The Farmers Mart Aug-Sep 2018 - Issue 58 | Page 41

• AUG/SEP 2018 75282 - King Hope & Co - QUTR.pdf 1 15/08/2018 13:54:37 C M Y CM MY LOW WHINHOLME FARM 41 TODAY’S BUSINESS TRADITIONAL VALUES An established firm offering specialist services for farmers and all agricultural related businesses. CY CMY K www.kinghope.co.uk Contact us on 01609 780909 or at [email protected] We are pleased to support the Johnson family ‘My membership number is 19,’ says Robin. ‘So, I was definitely among the first to have them and I do well at shows such as our home show North Yorkshire County Show where Colin is chairman, as well as the Great Yorkshire Show and Masham Sheep Fair. I had champion senior ram at Harrogate last year and had a first with my ram lamb this year as well as two seconds and everything placed.’ ‘The flock runs to 80 breeding ewes and they pay for themselves, eating the grass and doing well at the shows. I sell a few tups too and one is currently on a ram compare scheme where all sheep breeds are compared. I think lamb should be com- pared like wine as you get many different breeds and the lamb all tastes different. It’s a bit like when you compare a £5 bottle of wine with a £20. To my mind the Bleu du Maine is definitely the £20 bottle.’ Robin’s sense of humour is never far away either and his love of his Bleu du Maines is manifested in the way he talks about other lamb breeds. ‘I was abused as a child you know, because I was forced to eat Suffolk gim- mer lamb, but seriously you should taste different lamb. Bleu du Maine is very sweet and lean and with its open grain texture and intermuscular fat just to the right quantity you can’t beat it. I sell a few half lambs.’ Colin’s involvement with North Yorkshire County Show came about through well- known show man Peter Pybus. ‘Peter got me involved. He said ‘Colin, you’re a useful man. It’s time you helped us out.’ I started as part of the showfield management team and I’m still involved with it today as well as being chairman. If anybody else wants to volunteer to take over I’m happy to stand aside. We have excellent new show hosts Jo and Robert Ropner of Camp Hill that has good access points. We’ve been there two years.’ Colin is also a director of Ridings Machin- ery Ring. ‘RMR celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. It has changed with the times and has become a useful commodity supplier for many members buying fuel and fertiliser. We continue to use it for labour too with contractor William Alderson.’ The family started farming at Low Whinholme in 1898 with Colin and Robin’s great grandfather George Hutchinson then passing on to their grandfather Thomas Wil- liam Johnson and their father David William Johnson. ‘Ross makes the fifth generation to farm here. He’s married to farmer’s daughter Charlotte (Hugill). They met through young farmers. Three generations of us have been chairman of Great Smeaton YFC. I also have a daughter Lisa who has two little boys.’ Colin is married to Karen. Robin isn’t mar- ried and his humour comes back into play at this point. ‘There’s only the dog that will have any- thing to do with me!’ Brian Robinson Machinery are proud to hav e supplied the Johnsons with a wide range of agricultural machinery for over 35 years, we hope for that to continue into the future. BRM wish the Johnson family all the best for the future. ‘Service is our business’ BRIAN ROBINSON MACHINERY LTD [email protected] 01325 378552 WWW.BRMLTD.CO.UK