The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2016 - Issue 47 | Page 48

Cottage Farm

Ripon Farm Services are proud
suppliers to Rob Henley of Cottage Farm

A CONSTANT
LEARNING CURVE
Rob is keen to expand where
he can.
“We have on-farm storage for
about 40 per cent of the grain
we grow. I’d like to increase
the amount we can store but
that will take considerable
investment. Nearly everything
I stored on-farm last year I also
delivered into Ripon myself with
a tractor and trailer. That helps
on haulage costs.’
Livestock have always
played their part in the Henley
farming mix and presently Rob
is carrying on that family line
through buying-in sheep to
fatten.
“We used to have 100 head
of fattening cattle bought
in as stores at around 10-12
months. We finished with
them in 2010 but I’d like to
get back into cattle at some
stage. We currently buy-in
something like 600 Texel X
stores and the occasional

pen of Mules out of Hexham
Mart each year. We sell either
deadweight to Dawn Meats in
Bridlington and liveweight at
Thirsk Mart.”
Rob fully understands that
he has to make th e most of
what he has but that doesn’t
mean he necessarily wants to
stick with purely the acreage
he has. He’s a forward-looking
positive young man with
visions on how both farming’s
future generally and his
own farming future can be
enhanced.
“If there’s an opportunity
to take on more land either
to purchase or rent it has
to be seriously considered,
but I also know it’s not that
easy. Everyone who is in a
similar position to me will be
competing for the same land.
I’d like to increase my arable
acreage first but it’s more likely
to be that I will increase the
sheep numbers we buy-in the
first.”

Rob is due to marry his
fiancée Louise Gosney from
Bishop Monkton in June
next year. They are both
involved with Aldborough &
Boroughbridge Show as Rob’s
father was too.
“Louise has a couple of
native Dales ponies and attends
society shows in Barnard
Castle. She also competes in
Working Hunter trials. She’s
just taken on the role of being
in charge of sponsorship for

W. T Webster & sons
Agricultural Contractors

Proud to be associated with Robert and Louise of
Cottage Farm and wish them continued success
Contact us today - Tel. [phone]
West Farm, Grafton Lodge, York,
North Yorkshire, YO51 9QS

48 Aug/Sep 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

Aldborough & Boroughbridge.
I’m more of one of those guys
who mucks in doing anything
that needs doing.”
Rob is the fourth generation
to run Cottage Farm. The
dynasty started with his greatgrandfather who arrived in
1920. It all looks very likely
that this latest generation
will carry on running with
the baton for some time yet.
Rob’s mum Anne now lives in
Boroughbridge.