VoicesFromtheLand,2017InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser

Article©HarrietFraser,Images©RobFraser

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AllenKirkbrideTownheadFarm,Askrigg

AllenKirkbrideisthethirdgenerationofhisfamilytofarmatTownhead.‘MyGrandfathertookthefarminthelate1800’s,early1900’s.HeboughtcattlethroughouttheDales.MyFatherfollowedon,hedidalittlebitofdealingandcarriedonthefarming.’Allensteppedintotheroleandcontinuedthedairybusiness.‘I’m68andwe’vealwaysdoneit!Iwasbroughtupwithit,soitcameassecondnature.’Inhistime,hemadesomechanges,includingtheintroductionofpasteurisationonthefarmandanexpansionofthemilkdeliverybusinessbeyondAskrigg,firsttoBainbridge,andeventuallysupplyingeverysmallshopinWensleydaleandSwaledale.Inmid2017,justamonthbeforethisinterviewtookplace,Allenstoppeddeliveringmilkto

doorsteps.‘Itwasjusttoomuchformysontotakeon,andcarryon.Youneedfamilystaffreally,sowe’veretiredfromthatandwenowsendourmilktotheCreameryatHawestomakethefamousWensleydaleCheese.’ThemilkcomesfromtheherdofFresian/Holsteindairycowsthatgrazeinfieldsaroundthefarmforpartoftheyear,andspendthewetter,coldermonths,inthefarm’ssheds.‘We’vegotahundredheadofcattleatthemomentbutalotofthemareyoungones,heifers.We’remilkingaboutfifty.Ashealwayshasdone,Allencontinuestomilktwiceaday,everyday,beginningataround5.30inthemorning.HeandhiswifeJennyusedtodoallthebottlingandpasteurisation;theotherfarmingjobs,Allendoeswithhisson,whohashisownthreechildrenandanotherontheway.‘Wearetryingtowinddownabitandhetakesmoreresponsibility.’Thefarmalsohasthreehundredsheep,withafocuson

breedingTexel-crosslambstobesoldatHawesauctionMart.‘Itisaverybusylittleauctionmart.Itturnsover£7millioneveryyearandisoneofthetopsheepmarketsaround.’Allenalsoneedstoaddtohisownflock,andthisyearhemaybegoingshoppingforatup.‘ImaygotoHawesorImaytraveldowntoLeyburntobuyaBluefacedLeicester.ButIwantitreallyformyself–I’mnotworriedaboutthecolourofthelamb’sfaces,which,ifyouarebreedingtosell,youwantthemtolookverybonny.Thatdoesn’tmatter:Iwantadecentsizedlambtomakeabigsheep.’

VoicesFromtheLand,2017InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser

Article©HarrietFraser,Images©RobFraser

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Thereis120acresofgrazinglandatTownheadfarm,runningtothemoorbutnotontotheheights.Allofitisenclosedinbyeland,lushandsegmentedbydrystonewalls(14kmofwallsintotal)inpatternsthathaveremainedunchangedforatleastacentury.EveryoneofthefieldsisnamedandAllensharesafewofthenameswithus:Dolly,CroftHill,Esktops,Melbeck,Giant’sCradle,Bierhouse.‘AskriggisthesameasReeth:alotofverysmallfields.Smallfieldsarebrilliantinlambingtime,becausethereisloadsofshelter.Butit’sacompletepaininsilagetimebecausewemakebigbalesilage,andyou’vegotyourmachinerytogoroundallthesesmallfields.Itishardwork.Alotofhassle.’Manyofthefieldshavebarns,butnowonlyhalfofthefarm’stwelvetraditionalbarnshaverooves.‘Theyusedtokeepthreeorfourcowsinandthehaywasthereforthewinter;thatiswhattheyweretherefor.Theyarejustnotusednow.Itisashame,really.Werunsomesheepinandoutandthroughspringandthingslikethatbutapartfromthat,wedon’tgetanyuseoutofthem.’Instead,thefamilyhasbeenusingnewbuildings,includingamilkingparlour,builtin1970,andbarnsclosertotheyard.‘WhenIwasyoung,weusedtomilkinthreedifferentbuildings.Wecentralisedthatandputabuildingupandslurrystores.’SomethingthatsettheKirkbride’smilkapartwasthefactthatitwasnothomogenised,sothebottledmilkhadaportionofcreamonthetop,somethingthatisnotoftenseenthesedays.Allentalksusthroughthedetails:‘Homogenisationbreaksallthefatdown.Ithasaslightlylongershelflife.Butnon-homogenisedmilkisactuallythehealthymilkbecausewhenitishomogenisedthefatgoesstraightthroughthebodyintothebloodcells.Whenitisnon-

