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can fatten because of the time they take and they also go through Dunbia .’
Steven was a big supporter of the auction mart system but says he rarely goes now .
‘ Everything we had would go , up to Foot and Mouth year , then we started to go deadweight . I now don ’ t know how I ever had the time to go to market . I miss the social side .’
‘ Our son Simon works for Dunbia and Breedr managing their beef supply chain in England . He also rears his own calves where he lives down south .’
Steven is the third generation to farm at Bolton Park following his father Christopher and grandfather John who came to the farm in 1957 .
‘ My grandfather worked for millowner Mr Denby at Baildon before taking on his own rented farm at Askwith and it was a big step up to come here from a 40-acre farm where he milked cows and delivered milk into Ilkley . Dad told me about the Big Chill when it was all snow for weeks in Winter 1947 when my grandfather had to dig his way out every morning to deliver the milk . My father took over here in 1968 and then I took over in 1992 .’
‘ Ann and I married in 1985 and we have three children – twins Simon and Sarah , and younger daughter Beth .’
‘ We have other pockets of land at Wigglesworth , which Ann inherited ; at Long Preston ; and land at Timble , Grassington and Airton that we ’ ve purchased .’
Steven is the current vice chairman of West Riding County NFU and would have taken on the chairmanship this year from Rachel Hallos but having recovered from a brain tumour that was removed last year he felt , quite understandably , he wasn ’ t ready .
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‘ Rachel has agreed to do another two years , which is very good of her . I ’ m looking forward to taking up the cudgels . I ’ ve been on the livestock board and I think being involved with the NFU is important to try and stay ahead of the curve and influence the people whose decisions may sometimes be way off the mark . I actually |
find it quite alarming some of the things that come through a Whatsapp message . That ’ s why it is vital to support and try to influence things the right way .’
‘ We are in a position where we have never more been in a state of flux than now , with so much going on since Brexit and the BPS going .’
Steven has also been heavily connected with the Great Yorkshire Show as a trustee for the past 9 years that he relinquished in the lead up to this year ’ s show – something he has been at the heart of making sure happens this year . ‘ I used to sit on the council before I became a trustee and I ’ ve been involved in some tricky times as well as fantastic times . It has been a real rollercoaster . When I started as a trustee in 2012 there was the decision over cancelling two days of the show because of the rain and the damage done to car parking facilities , afterwards we spent £ 500,000 on car parking to make sure it never happened again and took out insurance which we ’ d never done before .’
‘ We built Hall 1 , an £ 11m commitment . For a little farmer out of the Dales this was mind blowing . I cannot sing the praises of my fellow trustees and former trustees and everyone who works at the showground highly enough . Everyone goes above and beyond .’
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‘ I think being involved with the NFU isimportant to try and stay ahead of the curve and infulence the people whose decisions may sometimes be way off the mark ’ ‘ This year we ’ ve had to plan as best we can for the return of the show without really knowing whether it would end up being allowed or not .’
‘ In the end it wasn ’ t a big decision in some respects because everyone wanted it to happen . It ’ s the flagship of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society , a show everyone looks forward to . But we weren ’ t prepared to lose money . As trustees we proposed a 4-day show to get to the 100,000 attendance we reckoned we needed . Hopefully we ’ ve done that by the time readers see this !’
‘ I am grateful to John Henderson who encouraged me to join the council in 2009 . Being on council and then a trustee has broadened my horizons and has been a delight .’
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