Not only was Julia Warters a farmer's daughter, she had trained as a catering manager, organising events for hundreds of people.

Her skills added to his have transformed the fortunes of Humble Bee Farm at Flixton, between Scarborough and Filey, which they took over from Mr Warters's parents 12 years ago.

The 320-acre farm borders the Wolds Way footpath, so diversification into the leisure industry was an obvious choice.

"It wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea," Mr Warters said.

"The phone never stops ringing and it's impossible to feed up the animals on a morning without somebody asking you a question. I love it, but plenty wouldn't."

The farm is still very much a family affair, with the senior members helping out at busy times such as harvest and the younger generation, Olivia, 17, and Jacob, 14, kept busy with jobs such as grass-cutting and cleaning.

The farm runs 40 suckler cows and a pedigree Blonde d'Aquitaine bull. There are some sheltered grass dales, which the cattle are turned on to in the spring, where the calves are given creep feed through summer. "We fatten the youngsters within 12 to 16 months and they are all sold through Malton Market," explained Mr Warters, whose brother Keith is an auctioneer at the mart.

"They nearly all are bought by local butchers. They all chalk up on their boards which farm their meat has come from. There is good demand for quality, locally-produced cattle. It's what the customers are demanding."

The farm crops barley, oilseed rape and wheat. It has also gone into countryside stewardship, with 15 acres of overwintered stubble and five acres down to wild bird mixture. Six-metre beetle strips have been left around – and sometimes through – every field. A lot of new hedging has been planted around the dales.

"The other day one of our visitors saw a buzzard," Mr Warters said. "There's often some deer to be seen, along with the likes of curlews, grey partridges, skylarks, kestrels, sparrowhawks and lapwings."

Visitors can collect pre-printed maps from the farm's reception area and take a stroll across the farm.

"It's simple things like the walks, or having some hens and letting the children who stay with us collect the eggs, that people seem to really appreciate," said Mrs Warters, who was catering manager for Scarborough Council for 18 years, until fairly recently.

The farm has had a five-van caravan site for 15 to 20 years, but the couple have taken the catering side of the business on to another level and has benefited from the recent trend of "cashmere campers" – affluent types having a go at a holiday in a tent. Humble Bee Farm can accommodate up to 20, but they demand the highest quality.

New this season are two "wigwams" – actually wigwam-shaped wooden cabins. Together with a pair of holiday cottages, they make Humble Bee Farm an all-season attraction.

"We've had people in them when it's been snowing outside. The insulation is so good they're as warm as toast," Mr Warters said.

"It also means that the showers aren't stood empty; they're being used all year around."

The shower facilities include mirrors, hairdryers and hot water that never runs out.

"We've learned that it can be something as simple as the fact the water in our showers is always hot that makes people come back to us," Mrs Warters said.

"If we had one piece of advice to give to other farmers diversifying into camping, it would be not to scrimp. People don't mind paying for quality."

"Another good piece of advice is to have a team of reliable people such as plumbers and electricians on call," added Mr Warters, who has brought in a private refuse company as "it was no good relying on the local council".

He said: "On the farm, you get used to having a go at fixing things yourselves. But when you're in the holiday business, you need somebody who knows what they're doing – and you need them as quickly as possible."

The wigwams cost about £7,000 each and arrived fully erected on the back of a lorry. Charges are £15 per adult and £8 a child.

"People get really into it, buying Indian head-dresses from the shop and eating outside around a fire," Mrs Warters said. "We had to go to appeal to get planning permission but it was worth it. Now they're here people can't see what all the fuss was about as they blend into the countryside so well."

Mr Warters found the Scottish-based company that provided the wigwams – wigwamholidays.com – after a television programme about igloos got him thinking about alternative accommodation.

The holiday cottages have wood-burning stoves, flat-screen TVs, patio areas for barbecues, laundry facilities and complimentary welcome hampers.

One even has a thatched gazebo with hot tub. An additional investment for this season has been an adventure playground.

The couple also keep animals just for visiting children to look at, such as pigs and Aylesbury ducks.

Since launching a website three seasons ago, the couple have invested around £500 a year in updating and improving it.

"About 90 per cent of our bookings come through the website," Mrs Warters said.

"It's almost a full-time job replying to all the emails."

Yorkshire Forward helped with the cost of a borehole for water, which dramatically improved the pressure, and with some of the computerisation costs and the insulation of the cottages.

Mrs Warters gave up her council job 18 months ago to concentrate on the leisure side of the farm. She wants to get the cottages star-rated and to get more winter business.


For more information telephone 01723 890437 or visit
www.humblebeefarm.co.uk