ON a windy Wednesday afternoon , I met up with John and Louise Hobson of Half Moon Farm in Harden , West Yorkshire , along with their full-time contractor , Oscar Bevan . One thing I have learnt , having met many farmers , is that many a time there is far more to the story than initially meets the eye .

John , Louise , and Oscar are no exception . They appear very much a traditional farming team , probably working on a long-standing family farm . Well , you could not be further from the truth ; as we chatted , the size , complexity and diversity of this farming business unfolded in a truly inspirational discussion .

To understand just what goes on , and why , we need to go right back to the beginning . First surprise was that I learnt that John Hobson was not always a farmer . He was born into a farming family near Rotherham and left the family farm at 18 years of age to focus on his studies going on to study chemical engineering at Bradford University , becoming an accomplished engineer and then went on to lecture in chemical engineering as well . While still lecturing his thoughts returned to farming and the daily challenges it presented and the equal challenge of making it pay . Having already had a successful career in chemical engineering he decided it was time to return to farming and a fresh challenge .

John ’ s first farm was in Idle , Bradford where he had pigs and poultry . He was one of the first farmers to use AI in pigs . It was at this point that Louise enters the story . At the time , she was a teenager , not from an immediate farming family , father was a butcher and mother a baker .

Her grandfather had strongly advised her against going into wool despite having spent his entire working life in the Bradford woollen mills . Wool was Bradford ’ s claim to fame and boom . I think her grandfather could see into the future , and sadly , where ultimately the trade was heading .

Even though there is 20 years between John and Louise , there was then and is now a clear chemistry and lasting bond between them . John was married at the time they met . Suffice to say , the two of them were drawn together , John divorced and married Louise .

1987 / 88 was the real start of John and Louise ’ s highly diverse and successful business that they , and now Oscar ,

continue to develop . As I said earlier , this is not a business that has evolved from handed down farm and lands . This is a belt and braces , start from scratch , success story .

Whilst still at Idle , John sold 12 acres of farmland for residential development . He used these funds to purchase residential letting property , student accommodation and commercial property . He did all the renovation and improvement work himself , including the day-to-day maintenance . He was one of the very early farmers to take the diversification plunge to create safer and more balanced revenue streams .

1989 John bought Glovershaw Farm in Eldwick , Bingley , initially with 30 acres of grassland and a DIY livery business . The footprint was the same as the original 1610 map ! It was an upland livestock farm , entirely grass and no arable . When John and Louise arrived , they had no idea about stabling and horses . However , how often is some of the best learning a little

research coupled with learning on the job . Suffice to say , the DIY livery side is going strong , with capacity for 18 horses . Louise manages the stables day-to-day amongst the myriad of other things she does . They have increased Glovershaw ’ s land by acquiring another 110 acres of grassland around Glovershaw and renting a further 100 acres of grassland in Eldwick .

Despite the size of the business , Glovershaw remains their main residence and office . As part of their overall diversification plan , they have two holiday cottages , one in Grasmere , Cumbria , which is managed for them by Cumbrian Cottages and ‘ Curlew Cottage ’ at Glovershaw Farm - this was a result of John and Louise converting an unused barn in 2004 . It is fully managed and let by Louise . She has recently put it on Airbnb which has proved very successful .

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