homogenised,thefatstopsinthebodyandthebodyfeedsoffit–anditisnotabadfat,itisagoodfat.Ifyoutalktotheexperts,theywilltellyouthesame.’Allensaysthatthereisasmallmarketnowfornon-homogenisedmilk.‘Oneortwoofthetop-endsupermarketsaresellingalittlebit.Buttherun-of-the-millsupermarketslikesomethingthat’ssteady,alwaysthesame.’Withasmallherd,andfollowingthewaypreviousgenerationshavefarmed,Allenputshiscowsouttograssthroughthesummer.‘Wewerealsosellingourmilkasfreerange:thismeansthatthecowshavegottobeouttograssforsomanydaysintheyear,andyoufollowahusbandryroutineaswell.Alotofthelargeherdsnownevergoouttograss.Theonlygrasstheyseeis

whatisbroughtintothem,sothey‘reinside24-7.’Yorkshireisnotthesameaslowlanddairyfarms,however.‘OneofthedisadvantagesoffarminginTheDalesisthatyouworka200-daywinter.Theyareout165daysintheyearandinside200days.Ifyouarefarmingfurtherdownthevalley,itistheotherwayround:out200daysandinfor165.’Whilethewintershavealwaysbeenlong,thequalityoftheweatherseemstobechanging,saysAllen.‘Thewintershavebeenwetterandmilder.Wegetsnowbutnothinglikethatbackinthe60’sor70’s.Ithinkthatifyougobackinhistory,andreadsomeoftherecords,thisispartofalargecycleandthecolderspellwillcomeback.PeoplewillcallitGlobalWarmingagainandGlobalCoolingagain-itisactuallypartofalargecycle.’

OneofthedisadvantagesoffarminginTheDalesisthat youwork a 200-daywinter. They are out 165days in the year andinside200days.Ifyouarefarmingfurtherdownthevalley, it istheotherwayround: out 200 days andinfor165.

VoicesFromtheLand,2017InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser

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Forwinterfeed,Allenmakesasmuchhayandsilagefromhisownfieldsashecan,butlikeeveryotherfarmerthetimeforcutting,andthequality,areaffectedbytheweather,andsomeyearstheyhavetocutmuchlaterthantheymightwantto,andwatchthequalitydeteriorate.Livestockneedtobeoutofafieldsixtoeightweeksbeforethegrassiscut,sogettingthetimesrightisalwaysagamble.He’squitehappy,thoughwithsomeofhiswildflowermeadows.‘There’snofertilizergoeson,’heexplains.‘Wemakeaheapofmanureandletitrotforayearandweputthatontothehaymeadows;itseemstoworkquitewell.TheonewehavewhenyouwalkontoMiddleGillisreallyhighquality.BlenheimTrusthasbeentwicetotakeseedsoffittoputonfarmsinotherareas.’

Hetalksaboutthebirdsonthehigherfarmland:curlews,peewits(lapwings)andsnipe.‘Thereareprobablymorethisyearthanthelastfewyears,Iwouldthink.Talkingtomyneighbours,weallseemtothinkthereisplentyofwildlifeabout.’Healsoseesgoldenploverandgrouse.‘Grousearekeepered–that’sprobablythereasonwhywehavegotsomuchwildlife,becausethemoorsarekeepered,partoftheGunnersideEstatewhichisjustoverinSwaledale,onlyfivemilesaway.’Inadditiontothelivestock,theKirkbridesruntwoholidaycottages,andgetcontinuousbookings.‘Theholidayseasonisexpandingallthetime.’Theholidaycottagesareanimportantsourceofincome.‘Ithinkinthisdayandageinfarming,you’vegottodiversify,’saysAllen.Incomealsocomesfrom

stewardshipschemes.‘Whenwedecidedthatwewouldstopretailingmilk,wewentintoaHigherLevelStewardshipscheme:wearecreatingsomemorehaymeadows,doingsomewalling,doingthingsforwadingbirds,sometreeplanting.Thatenvironmentalpaymentwillbringussomeextraincomeintomakeupfromthelossoftheretailingside,andit’ssomethingthatwewantedtodoanyway.’Allenfeelssomereliefathavingcutbackonthemilkretailingside.Althoughtherearecowstomilkandfeedeveryday,thereisnowfarlesstimepressureandheisabletoenjoythefarm,andthelandaroundit,more.HeisalsobusyasaParishCouncilrepresentative,isVice

WewentintoaHigherLevelStewardship scheme: wearecreatingsomemorehaymeadows, doing somewalling, doing things forwading birds, some treeplanting. Thatwill bring ussome extra income in tomake up from the loss ofthe retailing side, and it’ssomething that we wantedtodoanyway.

VoicesFromtheLand,2017InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser

Article©HarrietFraser,Images©RobFraser

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ChairmanatHawesAuctionMart,andisinvolvedintheFarmerNetworkandtheYorkshireDalesNationalParkAuthority.‘WehaveaverygoodfarmingcommitteeontheNationalPark,madeupoffarmers.Wedodiscussthingsandwill,hopefully,keepfarmersfarming.Weneedfarmers,andthemorefarmerswehaveinTheDales,thebetteritisfortheareaandtheenvironment.’WhilekeepingfarmingaliveintheDalesisacoreobjectiveoftheNationalParkauthority,thesizeoffarmshasbeenchangingoverrecentdecades.‘IfyougobacktotheSixties,’saysAllen,‘IthinkthereweretwelvefarmsinAskrigg.Thereareaboutfournow.Whatwearefarmingnowwasthreesmallfarms-theyareamalgamated.Manyyearsago,wehadleadminesontheMooranditemployedquitealotofpeople.Peoplehadtwoorthreefieldsandabarn;andthatwastheirliving,youknow,theywerepart-timefarmingandemployedelsewhere.Withsomesmallfarmers,thathassortofhappenedagain;it’simpossibletogetagoodlivingoutoffarming,butyoucangoandhaveasecondjobofsomesortandstillbeabletomaintainyourfarm.’SowhatfuturedoesAllenseeforfarminginTheDales?‘ThemajorityoffarmersinTheDalesrelyupontheSingleFarmPaymentandotherenvironmentalschemes;withoutthose,manyfarmswouldnotbeviable.Hopefully,someoftheseschemeswillkeepgoingandIthinkmorepeoplearegoingtohavetofarminan“environmentallyfriendly”wayinordertomakeareasonableincome.Youknowyoudon’tmakealotofmoney,atall,infarming.Butyoumakealiving,anditiswhereyouare.’Hetalksaboutthedualroleofcaringforlivestockandcaring

fortheland.‘You’vegottodoabitofboth,andyoudoneedabitoflivestocktokeepthelandinpropercondition.Onthemoors,wheretheyhavetakenthousandsofsheepoff,nowtheywantthembackonbecausetheyrealisethesheephavegottobetheretomakemanagementeasierandkeepitasitshouldbe.Youhavegottokeepfarming;youhavegottokeepthelivestockthereand,mostimportant,youhavegottokeepthefarmerthere,somehow,tokeepitasitis.’WithtouristscomingtotheYorkshireDalesprimarilyforthewaythelandscapelooks,whichisdowntothewayithasbeenfarmedforsolong,weaskwhatAllenthinksaboutthepublic’sgenerallevelofunderstandingaboutfarming.‘Alotofpeoplearereallyveryignorantastowhathappensinfarming.Ithinktheproblemis,ifyougobackoneortwogenerations,somebodyknew

somebodyorhadarelationtodowithfarming.Nowthereareveryfewpeoplewhodo,sotheydon’tknowwhathappens.Andsomepresscoveragecanbedetrimentaltofarming,andnoneofitisdeservedatall,theuseofantibioticsandthingslikethat.Alotofthosethingsjustdon’thappen;someofthepublicitythatisgiventofarming,justisn’ttrue.’Sowhataretheoptionsforfarmerswhowanttospeakupagainstmisconceptions?‘It’squitedifficultbecausealotofthemdon’twanttolisten,youknow.ButyougothroughyourFarming

The majority of farmers in TheDales rely upon the Single FarmPaymentandotherenvironmentalschemes; without those, manyfarms would not be viable.Hopefully,someof theseschemeswill keep going. You have got tokeep farming; you have got tokeepthelivestockthereand,mostimportant, you have got to keepthe farmer there, somehow, tokeepitasitis.

VoicesFromtheLand,2017InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser

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Union,yourFarmingGroups,youknowNFU,CLA.Theyarethevoiceoffarmingandtheyhaveprofessionalstheretoputthesethingsoverintothemediaandtryandputthesethingsright.’Allenmeetswalkersastheypassthroughhisfarm,andoftentalkstothem,andanswerstheirquestionsaboutfarming.Butwhenhe’soutthere,alone,whatdoesitfeelliketobeonthefieldsthathehasworkedinallhislife?‘It’sgreat.Ourlandisreally,reallyveryscenic.Wehaveviewsallthewayround:we’veagoodviewofthedale,andwithAddlebroughsetback,itjustmakesthisvillage.Youcanimagineyourselfasaweelad,allthewaythrough–hefted.Idon’tknowhowyouwouldputitintowordsreally.Youjustfeelthatyouaresoluckytobeinanarealikethis.Itishardworkbutyoudon’tminditifyouenjoywhatyouaredoing.’

www.dalesfarmers.co.uk

Youcan imagineyourselfasawee lad,all thewaythrough–hefted. Idon’tknowhowyouwouldputitintowordsreally.Youjustfeelthatyouaresoluckytobeinanarealikethis.Itishardworkbutyoudon’tminditifyouenjoywhatyouaredoing.