AN HISTORIC Wolds estate with a host of archaeological and environmental features, including a deserted medieval village, has been named as the North Yorkshire area winner of a competition for the North of England's most prestigious trophy for conservation.
The Birdsall Estates Farm, in Ryedale, on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, combines conserving and enhancing its history with a large modern grazing and arable enterprise.
It is home to a substantial historic interest, with over 30 Scheduled Ancie
nt Monuments dating from the Bronze Age to the19th Century, including the famous Wharram Percy deserted medieval village, which is open to the public.
Home Farm itself is a 19th-century model farm, which is very well maintained, and there is a scattering of other old farm buildings along the Wold tops, some used and some derelict.
Award judge Bob Richmond said Birdsall impressed as "a very well-managed unit, which is very tidy to look at and excellently run, commercially as well as environmentally".
The prestigious Tye award recognises the contribution of farmers in Yorkshire and the North East to wildlife conservation and environmental protection, and is organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society – which is organiser of the Great Yorkshire Show – and local farming and wildlife advisory groups.
Birdsall Estates farm comprises 2,559 hectares of arable and grassland with a further 310 hectares of woodland, which supports a shoot – "run commercially but not particularly profitable, especially with corn prices as they are", according to estate owner/manager the Hon Michael Willoughby. The remainder of the estate is tenanted.
The landscape includes Wold tops, escarpment, four sites of special scientific interest, designated mainly for botanical reasons, and chalk grassland dales, parkland, woodland and heavier low ground.
When it comes to management policy, Mr Willoughby says: "We try to find the balance between environmental security and food production."
The farm was previously in countryside stewardship and is now in the entry level and higher level stewardship schemes. Although many farmers are jealous of HLS status, Mr Willoughby says going for it was a matter of commitment to environmental friendliness, rather than financial benefit – especially as it worked out.
He estimates that it cost £11,000 for the consultants' reports which got them into the scheme, for a return of about £3,500 a year.
He was hoping for some money to restore some of the old buildings but was told there was not enough in the pot for that. And the grant requires quite a lot of work in addition to what a farmer would think important, such as a commitment to replacing parkland trees.
Some of the original limes were planted more than 300 years ago and replacing them as they come to the end of their lives is a significant capital item.
The protection of the archaeological sites requires a range of precautions against diffuse pollution, such as fencing watercourses to keep the livestock out of them. About 1,500 metres of hedgerow are planted each year and a lot of that is for site protection.
Land management is tightly prescribed, even down to management of grass without fertiliser, to maintain a traditional sward. This is part of the commitment to supporting bird populations including tree sparrow, grey partridge, skylark, lapwing, curlew and jack snipe, as well as several birds of prey.
Overwintering of stubble provides an important habitat for the grey-legged partridge. Grassland management, arable reversion to grass and the sowing of wild bird mixes of seeds, are also part of the habitat management.
"Grow flowers and you get insects and if you have insects you have birds," sums up Mr Willoughby, a former chairman of the Yorkshire Country Landowners' Association.
He encourages his tenants to enter agri-environmental schemes too and has hosted a number of farm events to promote interest. The estate also hosts an annual educational visit.
The Birdsall Beef Company is the central farm business.
The grassland supports a 1,100-head suckler cow herd, with followers reared as replacements or finished. In total the farm runs 3,500 head. The cows are mainly Stabilisers or crosses of the Stabiliser breed.
The heifers from Stabiliser cows go back into the herd for breeding, or are sold fat. Similarly, some bulls are retained for breeding while the steers are sold finished.
In the past the farm had dairy-cross cattle, mainly Friesians crossed with Hereford, Limousin or Angus bulls. Then, eight years ago, in conjunction with the JSR Farms' manager at Great Givendale, the Stabiliser Cattle Company was established to import both cattle and semen. The import of semen and embryos continues whilst UK-bred numbers steadily increase. Mr Willoughby says the biggest benefit is easier calving – "We can do it all without vets".
The overall winner of the Tye Trophy will be ann ounced at the Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate on July 9.
The five areas represented are North, East, South and West Yorkshire, Northumberland and Tyne Tees.
The awards will be presented by Mrs Alison Saville, who gave the trophy in 1989 in memory of her grandfather, Howard Tye, founder of Tye Trailers, and her father, Kenneth Tye. Now sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the awards are part of the society's charitable work, which sees more than £1m allocated to aid to the farming community each year.
This feature was supplied by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
