graHaM eDWarDS traiLerS Moor Lane, Full Sutton, StaMForD BriDge York Yo41 1HX tel: 01759 373062 www.edwardstrailers.co.uk

The new best seller

ChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh mATT EDWARDS AT fUll SUTTON


ChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh mATT EDWARDS AT fUll SUTTON

tiMber treatMent

PROTEk – ThE NEXT GENERATiON Of TimBER TREATmENTSover 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

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 i t through the BPD and REACH”.

Responding to the demand for eco-products Protek can now supply their products with resins from sustainable sources reducing the amount of petrochemical derivatives used. Eric’s original ethos was to create the most effective environmentally friendly timber treatment in the

market, and since his retirement this continues to be the next generations objective today.

t: 01749 344697 e: [email protected] W: www.protekproducts.co.uk

Ben and Harriet Thornborough at their Somerset factory


saddleback

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

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 help drive out those who try and pass off meat from cross-breds and unidentified pigs for a quick buck.”

British Saddlebacks are doing sterling work in larger commercial operations such as Helen Browning’s organic farm in Wiltshire and Jimmy

BRiTiSh SADDlEBACkS: “ThE BEST PiG YOU CAN GET”

Doherty’s enterprise in Suffolk and also attracting a lot of attention from the new wave of small-scale producers looking to produce their own meat whilst enjoying the benefits of raising pigs themselves. The future

is definitely black and white.

For more information visit www.saddlebacks.org.uk

John Sutcliffe’s herd of Saddlebacks


BASF plc, St Michaels Industrial Estate, Widnes, Cheshire WA8 8TJ Tel: 0151 420 7151Neokil Gold & Neosorexa Gold contain difenacoum. Neobrom contains bromadiolone.Use rodenticides safely. Always read the label before use.

BASF Pest Control SolutionsBringing 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.

Enabling the most effective solutions to your pest problems.

basF

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.”

“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, colour, smell, taste and texture, the patented Fortec technology in this advanced formulation ensures mice consume it far more rapidly and readily than the market-leading difenacoum bait on which it was based. Controlled trials show its Palatability Ratio with mice is 184% of the Neosorexa standard and it maintains their feeding interest markedly longer, ensuring they’re less distracted by alternative food sources.”

kEEPiNG ON TOP Of fARm miCE

While the superior activity of Neosorexa Gold makes it the preferred house mice bait in most general farm situations, Ken Black recommends a range of other difenacoum options for special circumstances, stressing that all should be used in specialist Rogard bait stations wherever possible to minimise the risk of spillage or

exposure to non-target species.

With all these options Ken Black is adamant that the best control can only be achieved if baiting practice makes the very most of natural mouse behaviour.

www.basf.co.uk

Evidence of rodents at work

FarmersMart Spring 2010 1�

cornForths

FOR YOUR LIVESTOCK THIS SPRING!

01757 213 421 (Mill Office) 07775 506248 (Mobile)

One of Yorkshire’s leading independent farmer-based companies

• Beef • Calves • Dairy • Sheep

Available now!• Straights• Blends• Concentrates• Minerals• Calf Milk ReplacersDelivered throughout Yorkshire

Professional assistance in handling all claims throughout Yorkshire from aPPeals to settlement from

BARTLES TADCASTER

Valuers to & pleased to be associated with corNForths

Also for Environmental Stewardship

Entry Level & HL SchemesAll aspects of Planning Work

contact Brian Bartle email [email protected]

tel 01937 835303

ELECTRIC

WATERGAS

ROADS

Minexcel NutritionSuppliers of quality feed supplements, protein

concentrates and coarse mixes for cattle and sheep. Also on farm analysis of forage and feeds.

Also suppliers for the nationally recognised Life-Gard range of colostrum powder and pastes

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

www.

minex

cel.c

om

Minexcel Nutrition, Brandesburton, Driffield, East Yorkshire

Tel: 01964 542518 Mob: 07776194155 Email: [email protected]

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 we’re looking after our own people, the right way.’

CORNfORThS : BiGGER & BETTERChRiS BERRY viSiTS ThE OPEN DAY AT ThE COUNTRY STORE iN SElBY

Time for a bite


cornForths

Selby liveStockauction mart ltd

“YORKSHIRE’S FRIENDLY LIVESTOCK MART”Weekly Sales of Fatstock – Wednesdays

Pigs 9am – Sheep 9.45am – Cattle & Cows 10.30amStore Stock – Saturdays

Pigs 9.45am – Cattle 10.30am – Sheep 12 NoonFur, 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 213293www.selbymart.co.uk

Auctioneer & Valuer Richard Haigh F.I.A (Scot) 0776 8594535

The Cornforths business includes two main areas – the feeds side, with their own mill near Wetherby, and the country store where feed and many other products are sold. The business has grown markedly in the past couple of years, since the opening of the store.

‘The feeds business is still the much bigger proportion of our work,’ says Stuart. ‘But the shop is contributing well too. We have just launched a new horse feed range and a new range of buckets. We have also changed our branding. There’s such a lot going on. The market is also doing well so we can’t moan at the moment with the way prices are. We also have a

new rabbit feed and we are always expanding our range.’

At a time when many new businesses have found times hard Stuart’s business appears to be riding along quite nicely. Let’s hope it stays that way!

cornFortH’S aniMaL FeeDS Selby Livestock Market Bawtry road, SeLBY Yo8 8nB

tel: 01757 213421

email: [email protected]

Web: www.cornforths.com

Peter played the host

A bite and a pint


cornForths

Leading the field, in the science of crop protection. Working in partnership with Cornforths.

Supporting local producers.

Phoenix Agronomy LtdThe Stables Wighill Park Tadcaster LS24 8BN

Tel 01937 832200 Fax 01937 834968 e-mail [email protected]

the cornforth family has, over many years, built a solid reputation for the quality of their own livestock and customers are clearly attracted to their feeds by how well their stock looks.

‘We use all of our own feeds,‘ says Stuart, ‘So we know that everything works and how well it works. We wouldn’t sell anything that we hadn’t tried and been happy with ourselves first. I think people like that and respect what we do.‘ Stuart started Cornforths Direct Feeds by selling imported calf milk from Holland about 15 years ago.

‘Customers came to see the calves and saw our feed, then they would

ask us to make them some. But it was about six years ago that we set up the company properly. We are now UFAS registered and deliver to as far afield as Hexham, Sheffield, Skipton and the east coast. We make what many tell us is the top end of the range and we are always happy to see customers who want to see what goes into our feed. We have a very loyal customer base and do particularly well with pedigree customers.’ Farmers Mart congratulates Stuart and the Cornforth family on what they have achieved in a relatively short time.

… AND ThiS iS hOW iT All STARTED

All about local people

Smiley time

Stuart entertains the ladies


davison

Society SaleS 2010

NSa SoUtH WeSt Sale – eXeteR august 18th Registered Rams & Ewes

Catalogues from Rendalls Tel: 01392 276404

caRliSle PReMieR Sale 13th augustCatalogues from Harrison & Hetherington Tel: 01228 590490

WoRceSteR Sale 18th SeptemberAll classes – Contact McCartneys 01905 769770

NSa Builth Wells 20th SeptemberPure bred & Millennium Bleu Rams

Contact H & H 01228 590490

Breed Secretary 01291 673816www.bleudumaine.co.uk

BRitiSH BleU DU MaiNeSHEEP SOCIETY

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

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 Vauce Farm. In total both farms now occupy 20 Bleu Du Maine pedigree ewes, 40 pedigree Texel ewes, 140 cattle and 180 Bleu Du Maine, cross breed Texel ewes. John tells us a bit more about his farming origins; “I grew up on the farm and I never really wanted to do anything else; my father taught me everything I know. I would hand everything over to Stuart, but he’s never been 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 produce a top class butchers lamb.”

Like many commercial farmers, John and Kathleen take very few holidays; Kathleen in particular enjoys competing in dog agility contests in her spare time, whilst John has always thrived off live stock competitions especially the Great Yorkshire Show. “The Yorkshire show has a good traditional of being a live stock show and it actually manages to get better every year, because it draws in exhibitors from further afield,” explains John, “Any

TAkiNG GOOD qUAliTY mEAT fROm ThE fARm TO ThE DiNNER PlATEJOhN DAviSON TEllS fARmERSmART ABOUT hiS EXCiTiNG PlANS

award is more impressive when you’re up against so many well-regarded competitors; last year we won in the championship category with home bred ewe.”

With so many fingers in so many pies, being centred in the community’s local pub should come naturally to John, Kathleen and Stuart, and

having received so many prestigious awards over the years for the quality of their stock, they’ll defiantly set the standards in good pub grub.

John and Kathleen Davison Lough green Farm, Hexham northumberland ne47 5nD 01434 684 656

John Davison


coulthard

Montalbo RdBarnard Castle County Durham DL12 8ED

Geoff ThornTel: 01833 637537Mob: 07860 784904 We are pleased to be associated with

Alistair Coulthard and we wish him continued success for the future

MAIN DEALERS FOR MASSEY FERGUSONKRONE, LELY AND VICON

[email protected] are pleased to be associated with Alistair Coulthard

and wish him continued success for the future.

