The Farmers Mart Apr/May 2015 - Issue 39 | Page 44

Totley Hall Farm Dorset quality at Easter - and Christmas! »»It is Wednesday 8 April. Christmas 2014 is way behind the Pocock family, although you would not be surprised if this December’s festivities weren’t that far away from their thoughts. Why? Chris Berry finds out on his visit to meet Edwin, Jenny and their son Chris, who were just 25 ewes away from completing another season’s lambing when Chris arrived with his camera. Totley Hall Farm is situated quite appropriately in the village of Totley some eight miles south of Sheffield city centre and just a mile or so from the South Yorkshire/ Peak District Derbyshire border. Edwin and Jenny moved here in 1982. Edwin had previously managed a farm near Coventry prior to moving north and Jenny, who was brought up in Wolverhampton, had been a home economics teacher. The couple were keen to become farmers in their own right. “We decided we would try and get a farm on a tenancy and this came on the market from Sheffield City Council. Ewbol Productive | Healthy | Profitable ForFarmers Ewbol range provides quality ewe and lamb feeds for all systems. Proud to be associated with Edwin Jenny and Chris Pocock of Totley Hall Farm Ewbol key nutritional features for profitable lamb production include: Improves lamb survival and vigour Increases forage digestibility 08457 22 88 53 Better rumen health and feed utilisation [email protected] www.forfarmers.co.uk 44 Apr/May 2015 www.farmers-mart.co.uk At the time it was about 100 acres but it is currently now around 80 acres as we dropped some of the poorer land, the woodland, which reverted back to the council. We rent a further 30 acres on a ‘gentleman’s agreement’,” Edwin explained. ‘where we are situated has always been good for involving the public in attractions here’ The first thing you notice about Totley Hall Farm is that there are a lot of other buildings all around it. There is no grass, just a farmhouse with residential accommodation to the left and right. Their yard includes a number of outbuildings behind the farmhouse and after that there is a winding road of no more than about 60 yards that leads to what amounts to an ‘upper deck’ of further farm buildings. This is where I find