The Farmers Mart Apr/May 2015 - Issue 39 | Page 15

CW Tate and Son APB OILS Lubricants & Adblue Supplier A P Birkbeck Ashlea, Picton,Yarm, Cleveland, TS15 0AG Proud to supply Ian Tate & Free House Farm Tel: [phone] E: [email protected] achieves for his stores. When I asked him what he enjoyed the most he told me how much pride he took in his animals and showing them at Northallerton which is testament to the skill and drive he has, especially as he had to start again after seeing his herds sadly disappear during a very traumatic time with foot and mouth, even though his herds were not infected. Ian say’s that his wife, Lynn, pictured with some of the new calves and two of her own animals, Maisy and Ruby, is a great support to him. As well as her own full time job she does all the book keeping and administrative duties for the farm and contracting business and is also particularly adept at rearing calves. You might ‘Ian also has a significant contracting side doing some 1500 acres of drilling and 30 to 50,000 round and square bales a year’ imagine that that would be enough for the two of them and their three full time staff and one harvest casual, but Ian also has a significant contracting side doing some 1500 acres of drilling and 30 to 50,000 round and square bales a year with some 3,000 for himself. He also sells a lot of haylage, silage and straw for the farming Lynn with Ruby, who she has hand reared from birth when her mother rejected her We are pleased to support Ian Tate of Free House Farm, Crathorne, with crop production advice and agronomic inputs. For more information please contact agronomist Jonny Bell on 01845 537555. www.procam.co.uk and equestrian world. On top of that lot, he also has a gritting contract for some 40 sites in the north east, which can have its drawbacks as snow doesn’t care when it falls and he found himself and his three 2 ton gritters working through Christmas night! It comes as no surprise to hear that Ian hasn’t had a holiday for six years, but he does have one unmovable hobby on Saturday afternoon: he has notched up 45 years of loyal support home and away for Newcastle United and the only time he may possibly miss a game is at harvest time. One morning in 2014 he received no less than 37 calls before 9am to go contracting including a text at 5.30am for some combining! The future is just around the corner as the move to the new farm starts shortly, beginning with new barn construction and concreting. We look forward to including a follow up feature on the completed move in either our November or January 2016 issue. Rumour has it that when the animals have moved into their new home, there could be a “bit of a do” at Free House Farm. We wish Ian, the family, his team and his animals a smooth move. www.farmers-mart.co.uk Apr/May 2015 15