Because we care too!
Benningholme Grange Farm
Because we care too!
Proudly supporting Holderness farmers for over 100 years
Hedon 01482 898301 www. havenvetgroup. co. uk
Farming and Agriculture Insurance
When you work in a specialist industry you need to be confident that your insurance is providing you with the specific protection you need.
With many years’ experience in the agricultural insurance sector we offer:
• Specialist covers
• A dedicated team to manage your insurances
• A proactive reassuring claims service
Whether it’ s time to renew your policy now or in the future contact us today on
07968 116647 or email tony. laking @ jelfgroup. com
Partnership House, Priory Park East, Kingston upon Hull, HU4 7DY www. insurance-partnership. com
Jelf Insurance Partnership is a trading name of Jelf Insurance Brokers Ltd( Reg No. 0837227), which is part of Jelf Group plc( Reg No. 2975376) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority( FCA). Registered address: Hillside Court, Bowling Hill, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6JX( Registered in England and Wales). Not all products and services offered are regulated by the FCA.
FRANK HILL & SON CHARTERED SURVEYORS, AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS Ralph Ward FRICS FAAV, Charles Hill FNAEA SCV, Philip Mortimer BSc
18 MARKET PLACE, PATRINGTON, HULL TELEPHONE( 01964) 630531 WEB: www. frankhillandson. co. uk | EMAIL: auctions @ frankhillandson. co. uk ALSO AT HULL CATTLE MARKET, DUNSWELL
THANKS to Chris, Guy and David Shelby of Benningholme Grange Farm FOR THEIR CONTINUING SUPPORT
JIB105.04.16
Benningholme: Where accuracy is cost saving
Chris Berry talks with Guy and Chris Shelby in Skirlaugh
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THE EARLY MONTHS OF THE agricultural year always see a plethora of machinery shows. There’ s YAMS in York, LAMMA in Peterborough and masses of individual dealership open days with farmers taking advantage of the latest offers and checking out new technology on new tractors and other farm equipment.
Guy Shelby, who farms at Benningholme Grange near Skirlaugh in Holderness, along with his father, Chris and brother, David, believes that new technologies are one way of controlling costs- and that both GPS and strip tillage are worthy of everyone’ s consideration. He’ s using both on their farm and for contract work.
The Shelby’ s farm across around 900 acres tenanted from the Swine Estate, part of the Crown Estate. Chris, originally from North Yorkshire, brought them here in 1995 after having farmed next to the River Trent in Nottinghamshire since 1984 where they grew sugar beet, potatoes and cereals and had sheep on the river banks.
Guy started overseeing the arable end of the farming operation at Benningholme near the end of 2013 and also runs the contracting business that is growing year on year. David has just returned from having spent time on farms in America and is now a fourth generation shepherd tending their flock of 310 breeding ewes. Pigs are kept on a bed and breakfast basis for Easey Pigs and they have either 1,100 or 2,200 on at any one time dependent upon when they arrive or go.
“ We’ re now on strip tillage here at Benningholme and three years on from starting with it I’ d never go back,” Guy said.“ I’ m now only on ploughing one in six. I’ ve reduced our costs of production. We can’ t do anything about the world market price, we can’ t dictate that, but we can dictate our costs. By
48 Apr / May 2016 www. farmers-mart. co. uk