DANEBURY MANOR FARM 35
• JUN / JUL 2023
DANEBURY MANOR FARM 35
Agrochemical Supply & Advice
GPS Soil Sampling & Expert Analysis Lime Testing , Supply & Spreading Fertiliser & Seed Recommendation & Supply
Emma Bumby - 07970 309812 Michael Hirst - 07977 078566
Tuft Hill Farm , Kilham , Nr Driffield .
Proud to be associated with Martin Stephenson of Danebury Manor Farm
“ We ’ re now doing what I would call top cultivation to incorporate the manure and minimum tillage is enough to incorporate the manure into the soil . We are learning about how best to deal with the soil , it ’ s a work in progress but we are moving forward .
“ A big part of what we do is having livestock that produces the manure we utilise . We ’ ve had six whole years of this and we are just starting to see the results of putting all that organic matter on the land . I believe our soil is getting easier to work all the time because we are incorporating the organic matter back into the top 3 or 4 inches of soil .
“ Our agronomist takes the organic matter usage into consideration when buying our fertiliser . He monitors what we are doing with our manure management plan . It means we have reduced our purchase of manufactured fertiliser , but the organic manure does more than that . It adds warmth to the soil when it ’ s cold , it helps to hold moisture , it ’ s dry and it puts the land into better condition .
The cattle operation is a key part of the farming mix at Danebury Manor .
“ We now finish 800 in a year . Most are supplied by a local livestock agent and we will buy some privately and from local marts . We have 400-500 on at any time and they come in at about 350 kilos , a mixture of bullocks and heifers .
“ We get them settled on silage for their first two months and then put them on to a straw and cereal diet . We mill our own grain on site and feed 50-50 wheat and barley . We generally keep them for between 5-7 months and they go at around 650-700 kilos liveweight to Woodheads and Dunbia .
Martin says the pig operation also plays its part in the organic matter .
“ We have let the pig unit to Steve Winkfield and it ’ s now a joint venture . We benefit from getting the manure produced by the pigs . We provide Steve with the straw , water and buildings and he provides the labour and machinery . Pigs are his passion . We both share the income from the bed and breakfast enterprise he runs . It works well for all of us .
In addition to cattle and pigs there are also sheep on the farm , but only over the winter .
“ We finish 650 store lambs over winter . We start buying them in September . We sow 50-60 acres of stubble turnips after the winter barley in July for their feed . They tidy up the grassland behind the cattle .
“ Half of the finished lambs go through the local market at Malton and half go to slaughter at Worsley butchers in Spennymoor . We sell around 100 per week from March for the next 6-7 weeks .
Martin and Deb still have their other business interests .
“ We now rent the yard at Southfield Farm where we used to have GM Stephenson . We ’ ve 65 storage units and we have 15 workshop / industrial units there and over 100 storage containers . Two years ago we bought another storage site at Bridlington .
“ The great thing is that we have all the family involved . We have a great team . George is already now very much involved in the machinery business , but the beauty about everything we do being up here is that I ’ m able to be involved in the machinery business when I need to be and I can go out on the farm straight away when something needs to be done .
NFU MUTUAL SCARBOROUGH AGENCY ARE PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEPHENSON FAMILY AT DANEBURY MANOR FARM
We offer you an attentive , local and personal service for your insurance , pensions and investments .
For a real conversation with real people call us or pop in
Centenary House , 1 Manor Court , Manor Garth , Scarborough , North Yorkshire , YO11 3TU 01723 585307 | Scarborough _ agency @ nfumutual . co . uk
I M Pickering , C S Robinson & A Stephenson is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited ( No . 111982 ).
Proud to support Martin Stephenson of Danebury Manor Farm , wishing him continued success .
Bentham Auc�on Mart , High Bentham , Nr Lancaster , LA2 7HF
TUESDAYS ( FORTNIGHTLY )
200-800 Store Ca�le & S�rks 2000-8000 Store Lambs
WEDNESDAYS ( WEEKLY )
80-150 Rearing Calves 5000-8000 Prime Lambs & Cull Ewes
Serving Northern Coun�es & Sco�sh Borders
Tel : - 015242 61444 / 61246 ( Sale days ) www . benthamauc�on . co . uk