The Farmers Mart Aug-Sep 2019 - Issue 64 | Page 42

42 WEST WOLD FARM
AUG/SEP 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk
TRADITIONAL FARMING AND
DIVERSITY IN BEAUTIFUL RYEDALE
On a gloriously sunny
July morning, I had the
pleasure of meeting up
with the hard-working
Derek Watson, owner
of West Wold Farm and
Yorkshire Wolds Caravan
and Camping. The site
is set on top of the
hillside in West Knapton,
with spectacular,
panoramic views across
the North Yorkshire
countryside, in the
heart of Ryedale. On a
clear day, you can see
right across to the golf
ball domes of Menwith
Hill in Harrogate.
ON leaving school, Derek worked briefly
milking cows and even as a fish fryer in
the local theme park before entering the
grain trade, which he stayed in for some
considerable time, gaining considerable
knowledge about farming, in particular
running it as a business and focussing
on profitability, which even today some
farmers struggle to do.
During his career he spent 15 years
with Kenneth Wilson Grain, which proved
immensely valuable and taught him a great
deal. One of the things the grain trade did
teach Derek, was secrecy.
Derek bought West Wold Farm with wife
Carol back in 1989. They built and moved
into the present house in 1991. Derek’s time
in the grain trade had given him a very solid
business grounding, which no doubt helped
when he negotiated and bought the farm.
Later they did look at having wind turbines
but decided against, however they did go
ahead with a mobile phone mast, which
proved very good long-term and has nearly
covered the original farm investment. At
that time, he had no real wish to go into
farming, but wasn’t sure just how things
were going to change in the grain trade.
Derek was beginning to tire of working with
nationals and the business had changed a
lot. So, in 1993, he took the plunge and bid
farewell to the grain business and started to
work the farm.
The farm already had a small number
of calves and sucklers. There was two
hundred acres on which Barley, wheat
and oil seed rape were grown. Rape was
dropped in favour of temporary grass
with no set pattern. To start with they had
outdoor pigs, mainly pure bred Durogs,
with sale for both breeders and bacon. This
proved very successful and at its peak the
herd had some 400 sows.
Through their very picturesque farm-
land runs part of the 84 miles of the
Wolds National Trail. In the early days,
Derek found many of the walkers were