30 SPELLOW GRANGE
FEB / MAR 2023 • farmers-mart . co . uk
BROTHERS LOOKING TO EXPAND FURTHER THROUGH CONTRACT FARMING
Chris Berry talks with Richard & Chris Tesseyman of Spellow Grange
SOMETIMES things that just happen can often be the best way forward . People refer to it today as taking place organically , but that ’ s too simple an explanation . Usually things that ‘ just occur ’ have come about because of bags of experience , timing and a little luck thrown in along the way .
Brothers Richard and Chris Tesseyman of Spellow Grange in Staveley reckon their contracting business started a bit that way , that today sees them as contractors and contract farmers , alongside their own farm business – and with a view of expanding further in the years to come .
“ Contracting nearly happened by accident , we just got asked to do some work on a farm years ago and it has gone from there ,” says Richard .
When Richard and Chris took over the farm , when both in their mid-20s after their father , Robert , sadly passed away at just 52 years of age in 2002 , the farming operation and what was grown was quite different to today ’ s set-up .
Richard talks of the way that life and farming has changed since that time and that the way in which they are now heading , in expanding their contract farming and agricultural contracting business , will no doubt see it changing again in the years to come – and that some of that will be down to providing a long-term future together with the next generation . “ Spellow Grange is a tenanted farm . It runs to 315 acres and our mum , Anne , does all the accounts . I live in the farmhouse with my wife Lisa and our two boys George ( 15 ) and Charlie ( 12 ) and step-daughter Nancy ( 10 ). Mum lives in the bungalow on the farm and Chris lives in the cottage . Chris has a son Max ( 12 ).
“ All of the boys are mad keen on farming and it ’ s looking like they will want to be involved in the future , which is one of the motivations for Chris and I to grow the business further .
“ We took over a bit earlier than anyone would have expected with dad passing away so early in his life At that time we had another farm that was also tenanted at Coneythorpe and we didn ’ t do as much contracting by a long way , as the two operations was enough .
“ We ’ ve restructured everything gradually over the years and we are as keen as ever to move our whole farming , farm contracting and contract farming business further forward now the next generation is coming through .
Richard says the contract farming arrangement he and Chris presently have with Rudding Park Estate works well and that they would like to take on other contract farming agreements .
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