The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2017 - Issue 53 | Page 44

66972 - WharfedaleFarmersAuctionMart - 8TH.pdf 1 23/10/2017 09:45:32 Providence Farm Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart Ltd C M LEEDS ROAD, OTLEY, LS21 3BD | www.wharfedale-farmers.co.uk MONDAYS (Weekly 9.30am) Y CM MY CY CMY K SATURDAYS (Monthly) Special Sales of Breeding & Store Sheep Machinery Sales inc. Farm Equipment, Machinery, Timber, Tools & Sundries at 10am & Fur/Feather Sales at 12noon. Also inc. Vintage Items/ Machinery in Mar & Oct & bi-monthly Sales of Horse Tack/Equip FRIDAYS (Fortnightly from 10.45am) SATURDAYS (Mar & Oct 11am) Prime Pigs & Sheep, Cull & Prime Ca�le WEDNESDAYS (Mar & Nov) Sales of Beswick, BFA, China, Collectables, Furniture & Bric-a-Brac THURSDAYS (Aug - Nov 11.30am) Store Sheep & Pigs, Dairy Ca�le, Calves & S�rks, Feeding Bulls, Breeding & Store Ca�le Sale of Roses, Fruit Trees, Bulbs, Shrubs, Conifers, etc for a Market Gardener from Wisbech SEE YOUR STOCK SOLD & COLLECT YOUR PAY ON THE SAME DAY AT OUR “FRIENDLY” YORKSHIRE LIVESTOCK MART ON-FARM SALES, LAND & PROPERTY SALES, VALUATIONS & CLAIMS CONDUCTED Proud to be associated with Mark Ellio� of JA & F Ellio�, Tel: [phone] Ian Smith FdSc FLAA Ferrensby & wish them Fax: [phone] (Market Manager) con�nued success Email: wfam@auc�onsmarts.com 67494 - WalterDawson&Sons 1 16/11/2017 12:41:18 07738 - QUTR.pdf 043771 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 67689 - WensleydaleLongwoolSheepBreeders.pdf 1 27/10/2017 10:35:38 C M Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders' Association Y CM MY CY CMY K For all enquiries about the breed, membership, sheep registrations, show & sale events, Association matters & details of your local area representative contact us on: Tel: [phone] | Email: [email protected] | wlsba.co.uk 44 Oct/Nov 2017 www.farmers-mart.co.uk Wool provides new spin at Ferrensby Quality longwool has never been more in demand than it is right now and renowned showman, Mark Elliott of Providence Farm, Ferrensby near Knaresborough is changing his sheep numbers accordingly in order to make the most of the spike in popularity from spinners and weavers. » » CHRIS BERRY WENT along to find out more. While wool from his two pedigree breeds Wensleydale and Teeswater has always been popular and has seen him winning ‘wool on the hoof’ prizes in addition to breed championships up and down the country, Mark says that the recent hikes in price are more than welcome. ‘I’m gradually shifting to keeping more longwool sheep purely because of the wool price. I’ve been twice- crossing Mashams back to the Teeswaters for that reason. The market has taken off in the last three or four years as demand has grown from spinners. Every time you think you have a good price there is someone who will pay a bit more. That’s good news for all of us with the right breeds. ‘I’ve not just been selling to spinners and crafts people just in the UK either. This year two customers came to the farm from Germany and a Russian lady visited. I also now ship to America. They’ve tried breeding but the feeling is that with all the pure Wensleydales and Teeswaters being in the British Isles and because of export rules the quality they can source here is better than anything they can breed there. ‘None of us knows how bottomless the market is, but what I do know is that I could certainly sell far more. It’s the finest lustre longwool in the world and all I’m doing is producing and selling the raw wool. It’s a different spin on keeping the sheep as they can now pay for themselves purely from the fleece and the ewes will carry on producing very saleable fleeces for up to 10 years.’ ‘It’s the finest lustre longwool in the world and all I’m doing is producing and selling the raw wool.’ Mark’s farming enterprise at Ferrensby runs to 140 acres of which 65 acres is down to grass and the other 75 acres is arable growing