Neil Granger T/A GBUKUnit 5 Zetland Buildings, Longbeck Trading Estate, Marske, Redcar, Cleveland, TS11 6HB

Office Tel/Fax: 01642 758 060 E-mail: [email protected]

Suppliers of Agricultural Wear Parts, Tools, Compressors, Pressure Washers and all Spares

ThE mAN AND ThE mAChiNESlUCiE CARTER mEETS WiTh AliSTAiR COUlThARD TO fiND OUT mORE

TRACTORS• 7485• 7480 + 95 lOADER• 8240 XTRA• 3120 + 925 lOADER• 3080• 699

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

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

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

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

SOmE Of AliSTAiR’S EqUiPmENT

From left: Keith, Alistair Coulthard and Glyn


coulthard

Tel: 01325 284 628

14 Marazion DriveHarrowgate Farm

Darlington County Durham

DL3 0ZRAccountancy and Taxation Services

We are pleased to be associated with Alistair Coulthard and we wish him continued success for the future

All Requirements for Self-Employed, Sole Traders and Partnerships including:

• Annual Accounts • Taxation • V.A.T. • Payroll

• Agronomy and Agrochemicals• Spraying up to 36metres• Liquid and Solid Fertilizers• Seed• SoilQuest Precision Services

Gooseberry Farm, Whinney Hill, Stockton on Tees TS21 1BQ Tel. 01642588585 Fax. 01642570597

Are pleased to supply the Coulthard Family,

Smith House Farm, Elton

Coatham Stob

FenCingAll agricultual and

equine fencing

Mob: 0797 0462156Tel: 01642 589864

We are pleased to be associated with AJ Coulthardand wish them continued success for future

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 the past with other makes. We have Carrs Billington close by at Barnard castle, who look after us really well. I honestly cannot imagine doing the amount of work we do without the use of these machines; they’re just so easy and efficient, which means that we can pretty much take on anything.”

Technically, the machines work excellently for Alistair, who has built up a contracting career since his school days where he began modestly with just the one hedge cutter. “We have recently purchased two fully- specced dyna vt tractors that can power three metre mow conditioners on the front and back, cutting 6 metres at once. The same tractors will operate the round baler, with a combination wrapper on the

back, so we are able to bail and wrap in one operation. We also use the machines for tedding, raking and all our cultivation requirements with ease.”

With the start of the busy arable season just around the corner, Alistair and his team of men and machinery really do have their work cut out.

alistair coulthard Smith House Farm tS21 1ag

tel: 01642 580709 Mob: 07836 371161 Fax: 01642 570141

[email protected]

Just a few of Alistairs’ machines

WOW : a big Massey fan


carrs billington

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

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 an air conditioner in reverse and is extremely economical.’

The Hawes branch employs around a dozen staff, with the Askrigg site also still in operation.

‘We had to invest in the building here because it was antiquated. As

£250k iNvESTmENT iN hAWESChRiS BERRY WiTNESSES ThE OPENiNG Of ThE All-NEW CARRS BilliNGTON STORE

a good employer we felt it necessary to provide far better facilities for our team as well as improving our retail environment. We are an agricultural business and we wanted to move with the times as well as

diversifying into other areas. We see serving this rural community as one of our missions in life, so by having a better store, better displays and better staff conditions I believe we’re now doing just that.

Carrs Billington chairman Chris Holmes & Jim McRobert at Hawes


carrs billington

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

[email protected]

www.carrs-billington.com

All smiles at the sales counter

Happy families


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

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”.

EvER-EXPANDiNG CARRS BilliNGTON


chestnut dairies

Tel: 01902 851007 | Fax: 01902 851058 | www.kiteconsulting.com

Kite Consulting is proud to work alongside Chestnut Dairies, providing a future for local dairy businesses

“...professional about your business”

C.I. Westaby ContraCtIngC.I. Westaby Contracting118 Main Street, Askham BryanYork YO23 3QS

Mobile:07725 911603Fax: 01904 777003Email: [email protected]

• LIME SPREADING & FERT SPREADING 2X • BREDAL 24 MTR SPREADERS,• VARIABLE RATE MAPPING & SPREADING;• MUCK SPREADING.• POULTRY• FYM• COMPOST• SLUDGE• TEBBE SPREADERS UP TO 24 MTRS• FORAGE HARVESTING• GRASS• MAIZE • WHOLE CROP• FULL OR PART TEAM

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?

hEROES Of ThE milk iNDUSTRYChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh SUE vARlEY Of ChESTNUT DAiRiES iN EAST YORkShiRE

‘We want our farmers to survive. We want them long term but we won’t be false. We have taken on a number of farmers from the Scarborough area and the North York Moors and financially we’re okay. We’re paying around 25ppl at the moment but we’d like to get more for them. The Dairy Farmers of Britain farmers that we took on are not on our existing contract, because if we had done that we would have been jeopardising the others.’

The Varleys’s own dairy herd runs to some 100 cows and they are milking around 80.

‘It’s a closed herd but not pedigree. We don’t push our cattle here. Our

cows go right next to Hornsea Mere and that’s what we use on our logo.’

Sue reserves a special mention for David Levitt who works with Kite Consulting.

‘David has helped us enormously. He’s helped us very much with our relationship with farmers and the way in which we feed our cattle.’

cHeStnUt DairieS Stud Farm, Seaton/Sigglesthorne, HornSea, east riding of Yorkshire HU11 5rJ

tel: 01964 535061

Eric gets up close and personal


bishop burton FarM

THOMPSONSOF YORKEST. 1926

ANIMAL FEED COMPOUNDERS

We are pleased to supply feeding stuffs to Bishop Burton College

Jubilee Mill, Murton, York YO19 5UTTel 01904 488388Fax 01904 488517Email [email protected] www.thompsons-feeds.co.uk

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.

‘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

COllEGE fARm WEll PlACED fOR ThE fUTURE ChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh BiShOP BURTON

COllEGE fARm mANAGER DOmiNiC NAYlOR

suffering from solar ulcers has dropped by 50%. You should always aim for zero in terms of problems and we’re now down to just 2%.’

When the old parlour was sold for scrap the farm invested in an oscillating brush which the dairy herd absolutely loves for backscratching, backside scratching and anywhere else!

Dominic believes that the reasons for the greater production of the dairy herd are down to the herd’s diet, which is maize-based.

‘We feed a mix of 65% maize and 35% lucerne. The cattle have no ryegrass in their diet. Our maize is grown under plastic. Last year we planted in the third week of March and harvested on 29 September. We turn out the cows in Spring but we

Dominic Naylor with his flock


bishop burton FarM

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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

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 sheep. At Bishop Burton the flock includes Mules, Texels and Lleyns.

‘The Mules are fantastic for fertility rate, giving 200% every time and producing fantastic lambs. We took first prize at Thirsk Christmas Market in December.’

Once again there is a complete diet feed mix for the sheep too.

The arable operation complements

the livestock enterprises with wheat, barley, oil seed rape, vining peas and maize all being grown.

‘Everything is done in-house with the exception of combining and spraying. Local contractor Andrew Cooke looks after all of that. We sell corn to Wm Thompson of York and buy back as feed. We do all of our own cultivation work with the students doing as much of the work as they

can. That’s fairly unique amongst agricultural colleges today.’

BiSHoP BUrton coLLege Bishop Burton, Beverley east Yorkshire HU17 8Qg

tel: 01964 553000

[email protected]

www.bishopburton.ac.uk

ChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh BiShOP BURTON COllEGE fARm mANAGER DOmiNiC NAYlOR


askhaM brYan college

WE ARE ThE fUTURE Of fARmiNGASkhAm BRYAN iS ThE Uk fASTEST GROWiNG lAND BASED COllEGE AND AGRiCUlTURE iS AT ThE CENTRE Of ThE CURRiCUlUm.

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

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.

John Wray Mike Patch

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.

FarmersMart Spring 2010�0

askhaM brYan college

Please contact us to book your place, request or prospectus or more details on any of the courses available at askham Bryan college.

askham Bryan college, askham Bryan, York Yo23 3Fr tel: 01904 772277; email: [email protected]

centres at Bedale, guisborough, Harrogate and thirsk.

Photo shows Dan Hird and Jessica Robinson, winners of McCain Foods Scholarship

Endowments, meeting Hilary Benn during his visit to Askham

Bryan College last year

BEN fARGhER 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.

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. ‘The other winner, Jessica Robinson, and I are now both studying for BSc Hons Degrees in Sustainable Land Management.’ The judges praised Dan’s strong entrepreneurial spirit – he has already set up his own business selling lamb directly to customers – and by his determination and enthusiasm for the agricultural industry.

DAN hiRD McCain Foods scholarship endowment winner

qUAlifiCATiONS 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

Level 5: Foundation Degree: agriculture and Land Management

Level 6: BSc (Hons) Degree: Sustainable Land Management

Other subjects available include Animal Management, Business and Rural Retailing, Butchery and Food Chain Technology, Countryside and the Environment, Engineering and Construction, Equine, Forestry and Arboriculture, Horticulture and Floristry, Sports Surface Management, Public Services and Sport.

Certificates of Competence in agricultural and land-based subjects.

Bespoke training for businesses on your premises or ours.

Further education taster Days (1.30 - 4.30pm)

For those in Years 10 or 11 at school who would like to try one or two subjects before applying. Separate information sessions for parents, guardians and teachers.

24 March 2010

5 May 2010

23 June 2010

Further education information Sessions (10am - 12 noon)

Find out about life as a student, meet the staff and a enjoy a tour of the campus and residential accommodation

17 March 2010

28 April 2010

12 May 2010

Higher education information DaysFor anyone interested in studying for a degree. Study routes for those with and without A levels.

