Host farm tours
May 15, 2007
Visitors to NSA North Sheep to be staged on Wednesday 6 June will have the opportunity to tour host farm, North Hanging Wells, Eastgate in Weardale, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, a hill unit where sheep are essentially the core ingredient.
The Skidmores, John and Maurice and their sons, Ian, Malcolm and Andrew will be leading trailer tours throughout the day around part of their farm which amounts to more than 5,000 acres with the majority running at between 1,000' and 1,800'. Most of the land is within the SDA and either white or heather moor. The traditional upland system carries more than 4,000 Swaledale ewes, 1,200 hoggs and a small flock of 30 Bluefaced Leicester ewes, together with a complementary herd of 150 suckler cows. The bulk of the business's income is derived from breeding females with Mule gimmer lambs providing the core.
"We are pleased to host this event and to explain to visitors our farming system," John explains. "We work hard as a team, and we have drive and ambition. Going back 50 odd years, our parents, Bill and Vera initially took the lead and since then, we have continued to take various opportunities to expand and achieve real economies of scale. We are focused on maximizing production from our resources, and we are not in the slightest interested in lowering production levels in order to take up any EU or Government funded environment or diversification schemes." Maurice adds: "Today's landscapes which the public love and which have encouraged a plethora of wildlife have been created by generations of sheep men like us farming this type of upland just as intensively for food. To join a scheme such as ELS or HLS would be a retrograde step not only for the wildlife, but also for us."
NSA North Sheep chairman, Hans Poerksen comments: "North Hanging Wells is an inspiration to visit; three generations of the Skidmore family are totally committed to the future of sheep farming. The standard of their Mule gimmer lambs, Swaledale draft ewes and rams is outstanding and they are reputed for breeding quality sheep throughout the UK. Furthermore, they have adopted a mindset which remains open to potential opportunities, enabling their business to continue to evolve and adapt."
For further information on NSA North Sheep 2007 please contact event organiser, Julie Sedgewick on 01388 664496. www.northsheep.org.uk
-ends-
Further information from Julie Sedgewick on 01388 664496
Issued by Liz Snaith Agricultural Communications on 01743 344986 / 07974 678833
The Skidmores, John and Maurice and their sons, Ian, Malcolm and Andrew will be leading trailer tours throughout the day around part of their farm which amounts to more than 5,000 acres with the majority running at between 1,000' and 1,800'. Most of the land is within the SDA and either white or heather moor. The traditional upland system carries more than 4,000 Swaledale ewes, 1,200 hoggs and a small flock of 30 Bluefaced Leicester ewes, together with a complementary herd of 150 suckler cows. The bulk of the business's income is derived from breeding females with Mule gimmer lambs providing the core.
"We are pleased to host this event and to explain to visitors our farming system," John explains. "We work hard as a team, and we have drive and ambition. Going back 50 odd years, our parents, Bill and Vera initially took the lead and since then, we have continued to take various opportunities to expand and achieve real economies of scale. We are focused on maximizing production from our resources, and we are not in the slightest interested in lowering production levels in order to take up any EU or Government funded environment or diversification schemes." Maurice adds: "Today's landscapes which the public love and which have encouraged a plethora of wildlife have been created by generations of sheep men like us farming this type of upland just as intensively for food. To join a scheme such as ELS or HLS would be a retrograde step not only for the wildlife, but also for us."
NSA North Sheep chairman, Hans Poerksen comments: "North Hanging Wells is an inspiration to visit; three generations of the Skidmore family are totally committed to the future of sheep farming. The standard of their Mule gimmer lambs, Swaledale draft ewes and rams is outstanding and they are reputed for breeding quality sheep throughout the UK. Furthermore, they have adopted a mindset which remains open to potential opportunities, enabling their business to continue to evolve and adapt."
For further information on NSA North Sheep 2007 please contact event organiser, Julie Sedgewick on 01388 664496. www.northsheep.org.uk
-ends-
Further information from Julie Sedgewick on 01388 664496
Issued by Liz Snaith Agricultural Communications on 01743 344986 / 07974 678833