The Farmers Mart Aug-Sep 2019 - Issue 64 | Page 55

NORTHFIELD FARM 55
• AUG/SEP 2019
the second time with a home bred tup
halfpenny Kaiser. Both times we also had
champion terminal sire. We sell Charollais
tups in Kelso and Leyburn or privately. We
still enjoy showing. At Ripley Show two
years ago we had the interbreed champion
with a Zwartbles tup. We are conscious
of concentrating on our flocks at home
maybe more so at the moment as we grow
our numbers.’
‘Better Beltex X tups go to Skipton where
we won first prize with a Charollais at last
September’s Multi Breed tup sale. Our work
with the Charollais X Zwartbles putting the
Beltex tup on appears to be working well.
We are keeping the milkier breed traits so
the Beltex lamb grows quickly and finishes
and grades well. We’re now putting the
Beltex on the Charollais to produce tups.’
‘I like sheep with very good skins and
that’s what I got with my very first Beltex
tup. He’s still alive at 7 years old, which is
pretty good for a Beltex tup.’
Stephen is also a club leader for Masham
YFC having become involved when their
son Sam was a member. Sam now lives
N.Iveson Steel Products Ltd.
Finghall, Leyburn
Agricultural steel fabricators, supplying &
erecting CE approved Steel Portal Framed
Buildings, as well as manufacturing livestock
handling, feeding & penning equipment.
Proud to be associated with Steven Hodgson of
Northfield Farm & wish them success.
Tel. [phone]
in Carlisle. He’s a feed rep/nutrionalist for
Davison Bros in Scotland.
‘I’m doing what I love doing,’ says
Stephen. ‘Nicola and I want to expand
on what we have but we’re not going to
kill ourselves at the same time. It’s great
having our own place. We always wanted
this. When you look after others’ stock you
look after them like they are your own, but
they’re not. It’s nice to make all your own
decisions.’