The Yorkshire farmer living his dream and following in the footsteps of his nanna

Stephen is in the process of building up Willen Tree Farm at Tatham, near Bentham, which currently runs to 110 acres of grassland with a flock of 150 breeding sheep, predominantly North Country Cheviots and a small herd of pedigree Charolais.

He says the Goodall Agri-Development Pathway run by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society has been great for him.

“What caught my eye was the picture attached to the promotion of the Goodall,” he said.

"It showed some land my nanna used to rent. I read what it was all about and as I wanted to push my farm on and do everything I can to grow, I applied. It has been very helpful in the running of my farming business.

“I now want to encourage other people into the industry to apply to go on the Goodall. It points you in the right direction, and it’s only one or two days a month.

“Probably one of the biggest things I gained was stepping outside of my comfort zone. For me to go to Harrogate and meet all new people was quite scary, intimidating.

"I’m almost a little shocked about how we have all become such good friends. I finished the course about this time last year.

"There were twelve of us and we all still message each other asking questions. We talk farming all the time.”

Stephen says he understands the hard slog it can be in getting started in farming, but he also knows it is all he has ever wanted.

He runs a joinery business, employing two others. It all helps fuel his farming dream that was born out of his nanna.

“I’m from Ingleton. My nanna, Isobel Chapman, was still farming until I was around 12 years old and that’s where I got my love for it, going up there on weekends, school holidays, lambing time.

“She had about 400 Dalesbred ewes and milked cows in an old-fashioned milking parlour at Beezley Farm.

"I remember that in primary and middle school all I wanted to do was farm. I’d help on my friend Alan Newhouse’s uncle’s farm too.

“When nanna sold up, when I was 12, I started helping my dad, labouring on.

"He had a big job in Windermere, for someone who was a joiner and as I really enjoyed working with wood he took me on as an apprentice. That’s how my joinery business came about.”

Stephen took his first steps toward farming in his own right when buying some sheep eleven years ago.

“I took on a small block of land, just four acres, and bought 15 older ewes. Six months later I took on another seven acres and then got up to 23 acres and increased my number of ewes.

“At lambing time one year, I realised I needed to have 100 to make it more worthwhile, to justify it, and my nanna had this other block of land that she owned but by now had been renting out, and gave it to me.

"That got me to 42 acres and my flock went up to 90 breeding ewes.

“A good mate I went to school with does some fencing contracting. I’d asked him to put some fence posts in for me.

"While here he said some land his dad had was coming up and would I be interested. That was another 18 acres. This last June I picked up another 33.

“I’m now at 150 breeding ewes and 110 acres. Every time I get my numbers up to the appropriate amount of stock on the land I have and I’m ready to start selling gimmer lambs I manage to find more land.

"That’s why I’ve concentrated on growing the flock. I’ve only recently started selling tups.

“I’m hopeful that by building up the farm I can build a house here one day. It’s called Willen Tree Farm, which confuses the postman a bit, because where my dad lives was my grandad Vincent’s house and that is called the same name.

"I just thought it was right to name the farm after his house, as my farm is on what was his land when he farmed.”

Stephen says the joinery business has bought the stock and the cow sheds; and tells of how his sheep flock has grown and his plans for it now.

“At first I kept buying Mules because they get you a nice fat lamb, but I’m mostly Cheviots just at the moment.

"I saw some Cheviot Mules at Penrith and really liked the look of their white heads and nice strong stance.

“I went up to Lockerbie to buy some pure Cheviots and decided on keeping them pure, so I bought a Cheviot tup and I keep picking up pure lambs, as well as keeping back the gimmer lambs from my own ewes. That’s how I’ve upped numbers.

“I currently have 115 pure Cheviot ewes. I’ve also now bred Cheviot Mules for a couple of years and replacement Mules.

"I’d got to half and half, Cheviot and Mule ewes at one time, but as I’ve pushed on with the Cheviots, my Mules have slowly become a smaller proportion of the flock.

“I started selling Cheviot breeding tups this year and will be selling gimmer lambs, but as I keep picking up land I’ve never got round to selling many.

"Most of my fat lambs are sold at Bentham auction, with a few at Hawes.”

Stephen knows the mark he needs to be at for his still-growing farm to have a breeding ewe flock that reaches his dream.

“I reckon I need about 300-400 and to get to a dozen cattle to get the farm working the way I want.

“My pedigree Charolais herd, using the prefix Willentree, runs to a handful of cows and heifers at the moment.

"I’m hoping to buy some more in the spring from the money made from selling some lambs. I will hopefully buy a bulling heifer that I can use my own bull on.”

Stephen also showed his cattle for the first time at Bentham Show this year taking the cow he bought two years ago and the bull he has bred. He picked up two third places.

Through the Goodall Agri Development Pathway, Stephen now feels better equipped to taking his farming ambitions further forward but also pays particular tribute to his family and his nanna.

“Nanna helped me with some land but more importantly with advice, wisdom and encouragement.”

The Yorkshire Farming Conference takes place on January 28 at the Yorkshire Events Centre. For full details visit: http://www.yorkshirefarmingconference.co.uk.