The Farmers Mart Dec/Jan 2014 - Issue 31 | Page 42

TOAD HOLE FARM masses but we live for what we do and this is what we wanted from the start. We now run a flock of around 450-550 breeding ewes. Half of the flock is made up of Swaledales breeding North of England Mules and the other half is of Mules breeding Texels for the fat lamb market, although we will sell as stores if the trade is good.” FAMILY AWARD WINNERS Rob and Julie have two sons, Sam and Daniel. Sam has now joined them on the farm and has his own small flock of pedigree Swaledales that he is breeding for tups and showing. They also have a pedigree flock of Blue Faced Leicesters for more tups. Daniel, who is still at school, has half a dozen pedigree Texels and was successful at local shows in 2013. His elder brother Sam went one better and took Reserve Champion with a Swaledale at the Great Yorkshire Show. The herd is made up of Aberdeen Angus cows bulled to a Limousin and sold as strong stores in the autumn. It is a wholly grassland farm and as such it is entered into various stewardship agreements. Malton and Ruswarp markets are their ‘We are getting a great deal of enthusiasm for it at the moment’ main centres for selling. Rob has been chairman of the North York Moors Quality Sheep Association for the past four years. “It’s all about trying to get across the quality of sheep produced from the North York Moors and we are getting a great deal of enthusiasm for it at the moment. All our meetings are well attended and it particularly works hard in promoting and helping the local sheep sales at Fadmoor and Wombleton. It has done an immense amount of good particularly for the two at Wombleton that are now becoming more like agricultural shows with the number of trade stands,” he said. ‘The idea is to train the next generation of upland farmers and Sam has just started on it’ THIRSK • NORTHALLERTON • MALTON • RUSWARP Agricultural Services 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] • Farm Sales & Purchases • Valuations • Lettings & Contract Farming Agreements • Farm & Estate Management • Planning, Diversification & Development • Compensation Claims • Single Farm Payment & Grant Scheme Advice • Live & Deadstock Auction Sales WE AR PLEASE E ASSOC D TO BE IATED ROB M WITH YERS www.greenscountrystore.co.uk PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ROB MYERS TOAD HOLE FARM 42 15 Market Place, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 7LP Tel: [phone] Email: [email protected] 40 Burgate, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7AU Tel: [phone] Email: [email protected] Reagarth Farm, Helmsley, York, North Yorkshire, YO62 5XH Tel: [phone] Email: [email protected] www.cundalls.co.uk Dec/Jan 2014 FarmersMart To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk