Rayslack House
we use occasionally.
Up here on our
land the plough
is relatively easy
to use. The
techno boffins
have been
trying to get rid
of the plough in
farming all my adult
life but they haven’t
succeeded yet and I don’t
think they ever will. We did a
bit of a trial a few years ago
with a minimal tillage cultivator
that required two passes and
ploughing. When it came to it
the fuel consumption and time
involved were similar.’
Trialling is nothing new to
Andrew at Rayslack.
‘I’m part of the ADAS High
Mowthorpe Farmers Group
and we usually have two or
three acres of winter barley
trial plots for testing chemicals
and fertilisers. We get to
see what fertiliser rates and
chemical regimes work best.’
Andrew buys cattle in as
stores at around a year old and
sells them a year later, grazing
them in the dale that is part
of the permanent pasture that
makes up the other 85 acres of
the farm.
‘We like to buy at Bentham
livestock market mainly but
also York and Thirsk. We sell
mainly deadweight to Dawn
Meats in Carnaby and ABP in
York. I like the Charolais and
Simmental X but often end up
with mainly Limousin X. I aim
for as high a weight as I can. I
used to set my stall out for 450
kilos deadweight but many
have reduced their maximum
to 400 kilos. I try to find those
that will still take 450.
‘The pigs are weaners
coming in to us at seven kilos
and going on to finishers at 35
kilos. We have anywhere up
to 2000 at one time and get
batches every eight weeks.
Their eventual destination is
M&S.’
Andrew’s
grandfather,
Edwin Harrison
came from
Settrington
to Rayslack
in 1933.
Andrew’s late
father, Douglas
was the youngest
of 11 siblings. His mum
Barbara (Metcalfe) lives nearby
and he has a couple of sisters
who live locally.
Andrew and Helen got
together through the YFC
movement. Helen is from Sunk
Island in Holderness and was
with Patrington YFC. Andrew
was with Muston YFC where
he is president and a vice
president of East Riding County
Federation.
‘I particularly liked competing
in ploughing and stockjudging,
became club chairman three
times, county chairman twice
and Northern Area chairman.
I started getting involved with
the NFU in my 30s and have
been Malton branch chairman
on three occasions. Helen is
involved with the local school as
a voluntary parent governor and
raise funds for it too.’
Surprisngly, given his rural
pedigree, Andrew wasn’t initially
taken with farming while at
school.
‘As an adult I always wanted
to be a farmer but there was a
period as a kid at school when
I quite fancied being a history
teacher. I’ve always been
fascinated by history. At that
time I was more interested in
the medieval age but for many
years it has been WWII. Whether
people realise it or not WWII is
there with each and every one
of us every day of our lives,
particularly the decisions that
were made to the end of the war
by various allies.’
How fitting it is that Andrew’s
tenure as county chairman
comes about at another time of
great European upheaval.
We are proud to be suppliers to
DJK Harrison & Son
We wish them continued
success for the future
www.russells.uk.com
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www.farmers-mart.co.uk Summer 2017 73