Four farmers adapt to changes by diversifying (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Four farmers adapt to changes by diversifying

11:02am Friday 20th February 2009

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INSPIRATIONAL farmer Donald MacPherson has spoken of the harrowing night that made him question exactly why he was farming.

He read extracts from his 2001 diary to delegates attending the Great North meet at Newcastle Racecourse.

They told how he and his wife, Sarah, battled the elements to look after their stock and three children.

Foot and mouth was spreading across the country and their snowbound farmhouse in Berwickshire found itself with no water or electricity as freezing conditions hit.

One entry recorded the low point in the early hours of March 1.

"Sarah and I found ourselves sitting in the snow, in the dark with torches trying to lamb Texel sheep with tears rolling down our cheeks.

"We were going through the motions but we couldn't save the lambs."

The final straw was in July of that year when he was offered just 165p/kg deadweight for two Charolais bullocks.

Mr MacPherson said: "The supermarkets had us over a barrel, the price of beef had come down, and we killed the bullocks for ourselves."

But he decided to take half a side to Alnwick market and that was the day life suddenly took a turn for the better.

The meat quickly sold out. "The customers were fantastic they wanted beef and wanted to support farmers," said Mr MacPherson.

That experience inspired him to establish Well Hung and Tender which supplies meat from his pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd.

The meat, which hangs for at least four weeks, is now sold at nine farmers markets a month, supplies two catering trailers and a popular hot meat and burger take-away which they have opened in Edinburgh city centre which also features a fresh meat counter.

Mr MacPherson said he had not gone out to develop a brand. "I just wanted to get away from the price setting supermarkets, it was only later our advisors pointed out that we had a brand."

He was one of four practical farmers who told their own inspirational stories of diversifying to survive today's ever changing markets.

Colin McGregor took over the daily management of the family's arable farm in the Tweed Valley in 1989 when he was only 21.

The farm had 750 acres of cereals but, always looking for new opportunities, he took over growing potatoes for a neighbouring farm.

Since then, the contract farming side has grown to the point where he and ten staff now look after 3,500 acres and have their own 5,000 tonne cold store for potatoes.

He is a a great believer in attention to detail. "There is only one way to do a job and that is properly," he said.

Mr McGregor also believes in personal development and investing in people.

Ralph Thompson, 27, developed his ATS agricultural contracting business in 1999 while studying for a national diploma in agriculture at Kirkley Hall College, Ponteland. He is a tenant of the Duke of Northumberland on 455 acres of land at Alnwick and, while still contracting through three full time and two seasonal staff, he has also developed Silvermoor Haylage for the equestrian market.

He first grew haylage on 50 acres in 2005 - demand for the product has grown so much that today he grows 1,000 acres and the product is stocked by 60 retailers and three wholesalers throughout the North of England and Scotland.

The conference was told that 4m people participate in some form of equestrian interest each weekend.

Mr Thompson undertook a course at Durham Business School to learn how to run a business and recommended others to do similar.

He is also a great believer in stepping back from time to time to avoid tunnel vision.

Rod Smith farms 1,000 acres of mostly arable land at Beal Farm, near Lindisfarne, in partnership with his father.

They grow wheat for biscuits and feed and their barley goes to make whisky for such names as Glenmorangie and Highland Grouse.

But the recent huge price peaks and troughs in cereals made him consider what else they could do.

The result is The Barn at Beal, a restaurant/coffee shop which only opened in March last year but which attracted 70,000 customers.

He added a Birds of Prey centre in July and this year confidently expects to attract 100,000 visitors.

ends.

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