64208 - JJ Westaby & Partners - 8TH.pdf 1 11/09/2017 10:34:55
Stugdale Farm
Westaby’s Ltd
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Cape Farm, Sheriff Hutton, York, YO60 6RT
T. 01347 878307/878703 | F. 01347 878771 | E. [email protected]
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PROUD SUPPLIERS TO JONATHAN RYECROFT OF STUGDALE FARM
Machining & Fabrication Services
• Hydraulic Cylinder Manufacture,
Repairs, Rotor Balancing
• Turning, Milling, Welding,
Surface Grinding
Hydraulic Specialists
• Hydrostatic System Repairs & Diagnostics
Agricultural & Commercial Repairs
• Forklifts, Tractors, Trucks & Machinery
Comprehensive Mobile Workshop
• On-site hose repair, servicing etc
Workshop Supplies
• Everything you need for the workshop
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Fuel Conditioners & Cleaning Systems
• Up to 5000 hp fuel conditioners made to
requirements • Systems cleaned & fuel regenerated
All at Competitive Prices
64266 - ThompsonFertilisersLtd - 8TH.pdf 1 03/07/2017 09:41:04
Proud to be associated with Jonathan Ryecroft
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Suppliers of agricultural fertilisers
established over 50 years ago
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Ammonium Nitrate » Compound Fertiliser » Blended Fertiliser
Triple-Super Phosphate » Muriate Potash » Granular Urea
SPECIALIST SPREADING SERVICE AVAILABLE
T: 01944 738 148 » M: 07778 270 516 » F: 01944 738 149
E: [email protected] » www.thompsonfertilisers.co.uk
right. We’re using autosteer
and getting no overlap. If you’re
not having to concentrate on
keeping dead straight you
can concentrate more on the
drill and check better on any
adjustments you need to make
by plus-ing or minus-ing seed
rate as you go.
‘If you’ve a man on a machine
and he’s overlapping on
cultivations then he’s costing you
in unnecessary seed or spray,
wearing metal out faster and
costing more in diesel.
‘I drill a lot of corn and because
life is much easier in the cab I
can keep going for longer. I call
it my green office as I can be
organising the other lads while
I’m drilling.’
Jonathan’s conversion to
GPS and Autosteer sees him
using it with tractors and other
equipment, including a Lite
Trac sprayer and spreader. He
now has his own base station,
fitted two years ago by Russells,
that ensures GPS for him and
others nearby. He’s a strong
believer in developing kit on the
engineering and fabrications side
and is currently working on a
new boom concept for spreading
granular fertiliser.
Two Fendt tractors, a Fastrac
8310 and McCormick make
up Jonathan’s tractor squad
and a New Holland 9080
combine. Direct drilling is with a
Vaderstad. Baling is with a Krone
square baler and a Welger
round baler. Wrapping is via a
static McHale with an engine
kit that Jonathan built many
years ago; and a Kuhn square
bale wrapper. A self-propelled
mower for the grass – autosteer
ready – was purchased earlier
this year.
Hay and haylage is another
of the Rycrofts’ specialist areas.
They deliver in the local area and
customers come to the farm.
An addition to Jonathan’s
business more recently has been
a new potash product he calls
Multi K.
‘It’s a by-product from cement
kilns that is a great fertiliser,
high in potassium and sulphur.
It’s proving very successful and
cheaper than regular potash.’
Jonathan’s predilection for
fabrication and engineering
means that he can come up
with his own ideas and new
machines, such as the new
boom.
Much has changed at
Stugdale Farm where a young
John Rycroft would muck out
the fold yard with a gripe (four
pronged fork).
‘It was hard work in the 50s
and 60s,’ says John. ‘In those
days it was me, an old feller
and a horse and cart doing the
mucking out. My father also had
shire horses.’
John and his brother Harry
also embraced new farm
machinery particularly through
their agricultural contracting
business.
‘We were involved in potato
contracting and the first in this
area to have our own potato
harvester. We started with a
Whitstead and moved on to
Grimme.’
John runs a suckler herd of
30 Belgian Blue X Limousins
with stock sold in the fatstock
market at York Auction Centre.
The farm has also previously
been home to a pig herd of 80
Landrace X Large Whites.
‘I’m a big believer in the live
market. It sets the price. We
take our heifers to 480-500
kilos and bullocks up to 700
kilos.’
John and his wife, Judith
have another son. Barry who
has a car dealership in Sheriff
Hutton. Jonathan is married
to Kate and they have three
daughters – Olivia, Evie and
Georgie. Kate runs a kennels
business with space for 24.
Jonathan’s team is made up
of Chris Edmondson ‘Eddy’,
Steve Bullock from Easingwold
and several other self
employed men.
www.farmers-mart.co.uk Autumn 2017 67