Looking forward: the Skidmore family

NSA North Sheep 2007, the NSA Northern region's biennial event is to be staged on Wednesday 6 June by kind permission of the Skidmore family at North Hanging Wells, Eastgate, a Weardale based hill unit where sheep are essentially the core ingredient.

The Skidmore family, Bill and Vera, their sons, John and Maurice and grandsons, Ian, Malcolm and Andrew believe the farming business is well placed for the future, and they are the first to declare that 'the glass is half full'.

"We work hard as a team, and we have drive and ambition. The family has taken various opportunities over the last 50 odd years to expand and achieve real economies of scale," John explains.

"We are focused on maximizing production from our resources. 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. 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."  

The Skidmores farm in excess of 5,000 acres with the majority running at between 1,000ft and 1,800ft. The vast majority is within the SDA and either white or heather moor. Approximately half the area is owner occupied, and the business evolves around two steadings, North Hanging Wells and nearby Wolfcleugh. 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.  Apart from the family team, the unit depends on stockmen, Stephen Wilkinson and Athol Woodmass, and John and Maurice's younger brother, Dennis who is responsible for day to day maintenance and repairs.

The bulk of the business's income is derived from breeding females, with Mule gimmer lambs providing the core. The pick of the annual crop comes under the hammer in either Middleton-in-Teesdale or Kirkby Stephen, however since FMD, the majority are traded at the farm gate; last year, they sold 1,500 head off farm to repeat buyers from throughout the UK, those seeking breeding females in volumes accompanied by reputable health status.

The majority of Swaledale replacements are selected from the purebred flock at Wolfcleugh, while a further 500 ewes of various ages are offered from the farm each year either through the ring where they are usually found within the day's top 5% of market prices or at the farm gate where customers can pick their own.

Maurice Skidmore with some of the family's sheep

The Skidmores say their ultimate goal is to be self sufficient and investing in a complementary 650 acre lowland unit five years ago located 60 minutes drive away at Wynyard, near Sedgefield is helping them to achieve that target. The unit which the family terms their 'jewel in the crown' has since been completely refurbished and carries 1,200 Swaledale ewes to breed Mule lambs. It supplies itself as well as the upland units with forage, cereals and straw together with winter tack for 1,000 Swaldale hoggs,  

Today's scale of farming operations are a far cry from when John and Maurice's parents, Bill and Vera Skidmore achieved an ambition to purchase their own farm 37 years ago. North Hanging Wells was then just over 400 acres and carrying 250 ewes. "Dad who is a first generation farmer, has been extremely progressive all his working life, he's been our mentor and he's taught us to think for ourselves outside the box. He's had the drive and enthusiasm, kept an open mind, assessed everything on its own merit and he has always invested and reared the best quality stock." More recently, Bill has concentrated on successfully breeding and training Border Collies with help from daughter, Jean.

Initially the Skidmores took advantage of various land improvement schemes in the 1970s. "We drained and reseeded, increased stocking rate and produced more food. In turn, we found we had more capital tied up in stock which enhanced the sustainability of the business and the opportunity to continue to expand," Maurice explains.

"During that period, we've seen a lot of farmers diversify, however that's not us. Instead, we've focused on what we're best at, and that's producing volumes of quality sheep. Conformation and colour have been the two key selection criteria among our pedigree Bluefaced Leicesters and also our registered Swaledale flock.

"At the same time we've been conscious of maintaining wildlife populations. The farm is rich in waders for example, Golden Plover, and other rare species such as Ring Ousels, simply because our livestock is creating an insect rich environment. We believe that our land improvement activities have also substantially increased the Black Grouse population.

"To the future, and we believe we have the economies of scale, together with a quality flock that will enable the business to continue to evolve and adapt. We will also keep an open mind to potential opportunities that crop up. We will also continue to live by the fact whatever we do has to pay to enable us to farm well."