The Farmers Mart Feb-Mar 2019 - Issue 61 | Page 10

10 BROSTER’S FARM SHOP FEB/MAR 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk CHIMNEY POTS THE KEY TO SUCCESS AT LINDLEY MOOR Chris Berry talks with David Broster at Scar View Farm. WHEN David Broster was a kid, he had an outside toilet his family shared with neigh- bours in their one-up, one-down home in Lockwood, Huddersfield. ‘I knew then that I did not want to spend my life like that. I wanted to do something with it, and I’ve played hard and worked hard all my life to achieve what we have to- day. All I ever wanted was for my children to be secure.’ And do something with his life he cer- tainly has. Today his farming operation runs across around 100 acres with other land rented in various locations and his businesses include and EC standard boning plant, the tremendously popular Brosters Farm Shop and Butchers and Pennine Feeds all at Scar View Farm, Haigh House Hill, Lindley Moor and The Golden Fleece pub and restaurant at Blackley just down the hill. ‘My mother Elsie came here from Guernsey in 1939. When she passed away at 90 years old 15 years ago, she left 169 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I was her ninth child and her second to my father as my mum had the first seven in Guernsey. My father came from Cheshire and worked at the POW camp in Slaithwaite. He was a marvellous man.’ ‘I started work in the slaugh- terhouse in Huddersfield and took to slaughtering and butchering before starting to drive livestock wagons for John Saxton of Outlane. My First truck was a 6-wheel ERF, the first three-decker in the country and I was a regular at Driffield, Malton and Selby marts. My next move was buying a retail butchers shop in Sowood near Outlane and I added three others in the area before I bought this farm 38 years ago.’ ‘I always wanted to farm. I’ve always liked the outdoor life and enjoyed ferreting and shooting, but I also wanted sheep. I bought 12 acres here and five houses and buildings for £40,000. I was struggling to pay for it, but with- in six weeks I had sold the houses for £35,000. I’ve lived just over the lane here since 1964.’ The farm shop isn’t anything like it is today, but it did replace all of his butchers’ shops almost immediately. ‘I started the farm shop more or less straight away in 1980. We started with a wood hut just selling meat. I shut down all the shops and within a month I was doing as much trade here as I was doing in all of them put together. Any land that has come up adjoining I’ve always bought.’ ‘At one time I had 450 Mule ewes here and on the moors at Meltham and Wes- senden using Derbyshire Gritstones on • Successful family owned company with over fifty years of experience in the poultry industry • Food quality and safety comes first Gradons with our state of the Art production plant • Dedicated Refrigerated delivery fleet supplying local and UK wide Gradon’s are pleased to supply Broster’s Farm Shop and Butchery and wish them continued success. Marsh Dene Farm, Marsh Lane, Halifax, HX3 9NR Tel: [phone] Email: [email protected] Web: www.gradons.uk.com