24 March 2010 from 2pm

5 May 2010 from 6.30pm

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FarmersMart Spring 2010 �1

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

ThE GODDARDS: fARmERS, ENviRONmENTAliSTS AND AWARD WiNNERS

lUCiE CARTER mEETS WiTh miChAEl AND CAROliNE TO hEAR mORE ABOUT ThEiR PRESTiGiOUS WiN

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.

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.

Lowe Farm was named winner in the small farm category and was granted overall winner, but competition was strong with 25 farms fighting for the coveted award.

Michael tells FarmersMart more about the award itself; “the award is based on three main aspects of work; conservation, enhancement and of course environmental. We’ve done a lot of work here through the years, not only have we increased the size of the farm itself, but we’ve put up brand new barns, created pond areas for the wildlife, concentrated on hedge laying and put new margins down out in the field. It’s all about

creating the best environment for our wildlife.”

Realising the uniqueness of his farm, Michael applied in writing to the competition and after just a few months was notified that his application had been successful and that Lowe Farm was a real contender. After being visited by four judges from the National Farmers Union (NFU), Wilkinsons and The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), the farm was observed, assessed and scored. Amazingly it took just one day for the decision to be made, and Lowe Farm was crowned the eventual winner.

NFU judge Simon Fisher was blown away, “The Goddard’s farm was a superb example: a family-run farm with both arable and beef enterprises. It is obvious that Michael and Caroline care deeply for their The Goddards


goddards

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

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 ��

robson

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.”

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

miDDlE hORSlEYhOPE fARm: hOmE Of 1ST GENERATiON fARmERS lUCiE CARTER viSiTS PhilliP AND BEvERlEY ROBSON TO hEAR ThEiR UNiqUE STORY

land,” Phillip adds.

It’s easy to assume that because the Robsons work alone, the prospect of attending and indeed competing in shows is one of little priority to them. But their thirst for winning is something that has always remained. Beverley tells us, “Over the years we have showed an awful lot, in summer 2008 we achieved champion carcass lamb at the Great Yorkshire Show, and we’ve competed at Smithfield with the commercial cattle.”

As fans of various nation-wide carcass competitions, Phillip and Beverley admit that it can sometimes be difficult to attend and participate in those shows further afield. “There aren’t too many carcass competitions about in the summer; it’s mainly the Great Yorkshire which is the closest to us. And during the winter months it can be quite hard getting down to Smithfield. Carcass confirmation on the Dutch Texel breeds is always great, our winner at the Great Yorkshire in 2008 achieved 38 kilo live and 21 kilo dead, which is a fantastic score” explains Phillip.

Currently, Middle Horsleyhope Farm is home to 750 breeding ewes (both Dutch Texel and Beltex breeds) and 40 cows. But would they consider taking on other breeds? “At the minute we’re happy dealing with the fat lambs. So I’d say we have enough things going on at the minute. There’s a chance we might cut the cows back and push the sheep up, that’s something we’re looking at,” Beverly replied.

In addition to Farming, Phillip Robson likes to dabble in other things; cattle judging, sheep showering, road gritting for the local council and even fencing contracting; “I’ve judged suckler cows and calves at the local shows, which did help me when I was showing because the two go hand in hand you see. And we’ve had the mobile sheep shower for a decade now and it’s always been incredibly popular, one year I think we showered over 40,000 sheep.” Not bad for a couple who work primarily on their own.

So what exactly do the Robsons think of the farming industry as a whole? “It’s looking very promising but you can’t really tell with farming, it just takes one thing to change things. But on a positive note our lambs are up by 10 to 15 pound a head on average compared to last year,” Phillip explained. “Where exporting is concerned there’s almost a pound to a euro, which means this will probably be the best option for us in the future.”

For Middle Horsleyhope Farm, it seems Phillip and Beverly’s best options are there in abundance, proving that the transition into Farming can be an enjoyable and extremely diverse one.

Phillip and Beverley robson Middle Horsleyhope Farm consett, county Durham DH8 9De

tel: 01207 508226

The Robsons


harrison

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Jim McRobertTel: 01969 667334Mob: 07801 564020 Carrs Billington would like to wish

The Harrison Familycontinued success

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Washfold FarmLeyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5JZ

Tel: 01969 622193www.metcalfefarms.com

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

‘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.

WE’RE ON TO A WiNNER lUCiE CARTER mEETS WiTh ADRiAN hARRiSON TO hEAR mORE ABOUT hiS ChAmPiON JERSEY

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 and I can stock more per hector then I could with any other breed. It’s the 2nd highest growing dairy breed in the world at the moment, perhaps because they’re such an easy, manageable cow.”

Manor Farm now occupies over 160 acres, the buildings on the plot including the family home and out-houses were built when Morris bought the land originally. Unlike many farming families, Adrian’s wife Gillian isn’t involved in the farm, but runs her very own mail order business ‘Tenigo’ which is situated directly at its centre and sells unique gift and animal merchandise. “She’s never really been involved, because she’s always had her own career, when we got married and moved here; we built the office here on the farm and went from there” Adrian explained.

Fortunately, Adrian and his family have sustained their contract for Wensleydale Creamery for many years and throughout the dreaded ongoing recession, “We have suffered a little, because milk prices were a lot higher during 2008, but we’ve

always ensured the quality remained the same” Adrian continued. It’s an exciting time at Manor Farm; the prospect of this summer’s events, especially the Great Yorkshire Show is wonderfully positive; “I’m really looking forward to competing again, I’m on a Jersey cattle society judging panel myself which helps, I wouldn’t say I have a upper hand, but I have an idea of what to take and what some judges may be looking for.”

So are there any winners in the pipeline as yet? I asked. “It’s hard to predict at such an early stage, I have to wait until they come into milk to see if there is any real potential” Adrian admits.

Here’s hoping!

adrian Harrison, Manor Farm thornton rust, Wensleydale

tel: 07974941863

www.winking-cavy.co.uk

Adrian with his champion Jersey


sutcliFFe

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THE ABATTOIR, SNOWDROP VILLA, AYSIDE,GRANGE-OVER-SANDS, CUMBRIA, LA11 6JE

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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 own 140 acres in total, although the land is split by the main road, Bridgefield Farm is the heart of our pig enterprise.”

To classify John simply as a farmer would be a discredit; not only does he run a local pig finishing unit, but he’s been a prize winner at agriculture

SUTCliffE: ThE SADDlEBACk SPECiAliSTlUCiE CARTER TAlkS WiTh ThE mAN himSElf AfTER hiS mOST SUCCESSfUl YEAR

personally don’t have enough; you need lots of commercial pigs. The British Saddleback are a rare breed and as such are commanding uplift on commercial prices; it’s a specialist niche market. Without Airey’s slaughter house, only 6 miles away, none of this would be possible.” John supplies three specialist butchers locally. “Continuity of supply and consistency are the key to a successful partnership. I decided very early on that I get my pleasure from breeding pigs and butchers are the ones to sell the meat. I actively promote the butchers at all the shows I attend as their success is my success. All the Saddleback pork, sausage, bacon and ham are available mail order from any of the three butchers via their websites or shops.”

But that’s not all, John is also involved in a university-run programme to

help young vets to develop, “I have some trainee vets that come round in the summer during showing time; more often than not they’ve never handled a pig in their life before. We go through all the preparation for the shows with them and show them how to wash the animal. Ironically, they usually end up showing the pigs themselves. It gives them so much confidence.”

John’s love of pigs, specifically the British Saddleback and Hampshire breeds came as a result of the dreaded foot and mouth outbreak, which left him to re-evaluate and reassess the animals on his farm. “We were taken out in 2001 and we lost about 80 pigs, 300 sheep and 200 cows. I just couldn’t give myself back to the cattle after the trauma of it all. The number of pigs we have has expanded from then on, but it’s something that has taken an awful

shows for over 15 years and a faithful supplier to local farm shops. He explains, “It’s definitely important to incorporate something different, you can’t make a living out of these guys,” he said admiring his herd. “I

John Sutcliffe John with his champion at GYS

FarmersMart Spring 2010��

sutcliFFe

We are pleased to be associated withJohn Sutcliffe and wish him continued

success for the future.

TEL: 01695 724331

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

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

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 [email protected] www.saddlebackpigs.co.uk


hough

National Beef Event - Hexham –27th May, 2010Come and see us on the stand.

Royal Highland Show 24th June to 27th June, 2010Visit our stand and see what Galloways can do for you.

Galloway National Show – Cumberland Show – 17th July 2010.The largest show of Galloways in the country.

The Galloway Cattle Society, 15 New Market Street, Castle Douglas

01556 502753 www.gallowaycattlesociety.co.uk

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

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

iNTRODUCiNG ThE GODfAThER Of fARmiNG lUCiE CARTER mEETS WiTh BRYAN hOUGh TO hEAR hiS iNSPiRiNG STORY

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 me a paid teaching position and insisted I was a natural,” Bryan beamed. “It was my certificates that really led me to teaching; in all I’ve been teaching agricultural studies for over 40 years; I taught in high schools across Todmorden, Upper Mill and Huddersfield.”

Proving that his love of teaching never faded, Bryan went from full-time teacher, to mobile mentor with over 45 trainees at one point; “I worked as a Youth Training Scheme (YTS) trainer for some time, across Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and even the Isle of Man; I just thought it was so important to pass on the knowledge I had. These days it’s often the case that there’s plenty of work for everyone but a alack of skills to be able to do it.”

As well as his wonderful teaching

a young hopeful Bryan Hough

credentials, Bryan has been vice president of the White Bred Shorthorn Association Carlisle for the last ten years and is also a member of the Galloway Council. Perhaps Bryan’s most favourite career move was his work in dry stone walling, which he has done for much of his adult life; “I was president of the dry stone walling Association for 6 years, but I recently retired,” Bryan explains, “At least he’s supposed to have!” intervened Rose. “I wouldn’t say I’ve given it all up,” he continued, “because I’m still president of the Lancashire branch of the association. So I do some teaching with that, but definitely not as much as I used to and it’s voluntary.”

With such a committed farmer


hough

David Sykes LtdAgricultural & Fencing Contractor

Slurry Spreading and Injecting with 6m Trailing ShoeMuckspreading • Mowing, Tedding & Raking • Bailing and Wrapping

Reseeding • All Types of FencingMuck Shifting with 14 ton Trailers and Spreading

We are pleased to be associated with Bryan & Darren Houghand we wish them continued success for the future.

Mob: 07966 369032Tel: 01457 872 486

8 Manchester Road, Greenfield, Oldham, OL3 7HQ

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

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.

So how, over the 50 years of farming have standards in livestock changed? “Cattle are defiantly better now,” Bryan insists, “they’re much bigger and are exported a lot more often. The cattle we keep are so quiet compared to other breeds and they’re such an easy carving. It’s more or less a closed heard here now, apart from buying the odd bull now and again.”

For a man who has pretty much seen it all where agriculture is concerned, Bryan tells us, without any reluctance that he has no regrets; “Absolutely none at all, my family and 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. At one stage in my career I even did a lot of after dinner speaking, advising audiences how to care for the land, and of course its animals, problems

with are still relevant today.”

Bryan is currently in the early stages of jotting down his fondest memories and developing them into a book; “the reason being is simply; I don’t think anyone else has had so many different jobs, I mean at one time I had 25 trainees, was teaching 20 community groups, teaching night classes and running a farm; I honestly don’t know how me and Rose managed it all.

And manage it they did; with a career spanning so many years, so many sectors and several counties, Bryan’s eventual book is sure to be a best seller.

Bryan, Darren & rose Hough Burnedge Bent Farm grasscroft oldham oL4 4eB

“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.” BRYAN hOUGh


securitY / harold woolgar

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.

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

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

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.

CARRS BilliNGTON AGRiCUlTURE iNTRODUCE Of ThE CAmEliD RANGE

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.

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

ThEfTS Of TRACTORS AND fARm mAChiNERY CONTiNUES TO RiSEBY Phil READ OBE SECURiTY EDiTOR AND hAROlD WOOlGAR

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

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

• Use security lighting in drives and yards

• Fit a tracker

• Postcode the roof of trailers – big large letters

• Postcode welding on trailers tractors and machinery

• Physically secure with steering wheel locks and chains

• record serial numbers, engine numbers etc.


raine

G W TaylorsHay & Straw Merchants

General HaulageLong or Short Distance

We are pleased to be associated withBrian Raine & Family

and we wish them continued success for the future

Contact Richard Taylor on 07870 175545

For further detailscontact

Ian Powley01900 824105

www.carrs-billington.com

We are pleased to be associated with Brian Raine and wish him

continued success for the future.

CAMELID CARE PRODUCTS

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

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

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 animals and garments for sale on-line at www.town-end-alpacas.co.uk. Town End Alpacas is a member of the British Alpaca Society and the Raines are the welfare representative for the North West group of the British Alpaca Society.

Testament to the quality of animals in the herd is their achievements at shows, including winning the supreme champion Huyacaya among strong competition at the Westmorland County Show in 2009 with the home-bred male Town End Magnus, now two years old.

The holiday cottage at Town End has been upgraded to English Tourist Board

AlPACAS, ThE fAShiONABlE ChOiCEJENNifER mACkENZiE viSiTS BRiAN AND kim RAiNE TO fiND OUT mORE

4 Star status with a Gold award and sleeps four adults and two children. The superior accommodation and the location - close to Windermere and the south Lakes and in the Winster Valley - has attracted visitors from around the globe as well as from the UK. The cottage is offered at reduced rates for couples on their own and it is available for short breaks as well as holidays.

Full details are available at www.town-end-farm.co.uk Mob: 07740 918380

Brian Raine

We are proud to beassociated with

Brian and Kim Raine

Riverside Business Park, Natland Road, Kendal, LA9 7SXProviding a comprehensive total farm animal service.

Fertility, nutrition, mastitis, worming and health planning adviceincluding NWDA health initiative and Dairy Co Mastitis plans.

Telephone: 01539 72269224hr emergency service

Also at: Tithe Barn Veterinary Centre, Kirkby LonsdalePart of the XLVets Group

[email protected]

www.xlvets.co.uk


hopes oF wigton auction Mart

D.A.HarrisonWaverton, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 0AE

• Haulage & Storage •• Sand, Gravel & Aggregates •

• Ready Mixed Concrete •• Skip Hire & Waste Disposal •• Stevedores at Silloth Docks •

• Pre-Stressed Concrete Products •

Admin: 016973 42277RMC: 016973 61777

Skip Hire: 016973 31000Haulage: 016973 44000

Wishing Hopes Auction Mart all the best for the future

We are pleased to be associated withHopes Auction Mart

and wish them continued success for the future

Brian Johnston HaulageAll Livestock Haulage

Tel: 01768 894 274Mob: 07885 774742

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.

BUYiNG, SElliNG, mOviNG – iT’S All hAPPENiNG AT WiGTONChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh BRUCE WAlTON & iAN RiTChiE AT hOPES

‘’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


hopes oF wigton auction Marthopes oF wigton auction Mart

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

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

and sellers around the sheep and cattle rings.

‘We pull cattle numbers from as far as Egremont in the west to Hexham in the east. There are tow Hexham farmers here today. Our buyers around the cattle ring number around

9 or 10 each week from a wide area and include wholesalers and local butchers. On the sheep side, where several buyers now purchase on behalf of a number of others,

continues page 44

In concentration A full ring


hopes oF wigton auction Mart

BRAYTONHigH PRessuRe WAsHeRs

• SaleS • Hire • Service • repairS• part excHange Welcome

contact US today For ademonStration at yoUr premiSeS

Tel: 01228 537 761 OR MOBile: 07860 55692910 AlleNdBROOk ROAd, ROseHill esTATe, CARlisle

We are pleased to be associated with Hopes Auction Mart and we wish them

continued success for the future

we usually have 5 or 6 around the ring, which always creates healthy competition. That’s what our job is all about, securing the best price for our farmer customers whilst also looking after our buyers.’

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 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

[email protected]

www.hopesofwigton.co.uk

“i ThiNk mANY DO REAliSE ThE BENEfiTS Of livESTOCk mARkETS BUT YOU’vE AlWAYS GOT

ThE DiEhARDS WhO Will GO DEADWEiGhT.”BRUCE WAlTON

Plenty to say Where’s your cap

Ready to buy


pearson

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.’

NO WAY fARmERS ShOUlD fUND DiSEASEChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh DAviD PEARSON Of DEEPDAlE, UPPER WhARfEDAlE

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

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

“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


Mercer

Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart LtdLEEDS 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) 461135Ian Smith ALAA (Market Manager) 07738 043771

www.wharfedale-farmers.co.uk

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

RUNNiNG fOR DOmChRiS BERRY TAlkS ChARiTY WORk WiTh ADEl fARmER, NiCk mERCER

Nick Mercer - charity runner and farmer


Mercer

ADEL FARM AND GARDENSALL YOUR GARDEN NEEDS

ALL ASPECTS OF LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN MAINTENANCE

Tel: 01132 780295Mobile: 07712 189631

[email protected] Farm & Gardens are pleased to support Martin House Hospice

SAVILLE FARMERS AND CONTRACTORS• Round and conventional bailing • Hedge Cutting

• Muck Spreading • JCB Work • Quality hay and silage for sale• Mowing and pasture topping

We cover Wetherby and Yorkshire areas

Saville Farmers And Contractors are pleased tobe associated with Nick Mercer

Tel: 01132886341 Mob: 07850915453

I just wanted something a little bit different. I’ve been very pleased with the way they have gone and they stand a very good comparison with the Texel lambs. The only problem is the availability of Hampshire tups up here, but the society does have a sale at Skipton each year.

‘When my dad farmed here it was connected to the Eastmoor Young Offenders Unit, but then we were offered the farm ourselves. We used to milk 40-45 dairy cows at one time and the lads from the young offenders unit used to come and learn how to milk. Today with 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 any great personal glory, he’s just

doing it in the memory of Dom and to help others. Whatever you can give Nick will be grateful for. If you go to www.justgiving.com/nick-mercermartinhouse10Kruns you will find all the information you need.

Farmers Mart applauds Nick for his efforts and is visiting the site to give right now!

www.justgiving.com/nick-mercermartinhouse10Kruns or give nick a call direct on 07712 189631

SPONSOR NiCk BY GOiNG TOWWW.JUSTGiviNG.COm/ NiCk-mERCERmARTiNhOUSE10kRUNS

Nick Mercer also runs Adel Farm and Gardens

Nick and young pup Ted


new products

Faulks & company Ltd were established in the British agricultural trade in 1981 selling the now obligatory rubber Feed skip. Which was followed in the 90’s with gorilla tubs® which bought long lasting buckets to sites all over the world. Faulks & co now decided to offer quality hand tools as part of their growing range, under the Wm.Faulks Brand.

