The Farmers Mart Dec/Jan 2016 - Issue 43 | Page 56

Wallstone Farm

Meeting the Challenges
at Wallstone Farm
»»Set in the picturesque
Derbyshire village of Idridgehay
near Matlock lies Wallstone
Farm, home to a growing herd
of a lesser known cattle breed,
the Piemontese from Italy,
which were first introduced
into Britain in 1988. The farm,
run by the dry humoured father
and son team of Eric and Craig
Maitkin, is a thriving one - which
is hardly surprising as the

Maitkins have been farmers for
six generations three of which
have been at Wallstone. Things
are looking good now, but it has
been far from an easy road, as
Ian Wilkinson discovered when
he went to meet them.
Long before the arrival of
the Piemonts, Wallstone Farm
has always been evolving.
Back in 1940, Eric was born
in the old farmhouse but

now lives down the lane. He
started work on the farm after
leaving school, although his
brother chose a different path
and became a lorry driver.
Eric, however, chose to stay
on the farm enjoying the life
– but also having to weather
some significant challenges
on the way to maintaining a
sustainable business.
Eric started with Blue Albions

then went to dairy shorthorns.
He continued with them until
2001, which was a very difficult
year, during which Eric sadly
lost both his wife and his
father. To add to the grief and
stress they also lost the single
farm payment and to this day
say they do not know why.
Although Craig had already
joined the farm, milk producing
was simply not viable so they
switched to beef shorthorns
and then Charolais.
WORTH FIGHTING FOR
One of the biggest
challenges they faced was
when Amber Valley wanted the
farmhouse and land to build on
and put a compulsory purchase
order on it. Never afraid of
a fight, Eric fought the order
saying the farm was too close

56 Dec/Jan 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk