Farmers' front room tea service is a hit in Bolton Percy

The Houseman family opened their farmhouse gates to the public when Vicky Houseman started up Doyly’s Tearoom at their North House farm in Bolton Percy in 2003.

It is now such a popular spot that it makes a similar proportionate contribution to the farm enterprise and has led to three bed and breakfast rooms, a self-catering or bed and breakfast establishment in converted stables looked after by Vicky’s husband Henry - and a successful outside catering business run by Vicky’s daughters Ruth Rawson and Anne Musgrave.

Vicky explains how the tearoom came about.

“It was something I’d always wanted do. I expected to have maybe a couple of little old ladies coming in and that I’d be able to bake a cake or get the ironing done in between customers coming but that never happened as we were busy right away and have been ever since.

“We started it in our front room, where it still is today and expanded to the front garden. These days we can have as many as 150 visitors on a nice day. We started small and did no advertising at all but people just seemed to find us. It has exceeded my wildest expectations.

“We also started with bed and breakfast accommodation six years ago once all our children had left home. It was our accountant’s idea and has worked very well. It means we’re already busy in a morning before the tearoom customers start arriving. Yesterday (Sunday) we had 13 for breakfast before we had even opened the tearoom. Anne was here but I had to text Ruth to come and help too.”

The farming operation combines arable cropping and cattle with Vicky and Henry’s son Peter at the helm. Henry says the Houseman family has been associated with farming in the village for centuries.

“Our family connection with Bolton Percy goes right back to the Domesday Book. This house was built by the family in the early 19th century. My father Harry passed away in 1964 when I was just 10-years-old. My mother Betsy continued with the farm and then my brother John and I farmed together here and at Hornington Manor. We moved here in 1977 and have farmed here ever since on 240 acres that we own.

“My father used to have sheep in the late-50s and early-60s but then moved on to buying cattle from Ireland which we used to winter outside. When he passed away and John and I split the business up, which included haulage that John took on, and Peter came into the farm. We have now had a suckler herd for much of the past decade.

“The biggest change in my time has been the way farm machinery has replaced farm workers. I had four men working with me, today it’s just myself and Peter, with him running the show.”

Peter started his working life as an apprentice electronics engineer with Farnell in Wetherby before moving to Burgess agricultural engineers, also in Wetherby, as a sales rep.

He set up his own farm business with his wife Helen, a farmer’s daughter from nearby Colton, before joining his father on the family farm in 2004.

“We grow around 40 acres each of wheat and barley with temporary grass as a break crop. The rotation is two wheats, barley and grass.

“The suckler herd runs to 50 cows with their progeny largely destined for the abattoir at Dovecote Park and fat cows going to York and Selby livestock markets. We hire a pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull from Peter Turnbull in Coxwold for 12 weeks putting it on to Belgian Blue X cows to get that bit better shape and conformation.

“I enjoy the arable side a great deal but cattle are my passion and where I’d like to expand to around 80 cows when the time is right.”

Much is afoot at North House. Sisters Ruth and Anne gave up their roles as primary school teachers at Boston Spa and Saxton in December to join their mum in the tearoom and grow the fast expanding outside catering business with their sister-in-law Helen.

FAMILY’S LOVE OF CRICKET

Village cricket plays an important part in the family’s life. Peter plans his calving so that he can play and Henry played for Bolton Percy for 46 years.

Henry’s parents were both club presidents and he has been president for the past six years.

“My father and Geoff Pears, who ran the village pub, set up the club in the 1950s. My mother played as well.

“We’re a tiny little village that boxes way above its weight with a team in the Hunters York Premier League and our Second XI currently riding high in Division 4. We also play in the Whixley League on a Thursday night.”