42 SANDHALL FARM DEC / JAN 2021 • farmers-mart . co . uk
for establishment kept us at the lower end in 2020 . It ’ s generally all feed wheat with a little for milling if it achieves the right quality .’
Tom ’ s spring barley and spring oats are also grown for feed . He has 100 acres of spring barley going in this year and 100 acres of spring oats that he started with in 2020 .
‘ I ’ m quite happy with it . I was told to be careful on how much fertiliser we put on and it has come out right . It also produces good straw . The peas are across 150 acres and for Birds Eye through The Green Pea Company who drill and harvest . We prepare the ground and spray the crop .’
Tom tells of why he has ditched oilseed rape .
‘ With the chemicals now being much weaker since the neonicotinoids ban , flea beetle and the slug population has
increased . It seemed as though I was planting the crop to feed them . It also didn ’ t help with the potatoes , so it ’ s the end of oilseed rape for us .’
Tom and Laura also have a 70-cow suckler herd that is predominantly Limousin X . Tom has two bulls – a Limousin and an Aberdeen Angus , the latter for the heifers and first time calving . It ’ s a commercial herd with all stock sold at Selby livestock market .
Laura has recently been working with an organisation called Lunchbox that supplies children with food so they don ’ t go hungry . ‘ We ’ ve been donating our crisps for their pack up boxes ,’ says Laura . ‘ I ’ d like to do more to help in future .’
Lister ’ s Crisps look set for a bright future , as do Tom and Laura with their young daughter Autumn Rose . They are also fearless going into the crisps market alongside a host of others competing for the same customers , just as fearless as Tom ’ s sister Sophie who competes in a completely different sector , at the likes of Bramham Horse Trials where cross country is where she comes into her own .
‘ Grown on the Farm is our sales angle for Lister ’ s Crisps ,’ says Tom . ‘ As everything is grown and then processed and packaged here , we are as carbon neutral as you can get – and they taste really good !’
He ’ s right ! You should try them soon !
Harvesting Success
The team at GRIMME York are proud to support Tom Platt and Listers Crisps . We wish them continued success growing , harvesting and producing their special Yorkshire crisps .
GRIMME UK Ltd www . grimme . co . uk