The Farmers Mart Oct/Nov 2015 - Issue 42 | Page 11

The Hawthornes They are now moving more and more in bulk trucks which can annoy the locals sometimes but nowhere near as much as slowmoving, wide tractors! As referred to earlier, the fluctuating wheat price can easily hurt them badly and without farming subsidy, profitability would be much more difficult to attain. Although Tom believes that if subsidy were to be removed, in his view it would force many farmers to farm better. Many successful farms have all diversified in one way or another, so they have steadier and better income, from recycling council green waste, opening Farm Shops to growing Miscanthus for the energy industry - or as the Hawthorne’s have done, to become growers of crops for supplying Anaerobic Digestion plants. This has really grown considerably as they now supply enough to AD plants to generate gas for 9,000 houses in winter. Tom and John make a very strong team: Tom is the passionate innovator always coming up with new ideas for efficiency and growing the business while John keeps Tom’s feet firmly on the ground by attending to the important details. As to the future, their wish is to grow the business organically, acquiring more land at the right price; and have less and less cultivation, more direct drilling as well as keeping field costs down and looking for more diversity opportunities. Tom said: “Above all, it’s a case of constantly looking at the bigger picture, making money but not being busy fools.” He has recently married and says he is now hopeful of the next generation of enterprising Hawthorne’s coming along in the not too distant future. www.farmstar.co.uk Pleased to do business with Tom and John Hawthorne Email: [email protected] Marr, Doncaster Brigg, North Lincs. Market Weighton Newark, Notts. Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone] www.farmers-mart.co.uk Oct/Nov 2015 11