36 RICKNALL GRANGE FARM JUN / JUL 2021 • farmers-mart . co . uk
Humbleton Park , Darlington , Co Durham , DL2 2XX
T : 01325 464529 F : 01325 384282 E : info @ dfam . co . uk www . dfam . co . uk
AUCTIONEERS , LIVESTOCK AGENTS AND VALUERS Agricultural , Tax & Compensation Claim Valuations Undertaken
Weekly Sales of Store Cattle & Sheep
Weekly Sales of Prime Cattle & Sheep
Scott Ferrie ( Storestock Manager / Director ) scott @ dfam . co . uk | 07557 260 653
Paul Gentry ( Primestock Manager / Director ) paul @ dfam . co . uk | 07940 330 907
Wishing the Sedgewicks of Ricknall Grange & Binchester Hall farms continued success
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P E Waistell , M H Blanshard , R A Wright & C R Coatsworth is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited ( No . 111982 ). And an introducer to NFU Mutual Select Investments Limited , a member of the NFU Mutual group of companies . tenancy . Ricknall was also benefitting from being in a Countryside stewardship scheme .
Thus began the next chapter of this successful partnership . Ricknall Grange is an impressive farm as you approach it down its mile long lane . The first thing you see is the Grade II Listed farmhouse , which is a beautiful building that Gordon and Julie have kept up to since 2010 . One of Ricknall Grange ’ s many benefits is that it has a lot of buildings . Once Gordon and Julie had made the move to Ricknall and got established , it was clear the buildings were under-utilised apart from at lambing time . Gordon , as we know , is always on the lookout for new opportunities to generate revenue . Well , what better way to utilise the spare shed space than to take on B & B pigs . They are delivered along with feed etc , fattened up and then taken away . Gordon and Julie set up a deal with Ian Mosey of York ; they now take on between 1000 to 1200 pigs , with approximately 5 batches a year .
Julie has always loved horses and , as I mentioned earlier , has also been a trainer ; her idea to further utilise the buildings was to develop DIY livery stables . This has worked exceedingly well , and they now have room for over 20 horses which Julie manages . They also sell a lot of hay and haylage to the equestrian trade .
The environment has always been , and remains , a key focus point in the long term plans for maintaining and developing Ricknall Grange and Binchester Hall Farm for the future , both farms were entered into a Natural England Higher Level Stewardship Scheme in 2012 with a ten year plan . This includes management of hedgerows , wild bird seed mixes , fen restoration , restoration of wet grassland for breeding waders , wildflower planting , ditch management , skylark plots and much more .
With the move to Ricknall , coupled with further growth and success of the business , you would think that would be everything pretty much set for the long term . Well , you never know what is round the corner . Ten years after taking Ricknall Grange on , the tenancy was up for review and this time the Church Commissioners were looking at a rent rise . So how could this potential obstacle be turned into an opportunity ?
Time for the family to sit down and discuss the future and the way forward , particularly as Gordon and Julie wanted to see Tim take a bigger part of the business , if possible . Tim ’ s land and property expertise was a valuable part of the discussion .
Gordon and Julie were also starting to think that dealing with large animals was becoming harder to handle as time goes on . Both Gordon and Julie know full
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