The range is made up of over 60 products which fall into the following groups:

• Shovels, spades and Forks (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

to give the same service on tools we give with Tubtrugs®, friendly staff and consistent fast ex-stock deliveries” he added.

Agricultural and contractors tools come in Cool Grey and natural materials such as “Ash Wood” made to last and provide first class value for money. The range will be developed further over the coming months by listening to the Trade and giving them what they want!

For more information visit www.wmfaulks.com

fAUlkS & CO lTD lAUNCh NEW RANGE Of qUAliTY hAND TOOlS


barr / walton

Weekly Sales of:- Primestock, Cast Cattle & Sheep, Rearing Calves, CropFortnightly Sales of:- Beef Breeding Cattle, Young Feeding Bulls & Store Cattle

Pedigree & Commercial Newly Calven & In-Calf Dairy Cattle & Dairy Young StockMajor 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 ArtOn-Farm Stock Sales, Dispersals & Valuations Undertaken

Farmstock Office:- Skipton 01756 792375Auctioneers: Jeremy Eaton (General Manager) 07747 780481

Ted Ogden (Farmstock Sales) 07855 958211Diane (Field Officer) 07834 050193

www.ccmauctions.com

SKIPTON AUCTION MARTGargrave Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire

Auctioneers & Valuers

PiGS WORThY Of ThE BiG SCREENCAROlE BARR Of CROOk BARN STABlES EXPlAiNS mORE

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 Shows. As well as that she was Reserve Supreme at Cheshire Show and she was named Reserve Female Pig of the Year, an award which comes from all the BPA sponsored shows, 14 all together; there are four heat winners from each show, so we were competing against over 50 other Champion Pigs in total,” Jan explained.

Church Farm also occupies a MV accredited flock of 180 pedigree Charollais sheep and 250 MV accredited commercial ewes in a flock consisting of North Country Mules, Cheviots, Lleyns, Texels, Border Leicester’s and crossbreds.

Jan and Andrew’s passion for producing the best possible animal stems from their life-long love of farming, two academic degrees each and naturally, her partnership with Andrew; “I have an agricultural based degree from Leeds University in Animal Science and a masters degree from Bristol in Meat Science, the

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

fROm PEDiGREE PiGS TO PERfECT PORkfARmERSmART viSiTS ThE REAl lifE WAlTONS AND ThEiR AWARD WiNNiNG STOCk

same masters degree as Andrew.”

The Walton’s agricultural education has perhaps led them down their chosen career path; Jan said “We developed our own food production company Deva Foods which means we can sell the very best meat to our chosen outlets, via our on-site processing area.”

When they moved to their beloved farm, it wasn’t the developed and productive site it is today; “We bought the farm with just 2 small paddocks the barn, the shed, and the house basically; and now 8 years later we are pushing on two hundred acres.” Jan now has her eye on one pig in particular; “We might take ‘JJ’ out late in the summer, just by looking at him I can tell he has real potential.”

Let’s just say that JJ has some extremely large trotters to fill.

Jan and andrew Walton church Farm 01244 851 705


news

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

UNiqUE COmBiNATiON PROvES A BiG hiT

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.

fESTivAl PROviDES ROARiNG TRADE fOR fARmERSPhil READ REPORTS fROm YEmEN ON hOW REliGiOUS fESTivAlS ARE BiG BUSiNESS fOR fARmERS


dairY

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.

“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

the downturn, therefore we believe that they should all receive the same flat rate payment,” he explained.

RABDF however has not backed the government proposal that farmers producing less than 50,000 litres a year should be exempt from funding. “If a producer has milk quota, is registered with the RPA and is contributing to the dairy industry, then why shouldn’t he or she receive the fund too? The number of producers below the 50,000 litre threshold is relatively small; therefore it’s unlikely that to pay these producers will cause too much administrative burden.”

He adds: “Awarding 0.2ppl is not a huge amount for farmers, but it may help to pay a bill or two. We do not believe that this is the best way forward to achieving a free market; the fund was introduced mainly to support weaker EU member states’ less efficient farmers and while we are grateful of the fund, it is unlikely that it will support these farmers in the longer term.”

www.rabdf.co.uk

RABDf CAllS fOR flAT RATE PAYmENT

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

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

downloaded at: www.yorkshire-forward.com/rural

If your expression of interest is deemed to be suitable for funding Yorkshire Forward will send an application out and details of deadlines when work needs to be completed and monies claimed. After the work is done, you’re not finished! Yorkshire forward may need updates from you and your vet as to how the investment has improved the welfare of you cows for the following 5 years.

Yorkshire Forward is the “Regional Development Agency” and other “RDA” for other regions are likely to also be offering a very similar

package nationally so this will benefit other regions as well as Yorkshire’s farmers. The news of this is a major boost to Dairy Farmers across the county, especially as many were hit by losses last year due to the collapse of DFB. At that point last year Yorkshire Forward helped many Dairy Farmers with free advice and seminars to try and help those affected. The coming months will reveal more information about this support, but at long last Dairy Farmers in the region seem to be getting some welcome support!

BY Tim GiBSON

DAiRY fARmERS TO BENEfiT fROm 50% fUNDiNG iN YORkShiRE REGiON


huddleston

SWALEDALESHEEPBREEDERS’

ASSOCIATION

For further details please contact the Secretary - John Stephenson

Tel: 01833-650516Email: [email protected]

website:- www.swaledale-sheep.com

SCENiC AND SUCCESSfUlWAYNE hUTChiNSON viSiTS ThE BEAUTifUl OvERhOUSES fARm

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

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

Andrew, Harry and Lisa Huddlestons by the Three Peaks


RI Raw Feeds (UFas RegIsteRed 1058)

Feed MIll CapeRnwRay, CaRnFoRthBlended Feeds FoR Cattle and sheep

delIveRed oR selF ColleCtIon

we are pleased to be associated with the huddleston Family and we wish them continued

success for the future

tel: 015242 219 22 / 07968693989

huddleston

Towers GornallChartered Certified Accountants

Towers & Gornall are pleased to be associated with Andrew, Lisa and David Huddleston and wish them

every success now and in the future

29 Main Street, Bentham Near Lancaster, LA2 7HQTel: 015242 61206Fax: 015242 [email protected]

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 262726Harry helping out


selbY auction Mart

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

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

GREAT START AT SElBY mARTChRiS BERRY viSiTS ThE mART ThEY CAll ThE fRiENDlY ONE

Richard Haig in action


FarMstaY

Land and Property SalesSpecialists in sales of farms, smallholdings, bare land & development opportunities.

AuctionsFarm machinery & livestock sales, 6 weekly antique & collectables sales, bankrupt stock etc.

ValuationsProfessional valuations for sale, finance, year end, probate, amalgamation, dissolution and taxation.

Compensation ClaimsNegotiating for road schemes, pipelines, cables, wayleaves, easements, telecommunication masts etc.

Planning AppraisalsFarm buildings, agricultural dwellings, building concessions, diversification opportunities.

Subsidy ClaimsAdvice & assistance with Single Farm Payment applications and transfers and Entry Level Stewardship.

Chris Clubley & Co

60 – 64 Market Place, Market Weighton, York, YO43 3ALTel: 01430 874000 Email: [email protected]

Bumper Yorkshire farmhouse breakfasts, all 164 of them, were served up over three days and six sittings at this year’s annual charity Farmhouse Breakfast. Husband and wife farmers and on-farm accommodation providers chris and christine ryder threw open their doors at Scaife Hall Farm, Blubberhouses, for the 2010 feast, which raised £4,200 for the arc-addington Fund.

The national charity helps maintain the economic and social fabric of UK farming communities, notably through its Strategic Rural Housing Scheme, which provides housing for farmer and their families who have to leave their farm and cannot find anywhere suitable to live.

ARC-Addington Fund director Ian Bell OBE said: “Fund-raising is vital to us and the resounding success of the Yorkshire Big Breakfast event is very appropriate, as we have been particularly active of late in re-housing a number of families across the county who have been forced to come out of farming or have retired.

“We’d like to hear from other families who may be facing similar problems. Many farmers are not keen to talk to us and are prepared

to ‘struggle on regardless.’ What we want to them know is that potential help could well be available. We’re only a phone call away.”

The 2010 Big Breakfast was organised and run jointly by REAL Food and Farming, which promotes and supports the Yorkshire Dales uplands and the communities and businesses that depend on them, and local members of Farm Stay UK, Britain’s biggest network of farm-based accommodation providers.

It again shone the spotlight on the value and importance of using quality local produce, as well as the starting the day with a healthy, nutritious breakfast.

Barclays Bank was main sponsor, with support also received from other local and regional suppliers and individuals.

A venue is already in place for the 2011 Charity Big Breakfast – St George’s Court B&B, Old Home Farm, High Grantley, Ripon, to be hosted by Will and Lindsey Hitchen.

Photos: Organisers and helpers are pictured at the 2010 Yorkshire Charity Big Farmhouse Breakfast.

fARmhOUSE BREAkfAST SERvES UP A £4,200 ChARiTABlE TREAT

SimONE viSiTS SCAifE hAll fARm AND ENJOYS A DEliCiOUS BREAkfAST

residential market place since the New Year, although very little on the agricultural land market.

‘We have started the year really well on residential having sold several properties but there is nothing much on the farming side. I think it’s everyone’s desire to hold on to their little bit of England and that’s what all farmers are doing. When prices are going up they tend to hold on and wiat for them to fall.’

The mood around Selby Market was certainly happy. Selby is known as

the Friendly Auction Mart and with prices as they are it looks set to continue being a very friendly place for some while yet!

