The Farmers Mart Dec/Jan 2014 - Issue 31 | Page 27

GREYSTONES FARM ‘There’s been a major swing back to Suffolks in the past two years’ “We also took the supreme title at Nidderdale and one of the ewes won four of the cups. But our proudest moments lately have been in the Suffolk Society flock competitions, where you are judged by your peers on the whole of your breed enterprise.” Lester, Sue and their 26-year-old son James took the title of Northern Counties Overall Champions in 2010, which also saw them awarded Reserve Champion Medium Flock in the UK. This year they have achieved second place in both the ewe and gimmer lamb classes. On the strength of their increasing reputation, all their rams and females are now sold privately to regular customers looking to maintain and improve their own flocks. Private sales are also commonplace for their Hereford herd and Lester is proud that everything is bred naturally. “We don’t finish anything here. We usually sell everything at around 17-18 months as stores and have no problem selling. I think people have started realising what they have been missing taste-wise from beef when they taste Hereford or Hereford X. We keep any good females as replacements as we don’t buy-in any stock. We hire a bull. It isn’t commercially viable for us to run our own bull.” While Lester hasn’t entered the cattle show rings just yet, son James is reasonably keen on the idea. Lester feels that they would be more likely to enter the commercial classes than pedigree. Seven years ago, they set up a bed and breakfast business with just two double guest bedrooms but it does contribute to their income and has fast become a popular destination. “It was just a sideline to begin with but it has taken off,” said Lester. “But we now have regular visitors from as far as America, New Zealand, Canada and Scandinavia. We’re also now rated as a 4-star establishment open all year round, apart from Christmas week. As soon as our guests know that James Herriot (Alf Wight) was our vet, they are over the moon to think they have stayed somewhere he regularly came to!” IT’S A BUSY LIFE It is a very busy life for them all. Sue works as a full-time field officer for the Rural Payments Agency in Northallerton, while Lester works part-time on cattle handling systems - and as a landscape gardener. And that still isn’t all they do to make sure they can still farm the way they want to. Greystone Farm, Over Silton, Thirsk, YO7 2LH Email: [email protected] Website: www.greystonefarmbedandbreakfast.co.uk ‘We hire a bull. It isn’t commercially viable for us to run our own bull.’ [email protected] 01845 523165 THIRSK • NORTHALLERTON • MALTON • RUSWARP A Yorkshire family business for Yorkshire farmers! Stockists of the largest range of livestock equipment in this area! THIRSK BRANCH MON-SAT 8:30AM - 5:00PM Tel. [phone] www.greenscountrystore.co.uk PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH GREYSTONES FARM To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk www.thirskmarket.co.uk Furniture & Collectable sales Fur & Feather & Collective sales Breeding & Store sale Primestock Tuesday fortnightly Entries day before sale 10am – 3pm Sale Box lots & electricles 4pm, collectables 5.30pm, furniture 6pm (2 auctioneers) Every alternative Tuesday Sheep at 1pm  Cattle at 1.30pm 1st Saturday of the month, Collective entries Friday before sale 8am-4pm.  Fur & Feather entries on day 7am-9am.  Sale starts @ 10am Every Thursday, Pigs at 9am, sheep at 9.30am and cattle at 12.30pm See website for details of dates and special sales. Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart, Thirsk Rural Business Centre, Blakey Lane, Thirsk, YO7 3BP FarmersMart Dec/Jan 2014 27