The Farmers Mart Feb-Mar 2020 - Issue 67 | Page 23

FARM NEWS 23
• FEB/MAR 2020
POACHERS AND
FLY TIPPERS OUT!
BASED at Longwitton Farm, Morpeth,
the Goodfellow family have farmed in
Northumberland since 1969 and have
worked on innovative solutions for the
industry.
Poacher Block and Poacher Gate have
been designed and created by John
Goodfellow after finding an increasing
amount of field trespassing by poach-
ers and hare coursers on arable land
in the area. It was decided to create a
product which would prevent 4x4 and
car access but allow farm machinery
during peak times such as sprayers and
fertiliser spreaders to enter. The block
can also prevent fly tipping as it would
prevent vans, 8-wheeler wagons and
artic lorries from entering. The blocks
main purpose is to be a deterrent but at
the same time allowing the land owner
access.
The blocks are made at Lynx Precast
which is based 17 miles away from the
farm, they are specialists in the design,
manufacture and installation of precast
concrete flooring systems and make over
300 tonnes worth of concrete per day
therefore our blocks are made to the
highest standards.
The 4 m wide concrete block will cover
a 20-foot gateway. Poacher Block Mini’s
have also been designed if the gateway
is wider and requires more area to be
blocked off. The poacher block weighs
just over 1 tonne and has steel rebar cage
within it giving extra strength. Two lifting
pins positioned in the blocks allow lifting
clutches to be connected and using a
forklift the blocks can be positioned.
Gateways need to be level and either
sand or road plainings put down to give
the block a base to sit on.
The block has been designed to allow
quadbikes through the gaps but not UTV’s
as they can be the same width as a Suzuki
Jimmy, a popular choice amongst hare
coursers. As a rule, tractors over 120 hp
plus should be able to have the clearance
over the block as well as self-propelled
sprayers which will have clearance to go
over the block.
We see the block being removed
before harvest and put back in place after
sowing and rolling has been completed
therefore only sprayers and fertiliser
spreaders will be going over them.
Mr Goodfellow is also designing a gate
system for livestock farmers, which
uses the same Poacher Block base but
incorporates concrete gate posts at either
end. After attending Cereals, LAMMA and
YAMs there is a demand for a product to
become a barrier between us and the
trespassers that is portable, strong and is
not an eye sore but also allowing access
to the farmer.
At the moment we have 102 blocks out
to customers ranging from Edinburgh
to Suffolk and in between, we use John
Manners Transport who are based 22
miles away from the farm to haul the
blocks to customers. We have been in
contact with rural crime police forces
throughout the UK to help combat against
unwanted visitors accessing private land
and property.
You can find us on social media, our twitter
handle is @ocher_p
www.poacherblock.co.uk
BASED IN NORTHUMBERLAND
4 M WIDE CONCRETE BLOCK TO PREVENT POACHERS
ACCESSING LAND THROUGH FIELD GATEWAYS
Why Poacher Block?
• A long term solution to blocking gateways preventing
poachers entering fields causing crop damage
• Allows tractors and sprayers access to fields but prevents
car and 4x4 access
• No wasting time opening and closing gates, simply drive over it
• Can be used on bridle ways to prevent unwanted vehicle access
• Gates can be broken or stolen but Poacher Block which
weighs over 1 tonne makes it hard to move
• Poacher Gate in development for Livestock Farmers
• 4 M Poacher Block will protect a gateway between 12 ft and 20 ft wide
£350 per Block or 5 for £1500
PATENT PENDING