SeLBY LiVeStocK aUction MarKet

Bawtry road SeLBY Yo8 8nB

tel: 01757 703347 [email protected] www.selbymart.co.uk

Auctioneers Chris Clubley & Richard Haig

Are they happy?


ripon FarM services

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 there’s quite a bit of confidence around. New tractor unit sales are down, but not tremendously. It’s a bit early to say how 2010 is going to go, but all in all I can see us still having a good year.’

CAUTiOUSlY OPTimiSTiC AT RiPON fARm SERviCES 2-DAY EvENTChRiS BERRY viSiTS ThE BiGGEST fARm mAChiNERY OPEN DAYS iN YORkShiRE

Geoff’s opinion was shared by many of the farmers at the show to varying degrees. Martin Wilson of Beckwithshaw was cautiously

optimistic:

‘If you compare the sheep and beef prices to five years ago there has been a definite improvement. But if

they had carried on as they were at that time I don’t think we’d be here now. I feel that we’re in a better place than we were two years ago.

Geoff Brown with some of his team


ripon FarM services

At the end of the day with farming you can’t stand still, you’ve got to reinvest, keep pushing forward, or you will end up going backwards. We’re heading in the right direction, but there’s still further to go yet. We’re living a little bit off the exchange rates and we could do with a little more of a secure footing.’

Ben Dale who farms near Boroughbridge believes that the confidence in farming may have reached a plateau:

‘I think there’s more confidence than ther was five years ago, but I don’t know that the confidence is any higher than it has been for the past two years. We’ve had two good years and it isn’t, just at the moment, like it was last year. In 2009 beef and sheep prices were good, but cereal prices, as we all know, went

completely the other way. This last harvest we have come out about £100/tonne for wheat.’

Father and son Jim and Tony Barton, who are more used to being asked questions about cricket, also believed that last year wasn’t too bad, but with slight reservations:

‘We were slightly up on last year on wheat, but we’ve still a lot of it in the shed. Barley was down a lot and rape averaged out about the same. Last year we’ll have done okay. We’ve bought fertiliser to use this season and that’s come down a lot, so that’s a help.’

Jim believes that when all is said and done nothing much has changed since a decade ago:

continue page 58

Farmers Jim and Tony Barton

Farmers Martin Wilson


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

an event of this magnitude takes 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: [email protected] 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 [email protected] www.riponlandrover.co.uk

Time to chat

Starting them young


lelY

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800MM TELESCOPICSIDESHIFT

TELESCOPIC MAST OPTION FOR 10FT POSTS

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

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

AChiEvE SPEED AND EffiCiENCY WiTh lElY

balers and which one performs best it has to be a contractor who has been baling for 30 years and has tried most makes” says Paul. “So on the recommendation that the Lely Welger was best for performance and reliability, I bought one straight away, and it is simple to operate!”

Speed and efficiency is much approved by Paul but he also likes the ease and simplicity with which net rolls can be changed over. He

appreciates the benefits of having all the baling controls through the electronic in-cab ‘e-link’ so that from his cab seat he has all the essentials within easy reach – and that includes his flask of coffee!

For more information visit www.lely.com


guY MachinerY

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

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.

GUY mAChiNERY TAkES OvER SkiPTON AUCTiON mARTChRiS BERRY viSiTS ThE SECOND SPRiNG ShOW

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.

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.

Preparation for Grand Parade

Plenty to chat about


guY MachinerY

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

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

[email protected]

www.guymachinery.co.uk

Open day saw the launch of Grahm’s new Ifor Williams distributorship

Time to smile

Co, do you want one?


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 pleased to report that the range is very well liked and has fast become appreciated by many of our farmer customers. The Landini tractors seem extremely well-suited to the area we operate in and the numbers

lANDiNi & SChAffER mAkE ThEiR mARk iN NORTh YORkShiREChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh mARk BENTlEY AT J WOOD & SON

Mark Bentley

j wood & son

of users are on the increase. The range provides something for every farmer we serve and we believe that even more will benefit from Landini

tractors in the years to come.’

The new addition to the J Wood & Son stable is the Schaffer forklift


j wood & son

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

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


MachinerY

RiTChiE RESPOND TO OvERWhElmiNG DEmANDFor 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

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 angle setting up to 10o to help break up compaction. Requiring no tools to adjust, the rotor is easily moved to suit soil conditions. Equally ballast can be added or removed to ensure the machine operates on its two skid depth settings.

Ritchie launched the 2.5m width Actisol Grassland Subsoiler in 2009. Operating at 250-300mm depths, this machine penetrates 50-100m deeper than the Ritchie Aerator.

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

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 sponsoring Valtra dealer. All visitors will also be entered into a national draw held at the end of the series

vAlTRA EXPERiENCE 2010

Available with a 3, 4 or 5 leg system, all components bolt onto the 2.5m frame so that farmers can select how much soil aeration and pan disturbance is required.

The soil is first cut by disc, which is followed by a carbide steel tine. Each leg vibrates in work due to the double spring construction, producing improved shattering of the compacted pan, with less power required. An automatic trip operates on each leg should a boulder or hidden obstruction

be encountered. A levelling roller follows to level the grass. The 3-leg machine requires 100hp whilst the 5-leg needs 120/130hp depending on field conditions. On badly compacted land there is very little root growth with water standing on the top surface. The introduction of a regular aeration system improves grass growth and produces vigorous crops.

www.ritchie-d.co.uk

of events, where the prize will be a voucher entitling the winner to £5,000.00 worth of options (Recommended Retail Price) on a

new Valtra tractor order.

www.valtra.co.uk


MachinerY

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

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

ClAAS ANNOUNCE ENGiNEERiNG WiNNER

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

mASSEY fERGUSON WiNS AT AGRiTEChNiCA


wcM

mASSEY fERGUSON WiNS AT AGRiTEChNiCA

SElliNG All Of YOUR POTATO CROPChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh mARk TOmliNSON Of WhOlECROP mARkETiNG lTDit’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

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

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 [email protected]

www.wholecropmarketing.co.uk

Mark Tomlinson (left) of WCM


brick green FarM

Pennine Feeds Ltd Scarr View Farm, Lindley Moor, Huddersfield HD3 3SZ

Tel: 01422 377704 • Mobile: 07719 815776

Pennine Feeds Suppliers of Quality Animal Feeds

We are pleased to supply Mark Severn & Family

and wish him continued success for the future.

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; we decided we were going to have some pedigree cows because we’d always helped a friend show who’d kept Dexters and south Devons. The problem was we didn’t know which breed to keep, I wanted to keep Herefords, and Mark decided he wanted blondes. Then one day we saw some cows down the road that belonged to our friends; after we had found out what bread of cows they were we went to Carlisle and bought three; a cow, a calf and a young heifer.”

All iN A DAYS… hOBBY?lUCiE CARTER viSiTS BRiCk GREEN fARm TO hEAR WhY A PAST TimE NEvER BECAmE fUll TimE

Whilst many would use this opportunity to throw in the towel so to speak, and focus on farming full-time, Mark and Tracy did the complete opposite; having established his very own machine moving company during the mid nineties, Mark continued to work away from the farm. “I don’t think I would take it on full time, because I don’t really think you can make a living out of farming in

today’s climate. A lot of people who inherited a farm and its animals are struggling, so if you were raise a herd from scratch and buy a premises and what not, it would be even tougher. For my business, trade is very good at the minute. That’s one good thing about the recession; there’s a lot of firms shutting down so were pulling a lot of machinery out,” Mark explained. Although they work in other positions, the Severns

have never been too far away from the world of farming, throughout his teenage years Mark worked on a friend’s farm and Tracy’s Father was a farmer himself.

Ironically however, the very same Bull that had lured the couple into the industry just a few years ago has proved to be one of their most well-regarded and high achieving yet. ‘Freddie’, the huge stock breeding

Telephone :01422 209800 Mobile: 07836 757336

Buying or selling new & reclaimed stone, paving, slates, heads, cills etc

Best Prices Paid

We are pleased to be associated with Mark & Tracy & wish them every success for the future

The Stone Yard, Fenny RoydHalifax Road, Hipperholme

Halifax HX3 8HQ

Mark and Tracy with Freddie - their award winnning bull


brick green FarM

SDT Machinery RemovalsTel: 07718 724114

Fax: 01422 885250Unit 1b,Topland County Business Park,

Hebden Bridge,HX17 5RUSteven and Kay are pleased to be

associated with Mark and Tracy Severn and wish them continued success for the future

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


FarMstar

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

built up a significant name in recent times is Philip Watkins and once again he had a presence at the show. The company was incorporated in 1988 and is presently under the managing directorship of Andrew Waddington.

The other manufacturers also involved with Farmstar include many of the farm machinery world’s most famous names: Kverneland / 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.

NOBODY BEATS fARmSTAR’S OPEN DAY iN SOUTh YORkShiREChRiS BERRY mAkE AN ANNUAl TRiP TO mARR

Farmstar also has branches at Brigg. Market Weighton and Long Bennington, near Newark.

Andrew Waddington was particularly pleased with the open day: ‘These days really do take quite a lot of getting together and I would just like to thank all of our team for the hard work they always put in to making sure our customers are treated the right way, whether that

is on days like this or throughout the year through our sales and service operation.’

FarMStar grove Farm, church Lane, Marr, Doncaster Dn5 7aU

tel: 01302 786786 www.farmstar.co.uk

MD, Andrew Waddington


FarMstar

Water Ballast Land Rollers.End-tow model with transport kits - 10ft & 12ft widths

Tandem roller, giving a rolling width of 16’, 18’, 20’ and 24’.

Wall thickness vary from 6mm 20mmRollers available in 5ft - 12ft widths.Diameters 20in, 30in, 36in, and 40in.

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.

Tel. 02843 778 711 Fax. 02843 772 050Philip Watkins on his stand

Smiles in the snow

Has the deal been done?


MiddleMiss

We are pleased to be associated with Geo Middlemiss & Son and we wish them continued

success for the future

All Types of fencing AvAilAble

for furTher informATion pleAse cAll

0777 4775031

Alan Fish Fencing

Rowland Agar(Wholesale Butchers)Ltd

SUPPLIERS OF THREE DALES QUALITY MEAT

Pleased to be associated with Geo Middlemiss & Son

Ilkley Abattoir, Little Lane, Ilkley, LS29 8HXTel: 01943 608042 www.threedales.co.uk

Fax: 01943 601586

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 and then we make up from buying at Wharfdale farmers auction mart and sometimes we go to Thirsk or Selby. In the past we’ve kept animals on our small farm, but recently we downsized to just keep hens and chicken.”

Tony is very much a supporter of all things local; even the abattoirs he works with are within close proximity and are indeed owned by his friends. “I grew up with the men at Rowland Agar in Ilkley and John Penny & Sons at Rawden so I know exactly what I’m getting. After dealing with the abattoirs, our meat is then hung for 2 to 3 weeks, the

A CUT ABOvE ThE RESTfAmERSmART TASTES ThE BEST PORk PiES iN TOWN

perfect amount of time to produce the end resulting taste.”

Of course during the recession, trade at Geo. Middlemiss & Son has suffered slightly, but Tony and his team which comprises of Peter, Martin and Danny help to turn that around; over the last three years, the butchers have entered a number of competitions and have triumphed across the board. Tony tells us more, “We won the award for Best Pork Pie at the National Supreme Championships last year, and also at the British Pig Executive (BPEX) North West championship that was held in Bolton.”


MiddleMiss

Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart LtdLEEDS ROAD, OTLEY, LS21 3BD

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -SEE YOUR STOCK SOLD AND COLLECT YOUR PAY ON THE SAME DAY

AT OUR “FRIENDLY” YORKSHIRE LIVESTOCK MART- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -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 043771www.wharfedale-farmers.co.uk

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

WAITE & HARTLEYChartered Accountants

David Hartley BSc(hons),FCA,FCCA

Registered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales to carry out audit workA Member of the ICAEW Practice Assurance Scheme

66 North Street, Wetherby, LS22 6NRTel: 01937 587188 Mob: 07703 356473

Fax: 01937 587488 [email protected]

We are pleased to offer our best wishes, support and advice

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 qualified with honors; soon after he was awarded apprentice of the year at the Royal SmithField Show down at Earls Court in London,” explains a very proud Tony.

So what does the future hold for a butchers with such a phenomenal history? “Well we’re always investing; in machinery and property mostly,” continued Tony, “and we’re thinking about opening 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

get the industry going again.” And what an inspiring message that is.

After Simone and the team tasted Geo.Middlemiss & Son’s deliciously juicy pork pies, FarmersMart can safely say that they’re worthy of their numerous awards.

geo. Middlemiss & Son 3 Market Street otley LS21 3aF

tel: 01943 462 611

From left: Danny, Martin, Tony and Peter

“If it’s meet, we’ve got it”


gordon jackson

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.”

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

ThE TRADiTONAl WAY Of DOiNG ThiNGS lUCiE CARTER TAlkS WiTh SCOTS mAN GORDON JACkSON Of BlACkBURN fARm

breeding ewes and 500 hogs,” not bad for a three man, one woman team. “We are extremely busy at the moment, with lambing and what not,” Gordon continued, “Because we have such a large farm, I’m out on the motorbike most days to reach all the animals.”

On the showing side, Blackburn Farm has won big in recent years; Gordon tells us, “I just enjoy going to the shows, especially when we win,” he laughs. “One of my ewes was awarded Supreme Champion at the autumn sale of Whitbred Shorthorn Cattle in Carlisle, in November last year and was eventually sold for 4,800 guineas to John Pattinson at Hotbank, Bardon Mill in Hexham.” Another of Gordon’s wins came with one of his most treasured Langham

blue faced tup lambs, who he insists like most of his cattle was “well-fleshed with a lot of character.”

Gordon’s Nephew, 21 year-old William also looks likes a promising young farmer as he continues to help around the farm and is according to his doting uncle, ‘very enthusiastic’ during show preparation time. So after achieving such good prices recently and with more hopeful sales coming up in the near future, the Jackson name is one to watch.

gordon Jackson Blackburn, newcastleton roxburghshire

tel: 01387375246

Gordon Jackson presenting at the Autumn sale Photo courtesy of Harrison & Hetherington


Yorkshire generators

ThE POWER YOU NEED BY YORkShiRE GENERATORSChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh RiChARD OGDEN Of YORkShiRE GENERATORSno 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

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

installed a 200Kva Rolls Royce generator offering standby power just 18 months ago.

But that’s not all. Yorkshire Generators has also built up a healthy slice of business from corporate hospitality and event hire during the summer period; to assisting waste recycling facilities; and installing generators at sites where there is no power, in remote areas for the likes of telecoms towers.

‘To compliment or generator business we also supply and install inverters which gives you the opportunity to top up battery cells where there is no mains power supply. A standby generator would basically receive a signal from the inverter and remotely start when the battery voltages are low, in order to keep replenishing and maintaining battery life’

Since starting Yorkshire Generators just over three years ago Managing Director Richard Ogden and his business partner Steven Dresser are very happy with the direction the business is going. ‘Considering the difficult economic climate over the past 18 months, what we have achieved in a short space of time is remarkable. We have also been very encouraged by the financial results we have had so far and we are confident that the business is well positioned in order to springboard to the next level when the economy recovers.’

For more information visit www.yorkshiregenerators.co.uk

Richard Ogden at Greyfriars UK - mushroom growers


propertY

lAND mARkET REviEWBY ANDREW BlACk, DiRECTOR Of SAvillS (l&P) lTDSavills’ 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

Savills (L&P) Ltd, 13-15 Micklegate, York Yo1 6JH t: 01904 617800 F: 01904 617801

www.savills.com

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

andrew Black MRICS FAAV

Tel: 01904 617831 E: [email protected]

Sarah Hinchliffe BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV


tom Watson BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV



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

WhERE ARE YOU GOiNG ON 30 mARCh?ChRiS BERRY TAlkS WiTh ChRiS JEffERY Of GREEN fARm hEAlTh

Chris Jeffery


green FarM health

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

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 machinery stands too. So there will be plenty for everyone to see.’

‘It is the personal touch with our customers that we value the most. Recently we have taken on the services of a veterinary nurse in order to offer services such as micro-chipping and canine dental clinics.’

The country warehouse at Thirsk has proved so popular since Green Farm Health moved there three years ago that more and more

general public customers are now utilising it.

‘The parking here is a real bonus. All of our customers can park really close to the premises and load up very easily. We now stock a huge range of pet foods and rural country wear and sales are increasing month by month. Now there’s a bit of good news for everyone. We hope to be absolutely stacked out with customers on Tuesday 30 March.’

Farmersmart congratulates Chris and Kate on the growth of their business. We will be there to capture the best of the day for the Summer edition of the magazine!

green FarM HeaLtH thirsk Livestock centre

tel: 01845 522611 Mob: 07711 185170 [email protected] www.greenfarmhealth.co.uk

Chris in the store

“supplying agricultural products for over 25 years”

Tel 01225 816500


FarMing people

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

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.

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 [email protected]

BGS GRAZiNG PARTNERS TO hElP GRASSlAND fARmERS

Stuart Stark

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

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

NEW hEAD Of AGRiCUlTURE AT fARmWAY

Simon Bishop

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

kUhN STRENGThENS PRODUCT SUPPORT TEAm

agriculture faces the future looks very bright.

www.farmway.co.uk

Mick Yatesrichard 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

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

lEADiNG PiG fARmER APPOiNTED ChAiR Of lANTRA’S ENGlAND COUNCil

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

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.

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.”

RE-STRUCTURED SAlES TEAm AT SUZUki

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


FarMing people

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 activities.

Edward, a former Programme and 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

PROGRAmmE OffiCER TO hElP STEER £3m fUNDiNG PROGRAmmE

Some new faces have been recently welcomed in the award-winning potato farmers and packers team at Scholes, Driffield, and East Yorkshire. Richard Scholes, Managing Director commented “We are delighted to welcome Dave Bailey and Andrew Hart; they both have great track

records. Andrew Hart has superb experience in the potato industry at director level, and as a former Royal Naval Commando, he will certainly have us all organised and in ship-shape. It’s great to go into 2010 with such a strong team, having just had our best potato harvest ever.”

SChOlES SAilS AhEAD iNTO 2010

Photo: Back Row, Left to Right: Richard Scholes, Managing Director; Dave Bailey, Sales Manager; Andrew Hart, Potato Operations Director; Andy Murr, Farms Manager. Front Row, Left to Right: Sal Iveson, HD Manager, Rachel Scholes, Storage & Logistics Director

as many of you will know george Smith retired from his position as groundsman at the Driffield Showground at the end of october.

George started work with us in April 1991, following his (first) retirement from his position at Sunderlandwick 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.”

We hope that you will join us in wishing George a very happy retirement.

ThANk YOU GEORGE

McVeigh Parker fencing, farming and equestrian supplies is the 2010 official fencing supplier to the all england jumping course, 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

STARS Of ThE ShOW

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


sanderson

HOPES of WigtonLivestock Auctioneers & Valuers

Hopes Auction Co. Ltd93 High Street, Wigton CA7 9PG

Telephone 016973 42202 / Fax 016973 45001E-Mail [email protected]

Web Site www.hopesofwigton.co.uk

EVERY TUESDAY - throughout the yearSale of Prime Cattle (Young Bulls & Clean Cattle) and Prime Sheep

THURSDAYS FORTNIGHTLY Sale of Store, Beef Breeding & Dairy Cattle, Over Thirty Months Cattle & Calves.

Also Special Sales as advertised.All types of agricultural sales & valuations undertaken.

Wishing continued success to David and Christine Sanderson

G D & M DUNGLINSONBRUNSTOCK CARLISLE CUMBRIA CA6 4QG

TELEPHONE 01228 524918

For more information contact: Michael Dunglinson on 01228 524918

MILKING MACHINE TESTING AND SERVICINGOur Westfalia trained engineer performs the Milking Parlour testing service. Tests can be “static” performed between milkings or “dynamic” conducted during the milking.

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

WE CHECK: • Parlour vacuum levels • Effective reserve • Vacuum fluctuations • Air losses • Pulsation performance • Fitting malfunctions • Wear and Tear

WHY TESTThe milking machine works extremely hard, each and every day twice a day, sometimes more often

As with servicing, regular preventative testing ensures that the equipment is optimised to its intended performance parameters. A problem caught early is a cost avoided.

Studies of milking machine performance in UK often highlight major deficiencies in performance related to installation, service and maintenance.

Regular testing identifies these faults.

Ayrshire Cattle Society, 17 Barns Street, AYR, KA7 1XB

Tel: 01292 267123

www.ayrshirescs.org

The Ayrshire Cattle Society are delighted to be associated with the Sanderson family and would like to congratulate David and Christine on

their accomplishment of winning the Ayrshire Breed Championship

at the inaugural National All Breeds Show and wish them continued

success with their Ayrshires.

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 second lactation and 10 of which are in the herd today, and two heifers. Further purchases were made from the Waxham youngstock sale in Carlisle as well as other individual purchases from herds in Cumbria and Scotland.

TRADiTiONAl BREEDERS WiTh ThEiR EYE ON ThE fUTUREJENNifER mACkENZiE TAlkS TO ChRiSTiNE AND DAviD SANDERSON ABOUT ThEiR AYRShiRE hERD

“The Waxham herd were different type of cows to the pure Ayrshires we had previously and we also wanted to produce more milk from these bigger, blended cows,” said

Christine, who has been secretary of the Cumberland Ayrshire Breeders’ Club for 14 years.

Still open to select purchases of top cows which catch their eye, the

christine & David Sanderson


Yorkshire Young FarMers

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 [email protected].

www.yfyfc.g.uk

YORkShiRE YOUNG fARmERS: READY, SET, RAllY!

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

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


gripple

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 event, said: “These ten products showed the most potential in advancing agricultural production and have the potential to power global agriculture.”

Eric Laroche, sales director of Gripple’s agricultural division, said: “This global stamp of approval

GRiPPlE’S AmERiCAN ADvENTURE

is a tremendous boost for the T-Clip which created a buzz at the summer’s UK trade shows. The capability of this innovative end-post terminator adds to the proven efficiency of the Gripple Plus, which is already joining and tensioning agricultural and viticultural fencing wires across the world.”

During the World Ag Expo, which is the largest annual exposition of its kind and estimated to attract 100,000 attendees, the Top-10 new products will be showcased inside then new product pavilion.

The Gripple agricultural division provides a full system, from tensioning a traditional field fence

to barbed wire and bracing, all tensioned with the Gripple torq tool which optimises the life of fencing.

For more details about the gripple success story visit www.gripple.com

gripple


coMpetition

kiDS CORNER

£50 m&S vOUChER COmPETiTiONWell done to Mrs Sue Bell from West throphill Farm, Morpeth, northumberland. the answers to the last competition were:

1) Grahame Kraft

2) Seven

3) National Vice Chairman of the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA)

For a chance to win £50 M&S vouchers answer the following questions:

1) How many Massey Fergusons tractors does Alistair Coulthard own?

2) When is the Green Farm Health open day?

3) In what year was Geo.Middlemiss & Son founded?

Send all answers by the 31st of May to the Farmers Mart competition Unit 1, 40 Stockhill road greengates, Bradford BD10 9aX

or email [email protected]

F N H O O X S A E P S

R X W H E A T P E N E

H H D O N B E E K G I

U X X R N E E H W I R

B P O T A T O E S B R

A C X G X C B O B A E

R S A T O A W A T R B

B F X R X R C H T L W

A E X X R T H E C E A

T P G E R O O V E Y R

W O R A R D T N O W T

A W A L T O N S B Y S

competition winners will receive a case iH Puma 210 and a new Holland t7060 tractor manufactured

by Britain’s. For your chance to win complete the show

inspired word search (to the right) and send to Christian Gallon, The Farmers Mart, Office 1,

40 Stockhill Road, Greengates, Bradford BD10 9AX

Find the following names:

WhEATBARlEY

CORNPOTATOESCARROTS

PEASSTRAWBERRiES

RhUBARB

coMpetition

kiDS CORNER

F N H O O X S A E P S

R X W H E A T P E N E

H H D O N B E E K G I

U X X R N E E H W I R

B P O T A T O E S B R

A C X G X C B O B A E

R S A T O A W A T R B

B F X R X R C H T L W

A E X X R T H E C E A

T P G E R O O V E Y R

W O R A R D T N O W T

A W A L T O N S B Y S

competition winners will receive a case iH Puma 210 and a new Holland t7060 tractor manufactured

by Britain’s. For your chance to win complete the show

inspired word search (to the right) and send to Christian Gallon, The Farmers Mart, Office 1,

40 Stockhill Road, Greengates, Bradford BD10 9AX

Find the following names:

WhEATBARlEY

CORNPOTATOESCARROTS

PEASSTRAWBERRiES

RhUBARB

lAST iSSUE’S kiD’S CORNER SOlUTiON

2

2

1

1

3 3

4

4

2

2

1

1

3 3

4

4

W H e a t

B

e

F

a

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congratulations to tom edmondson from Low Snab Farm, Keswick who one our autumn/Winter Kids corner competition.


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

ALL MAIZE OPERATIONSFROM SEED TO CLAMP

T E L :0 1 3 4 7 8 1 1 1 4 00 7 8 3 1 3 3 5 6 9 7

C o v e r i n g a l l a r e a s o fN o r t h & E a s t Y o r k s h i r e

HESSTON SQUARE BALING“MINI”, “MIDI”, or “BIG”

GRASS TEDDINGAND RAKING

TEL: 07595 070 834 OR 01904 738 245

RICHARD BURNISTON & SONAGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS

• ROUND & SQUARE BALING & WRAPPING • SUGAR BEET DRILLING• 6 ROW HOLMER TANKER BEET HARVESTER • STUBBLE TO STUBBLE

DEUTZ FAHR TRACTORS & TELEHANDLERSMcHALE ROUND BALERS & WRAPPERS

Thomas Dirom

Tel: Tom on 07787 565298

Agricultural ContractorBobcat Hire with Driver • Tractor & Dump Trailer

Large Rear Discharge Muck Spreader • Ploughing, Combination DrillingForage Wagon Silaging • 230hp Tractor Hire with Driver

Quality work guaranteed!

• SILAGE - WHOLE OR PART JOB

• WHOLE CROP & MAIZE

• SEPTIC TANK EMPTYING AT COMPETITIVEPRICES - ALL LAKE AREAS

• MUCK SPREADING

KBA AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS & CONTRACTORS

TEL: 01524 762 467 | MOB: 07899 857 895

• SLURRY TANKING & UMBILICAL SPREADING WITH INJECTORS OR SPLASH PLATE

• TRACTOR HIRE - WITH OR WITHOUT DRIVER

Michael Herbert Agricultural ContractorForge Harvesting • Round Bailing & Wrapping

Muck Spreading • Slurry TankingLime & Slag Supplied & Spread • Mini Digger

Fertiliser Application • Ploughing

Mob: 07932 726 486 Tel: 01484 844 616Marsden, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

contractorS gUiDe SPRING 2010


Moor Lane, Full Sutton, York, YO41 1HXTel: 01759 373062 / 01759 368563 (evening)

Fax: 01759 372929Web: www.edwardstrailers.co.uk

www.edwardstrailers.co.uk

email sales.marr@ farmstar.co.uk

www.farmstar.co.uk

For all your agricultural Machinery needs

Marr, Doncaster T: 01302 786786 F: 01302 783443

M. Weighton, York T: 01430 875900 F: 01430 875909

Newark, Notts T: 01400 283818 F: 01400 283819

Brigg, North Lincs T: 01652 654944 F: 01652 655171

TracTors, combines, Trailers, Ploughs, ride on mowers, hedge-cuTTers, sPreaders, sPrayers, mowers, drills,Telehandlers, rollers, discs

case ih - Manitou - Kverneland - KubotaMc hale - rau - richard Western - vicon

cousins - boMFord - PhiliP WatKins

main dealer

Documents

FarmersMart - Spring 2010