The Farmers Mart Dec/Jan 2015 - Issue 37 | Page 63
THROSTLE NEST FARM
and will ensure that the stock
is well tended this winter.
“We take our bulls through to
finishing at around two years
by which time they are at about
750-800 kilos and they go
to Darlington Livestock Mart,”
Fraser explained. “Females go
to Carlisle as bulling heifers
where we sell them as draught
every year once they have
reached two years. I want my
cows to get to an average
age of around 13 years and
I have cows here that were
born in 1999 and are due to
calve again. I look for a slightly
milkier cow, something more
maternal and don’t like things
that are too extreme. I like a
variety of colouring.
“I have Beef Shorthorns
because I like them but also
because from a business and
management point of view,
they make sense. They are
a quiet breed and work well
for me. I haven’t a single cow
where I couldn’t go and pick
up a calf as it is born.”
Throstle Nest Farm runs
to 177 acres mostly down
to grass, but with 32 acres
of wheat. It is a wet farm on
heavy clay and until recently
had been purely a sheep
farm.
Fraser’s father, Edgar moved
to Calf Garth Farm in Raisdale
near Chopgate with his wife,
Sheena some years ago and
took on White House Farm in
Great Broughton in 1981. Calf
Garth Farm was sold two years
ago to finance the move to
Throstle Nest.
“I’d always been clear that
when I came back it would be
to run the farm and not to be
a farm worker,” said Fraser,
whose father retired four years
ago.”
“I now farm 140 acres of the
170 at Great Broughton as
the rest is involved with the
caravan site and woodland that
my father still manages. Over
there it is all arable apart from
10 acres of grass. We grow a
rotation of spring beans, wheat,
Every crop
deserves
the best care
Agriplus are proud
suppliers to Fraser Hugill
Your new Vicon dealer
for North Yorkshire
Your crop deserves the
Vicon GEOspread
www.uk.vicon.eu
Tel: 01642 712965
Paul Allinson Fencing
Contact Paul: 07833 93083 / 01751 430406 / Kirkbymoorside, YO62 6NJ
Pleased to be associated with Fraser Hugill and wish him continued success
• All aspects of
Agricultural fencing
• Quality workmanship
you can trust
• Emergency work
• Reliable service 7
days a week
• New Fencing and
repairs undertaken
To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk
FarmersMart Dec/Jan 2015
63