VIDEO: Geoff the hawk saves family farm shop's strawberry season

By Nick Frame
Published 19th May 2020, 12:28 BST
Updated 20th May 2020, 09:47 BST
A family-run farm shop that was left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket last year has employed the help of an unusual security guard to keep thieves away.

With the strawberry-picking season fast approaching and pumpkin seed planting season already underway, Bert’s Barrow Farm Shop near Monk Fryston has been forced to take drastic action to prevent the crops being devoured by the local crows - hiring a bird of prey to make the pesky plunderers think twice.

Step forward the hero of the day, Geoff, a five-year-old Harris Hawk belonging to KL Falconry in Pontefract.

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He is being brought to the site daily, and the mere sight of Geoff is doing enough to deter the crows from circling.

Like a hawk...Geoff has been keeping a watchful eye on the crows.Like a hawk...Geoff has been keeping a watchful eye on the crows.
Like a hawk...Geoff has been keeping a watchful eye on the crows.

Charlotte Wells-Thompson, who runs the business with her husband Jason, explained: “The strawberries were ready to pick last year and the crows just devastated it.

“They took two weeks’ worth of crops, and they just went along pulling everything up. We lost tens of thousands of pounds.

“We are new to this business really and we just didn’t know what to do because they were just devastating the place.

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“We tried everything. We had scarecrows that customers had made, a kite that looks like a hawk, we had a gas gun to scare them and I even had my little girl running out there to try and scare them off!

Charlotte Wells-Thompson (left) with her two daughters Hattie and Tilly, Kira Weston from KL Falconry and Geoff the Harris Hawk.Charlotte Wells-Thompson (left) with her two daughters Hattie and Tilly, Kira Weston from KL Falconry and Geoff the Harris Hawk.
Charlotte Wells-Thompson (left) with her two daughters Hattie and Tilly, Kira Weston from KL Falconry and Geoff the Harris Hawk.

“It was a big problem, so I asked Kira Weston from KL Falconry to come down because me and Jason were about to get a divorce over this!

“The crows caused absolute devastation so fingers crossed Geoff will save the day.”

The family-run business was launched by Jason’s father, Bert, who started with a simple produce-filled barrow at the side of the road with an honesty box.

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