The Farmers Mart Apr-May 2020 - Issue 68 | Page 52

52 MOOR CLOSE FARM APR/MAY 2020 • farmers-mart.co.uk ARABLE FARMING COUPLE RAISE A GLASS TO PEDDLERS DEN Chris Berry talks with Michael & Rachel Morley at High Marishes PROSECCO, afternoon teas and hen-dos wasn’t exactly the direction Michael Morley felt his life would take when he was winning Point to Point races some years ago. He firmly remains a farmer right to his core, currently farming across around 560 acres with 500 of them being down to arable cropping, he has pigs on bed and breakfast and has recently taken a dip into cattle fattening, but Peddlers Den, the diversi- fication business with his wife Rachel, has already provided him with a new learning curve. ‘It has been quite a big leap for me, having people on the farm. As a farmer I’m used to working on my own,’ says Michael. The change has come because Peddlers Den is a new, luxury bunk barn for groups of up to 14, that the couple have renovated from being an old hay barn and stables, at their 150-acre Moor Close Farm in High Marishes, near Thornton le Dale. The larger acreage that makes up the lion’s share of the 560 acres is at the farm where Michael grew up with his parents at Westfield Farm in Thornton le Dale and where his mum Sarah still lives today. ‘ you’ve to swallow that pride and take the business where it comes from ’ ‘I changed my attitude to having people on the farm when Rachel and I were walking around the grounds of Scampston Hall. In this day and age of farming you’ve to swallow that pride and take the business where it comes from, and to be perfectly honest we have chosen a nice diversification.’ ‘I think the location sells it,’ says Rachel. ‘But it’s quite a different trade to what we had anticipated. We’d thought it would appeal to cyclists, horse riders and walkers. We get so many cyclists passing our lane Proud to be associated with Michael & Rachel Morley of Moor Close Farm end on a weekend going up to Dalby Forest that we envisaged that kind of group. We had new stables built for those bringing their horses and a cycle lockup, I’d bought tough trays for walking boots – but those who have come so far have come in their nice cars and often in their heels!’ ‘We’ve had Hen Dos, girlie weekends, girls’ 21st and 30th birthdays, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but everyone just seems to like getting away together in a group, enjoying the peacefulness of being here, as we do too, having fun and getting into the hot-tub!’ Peddlers Den includes a large main room with a huge widescreen television, a lovely smaller snug room just off the main room, a huge kitchen with a fantastic locally made long table made by Rosedale farmer Henry Brown, and a wonderful 14-bed dormitory upstairs where everyone staying is together; in again locally made single bunks. The hot-tub, great parking area We currently have some great offers on. Whinney Hill Aggregates are suppliers of top-quality sand, gravels and any type of aggregate. We have been in the business for over 27 years and we can do site visits to discuss your requirements as we believe it is very important to grasp the exact details of what you need from the smallest job to the largest. Delivery hours are completely flexible to suit you. For any enquiries, please telephone Kian on 07554 018 779 CALL NOW, DON’T MISS OUT Brompton-By-Sawdon Main Road, Scarborough, Y013 9DP Monday-Saturday Happy to be suppliers for Mr & Mrs Morley, Moor Close Farm. Tel: [phone] www.hardwickcountrystore.co.uk [email protected] 8am-5pm (8.30am-5pm Sat) Closed Sunday