Proof the mixed farm is alive and kicking

Egg sales at the farm gate complete with an honesty box for payment; a horse bedding enterprise that came out of a college dissertation; selling half a sheep to locals in the village; and wheat, barley, oilseed rape, a flock of sheep and a herd of cattle.

The mixed farm is not dead and the Walmsleys of Manor Farm in Thorner are living proof that it can and does still exist.

Philip Walmsley is a partner in the farm business with his mother and father Bridget and Roy and their farming operation runs to some 430 acres of which 315 acres are tenanted from Lord Mexborough’s estate.

The arable side of the farm constitutes around 65-70 per cent of its income and the family’s 1999-purchased John Deere combine has just completed their 2013 harvest. It’s a happier year than last already for Philip.

“It was difficult last year. The main thing we suffered from was yield. Our bushel weight was down. Normally, we would expect to get between 3.5 to 4 tonnes per acre but fortunately our grain merchants found homes for our crops that didn’t punish us on weights, which was a blessing compared to some horror stories we heard.

“As soon as we harvest we start selling the grain and then we sell every week until it has all gone as we need our buildings for other things. Last year we were finished selling it all by November and we received £175/tonne for our barley; £373/tonne for oilseed rape; and a high of £215/tonne for our wheat.

“Our wheat varieties are Invicta and Torch. We like varieties that can give us a relatively high yield with the potential of premium for biscuit wheat.”

One of Philip’s changes this autumn will be in sowing Maris Otter barley on contract.

“It is very popular in the brewing industry particularly in the production of real ale. Grain merchants Isaac Poad took us on a brewery tour last year and explained why they needed a quality supply of Maris Otter. We will put in 31 acres this autumn and have arranged a contract which will pay a percentage over wheat price.”

Many years ago the Walmsley’s had a dairy herd of 70 Friesian milkers, but now the livestock side of Manor Farm includes sheep, beef cattle and poultry.

“We presently have 105 sheep. We attended Malton Livestock Market sheep sale in August and purchased 22 replacements. Our usual preference is for Suffolk X Mules or Texel X Mules that we then put back to the Texel. That way we find that you get a bit of mothering and milking out of the Mule and shape out of the Texel.

“Butchers lambs are sent to Otley (Wharfedale Mart) and we will sometimes have a few slaughtered and sell quarters, halves or full lambs to villagers in Thorner. We just put up a sign on the farm gate and people ring to order them.

“Our herd consists of 35 sucklers. We run a Limousin bull and our replacements come from an ex-dairy farm in Shadwell. They have Simmental and Belgian Blue in them and this creates a nice milky heifer that we then put back to the Limousin.

“We take stock to Otley for killing out, but last year we also took some as stores to York. When they had come off the grass last year they were a lot smaller than usual so we sold them as stores at what we felt was a reasonable price. There was too much water in the grass for them at the time to go to Otley.”

The hens and the egg business was Philip’s first new contribution to the farm when he was a teenager.

“‘It all started with just four hens. At the time I was looking at possible diversification ideas and one option was free-range hens. The Egg Marketing Board came to see us to pass us as free range, which they did, but because we had gone for less numbers overall we are exempt from rules in the way that larger operations must adhere to.

“We only have 250 hens and they are grouped into two or three sections.

“We sell all of our eggs at the farm gate where we have an honesty box. Most people, such as Elaine come for just half a dozen at a time but we have one lady who comes every week for 15 dozen. We’re cheaper than either the shops or the supermarkets and we find that people are very honest.

“I get comments from our egg customers who tell me they can tell that our eggs are free range. All I say is that what you can tell is that they are fresh.

“What I also like about our hens is how much they enjoy being out. Every morning when I go to open the doors they all make their way on to the grass.”

Walmsley Premier Bed is Philip’s own business that makes a significant contribution to the overall manageability of the farm. The horse bedding idea came about through his studies at Bishop Burton College where he was Student of the Year for Crops and Machinery.

“I started with horse bedding in 2003. Whilst I’d been at college I had put together my dissertation on diversification and I had looked at everything from free range hens, Christmas trees, strawberries and worm farming. As I was researching I found a company in Manchester that made a machine that could either rebale big bales of haylage into smaller 20 kilo bags or could chop up cardboard and paper into horse and pet bedding.”

Having found the company and visiting it – and receiving a distinction for the dissertation – Philip applied for a Rural Enterprise grant and was successful. He ended up buying the machine and is now one of the north of England’s leading horse bedding producers.

“We use brand new cardboard that has failed quality control but that hasn’t gone into any public use. We also use offcuts but never material that is effectively second-hand. That means we are able to offer our customers 100 per cent no contamination in our bedding.”

Philip is married to Sara and they have a three-year-old son Max and a new offspring due to be born on October 9. He also has two sisters, Sharon and Caroline, who are married to a farmer and farm manager.