The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2019 - Issue 65 | Page 33

NORTH DALE FARM 33 • OCT/NOV 2019 WIDE SELECTION OF VEHICLES IN STOCK Visit our website - www.gboyes.co.uk for more details on the vehicles SERVICING & REPAIRS TO ALL MAKES ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ MOT Testing ▪ Vehicle diagnostic checks ▪ Welding repairs Air conditioning recharging & repairs Tyres - All makes supplied & fitted Wheel alignment & balancing ▪ Cambelts changed Exhaust systems supplied & fitted All makes of Batteries supplied ▪ Alternators checked & replaced 4x4 specialists - WE LOVE LAND ROVERS!!!! Ring today for any estimate! We are pleased to be associated with Richard Jackson and wish him continued success. SPECIAL OFFER All Lassa and Davanti tyres - Puncture repair and ruined tyre insurance included in tyre price – Call Pete for details THE GARAGE, CHAPEL LANE, KILHAM, DRIFFIELD YO25 4RP T: 01262 420627 M: 07778 230037 E: [email protected] ‘Our cattle operation sees us buying in stores at 12-18 months and taking them through to finishing. We generally buy continental X cattle such as Limousin and Charolais. We fatten around 100 beasts a year.’ ‘We lamb 320 mainly Charollais X Texel breeding ewes and produce all our own replacements. We also use the Suffolk tup on the flock. My father had a Suffolk flock and that’s the main breed I steward for at the Great Yorkshire Show, but ours is very much a commercial flock although Helen (Richard’s wife) has a small flock of Hampshire Downs. Our hoggs and cull ewes go to Malton livestock market while all cattle and spring lambs are traded deadweight.’ Being near to the coast as well as in the countryside Richard always gets his fair share of an inquisitive public either from those on the cycle route that goes past the farm or walkers. ‘People stop when there are sheep out in the field and they are usually curious to know how old the ewes and lambs are. I don’t think they generally equate seeing sheep in a field to the lamb they eat, but they enjoy seeing the lambs running around when they are still relatively new-born.’ ‘One of the messages we try to get across at our increasingly popular Education Days at Driffield Showground is to talk about the sheep’s year. The first question I ask is why farmers keep sheep and because children are watching and listening and can see a clipping machine they will always say because of the wool. When I tell them farmers would not make a living out of wool they then think of meat. There are those who curl their noses up and start shaking their heads at this point but that’s where we need to educate children about why sheep are in the countryside. We certainly don’t want to traumatise them, but it’s important they know.’ Richard’s involvement with the Great Yorkshire Show started in 1978. ‘My father was a senior ring steward. I was put with the Suffolks when I started and I’ve been with them ever since. I’ve got to know the breeders over the years and some real characters like Bert Harper and WE COVER SMALL FARMS, LARGE FARMS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN The UK’s leading rural insurer Jack Bulmer became great friends. At one time when the Suffolk was the predominant breed before the Texel its classes used to last more or less the whole day, but now I steward for the Suffolks in the morning and the Zwartbles in the afternoon. We were a lot nearer to the stewards’ dining room in the early days before the sheep were moved to the modern purpose-built sheds at the other side of the showfield. It’s now a long walk to get fed!’ Richard is justifiably proud of his home show – Driffield Show. ‘I got involved 20 years ago when the late David Stubbings, who was chairman at the time asked me. I became livestock secretary in 2008 and had 10 years in that post. During that time we moved the livestock section to Dee & Atkinson’s sale field. It was a bold and very positive move and our numbers of cattle, sheep and pig entries have improved considerably due to far greater capacity. Our sheep numbers continue to climb and this year we had to do a bit of rejigging to get everyone in. It was just a shame that the pig classes had to be cancelled, but as we all know it was the right decision.’ ‘At Driffield we are constantly adding new parts to the show. This year we had a new forestry area; the fencing competition has been a great attraction for the past decade; and we also had a farrier competition. Our Education Days have now been running for four years. As a society we invest a lot of time and energy into teaching young people about farming. For me personally being chairman has widened my view of Driffield Agricultural Society. ‘Helen also has her own business run from the farm – Rosebud Flowers – selling flowers for all occasions.’ At NFU Mutual we offer tailored insurance and a local service. We cover all farms from arable and horticulture to sheep and poultry. For a real conversation about your insurance: call 01723 585307, email [email protected] or pop in NFU Mutual, Centenary House, 1 Manor Court, Manor Garth, Scarborough YO11 3TU Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited.