Farming Excellence Rewarded at the Great Yorkshire Show
Excellence in farming and commitment to integrating conservation with commercial agriculture is celebrated with the announcement of the regional winners of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s 2014 Tye Trophy Awards. (NB: images available to download at the bottom of the release)
The Awards are a practical way of highlighting the importance of combining the two elements and encouraging other farmers to adopt similar practices. Open to farms across the north of England, the five regional winners will receive their awards at the Great Yorkshire Show on Wednesday 9 July when the overall champion will also be announced.
One of the judges Charles Mills, who farms near York said: “It is vital that conservation in agriculture is not regarded as something only to be considered by environmental enthusiasts, but incorporated into practical, commercial farming. Over the years we have seen some excellent examples of how this can be done, all of which helps encourage others and is vital to the future of British farming.”
Regional winners are:
East Yorkshire:
Tim Sellers of Carr House Farm, Foston on the Wolds, Driffield. A fifth generation 480 acre farm set at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds. Organic since 1999, the farm supplies an on-farm enterprise, Side Oven Bakery. Spelt wheat is grown and processed for bread making, plus organic apples, elderflowers and soft fruit are grown. Environmental stewardship has encouraged a wide range of animals and birds to thrive alongside agricultural activity.
Northumberland:
Tom Comber of Elwick Farm, Belford near Berwick upon Tweed. A traditional 550 acre mixed farm and 300 acres of foreshore land. Livestock are 450 breeding commercial sheep and finishing 250 beef cattle. Encouraging birdlife has resulted in 115 different species being recorded. The farm has 70 acres given over to encourage the light bellied brent geese, with a further 40 acres as habitat for breeding waders
North Yorkshire:
Richard Bramley of Manor Farm, Kelfield near York. A 550 acre arable farm, with milling wheat, malting barley, potatoes, sugar beet and oil seed rape. His approach is to achieve the best from the land and crops with minimum input and with conservation as an integral factor of his farming. Sharing lessons learned with others is a key part of his farming approach. Conservation activity includes habitats for birds such as skylarks and yellow wagtails.
Tyne Tees:
Chris, Liz and Harry Hodgson of Piercebridge Farm, Piercebridge, Darlington.
A tenanted organic grassland farm belonging to Raby Estates which has been run by the Hodgson family since 1964. Their lamb, beef and outdoor unit pork supplies their farm shop which now employs 14 people. Much of the land has been reclaimed from former gravel quarries and the Country Stewardship Scheme has helped with a programme of hedge planting.
West and South Yorkshire: John Key of Garfield House Farm, Midhopestones, Stocksbridge. John has a 240 acre grassland farm of which a good proportion is classified less favoured and severely disadvantaged. He has pedigree Suffolk sheep which he shows, and also suckler cows. Conservation work includes specific grazing areas used to encourage nesting lapwings and waders and small ponds to encourage insect life. A small wind turbine and solar panels help provide power to the farmhouse and office.
ENDS
23 June 2014
Media contact: Judy Thompson, PR Manager, 01423 546215 or email judyt@yas.co.uk
If you wish to apply for press passes to the Great Yorkshire Show, please complete the online application form on our website, by 2 July 2014 - http://greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/media/press-passes
YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY:
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society was formed in 1837 and is a charity dedicated to supporting the farming industry and rural life. The Society is the organiser of the annual farming and country showcase, the Great Yorkshire Show and its sister event, Countryside Live. Both take place at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire and are flagship events for agriculture and rural life. Dates for the 2014 Great Yorkshire Show are Tuesday 8 – Thursday 10 July, and Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October for Countryside Live.
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