Chris Akrigg Manor Farm, Cray, Wharfedale - … Akrigg Manor Farm, Cray, Wharfedale At the north end...
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Voices From the Land, 2017. Interview by Harriet and Rob Fraser; article ©Harriet Fraser 1 Chris Akrigg Manor Farm, Cray, Wharfedale At the north end of Wharfedale, waterfalls tumble with dramatic force down limestone drops, but only after rain – when the weather’s dry, they shrink to a trickle. The limestone landscape here is dramatic, with far reaching views and rocky outcrops interrupting slopes of green. Manor House Farm, in Cray is set into these fells at a height of about 1000 feet, where it nestles among trees. When we meet Chris, the rain is lashing down and the stream beside the house is raging. It’s the end of July and we seem to have left the summer’s warmth in the valley behind us. ‘It can be misty and pouring down here, but down in Skipton it can be fine. We have sheep wintering on a farm that’s only seven miles away, and in the winter it’s just a different world here. The weather is our main challenge.’ The land that goes with Manor House Farm extends higher up the fell where the weather can be yet more inclement, but it brings with it superb views and grazing that suits the sheep – around 900 Swaledale ewes and a ‘handful’ of Texdales or Swaledales crossed with a Texel tup. ‘We have a bit of land in Buckden, but most of the land goes up from here. Buckden Pike, which is the highest part round here, is about 2,300 feet.’ Chris came to Manor Farm 32 years ago with his wife Gwyneth, who works as a nurse. It is an improvement on the farm he left, Cockley Beck in the Lake District, which was his first farm. A son and grandson of farmers, Chris had gone to university but his heart was set on farming. He worked on his own, fencing and shearing, until he was finally successful with a tenancy application. At Cockley Beck, he kept mostly Herdwick sheep. ‘Even though this is the last farm in the dale, as Cockley Beck was, it is a much kinder area.’ With this last month having rain most days, I wonder if they have managed to cut grass and make hay. ‘We haven’t so much of that, you know high up in the dale. The sheep get the first cut, if you will, and the grass takes a lot longer to come up here. Nothing really comes until well into May. The singles never come anywhere near the meadows, it’s only the twins. Consequently, we’re never early with the crop but it is getting towards the time we ought to try and get it off.’
Transcript of Chris Akrigg Manor Farm, Cray, Wharfedale - … Akrigg Manor Farm, Cray, Wharfedale At the north end...
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser;article©HarrietFraser 1
ChrisAkrigg
ManorFarm,Cray,Wharfedale
AtthenorthendofWharfedale,waterfallstumblewithdramaticforcedownlimestonedrops,butonlyafterrain–whentheweather’sdry,theyshrinktoatrickle.Thelimestonelandscapehereisdramatic,withfarreachingviewsandrockyoutcropsinterruptingslopesofgreen.ManorHouseFarm,inCrayissetintothesefellsataheightofabout1000feet,whereitnestlesamongtrees.
WhenwemeetChris,therainislashingdownandthestreambesidethehouseisraging.It’stheendofJulyandweseemtohaveleftthesummer’swarmthinthevalleybehindus.‘Itcanbemistyandpouringdownhere,butdowninSkiptonitcanbefine.Wehavesheepwinteringonafarmthat’sonlysevenmilesaway,andinthewinterit’sjustadifferentworldhere.Theweatherisourmainchallenge.’ThelandthatgoeswithManorHouseFarmextendshigherupthefellwheretheweathercanbeyetmoreinclement,butitbringswithitsuperbviewsandgrazingthatsuitsthesheep–around900Swaledaleewesanda‘handful’ofTexdalesorSwaledalescrossedwithaTexeltup.‘WehaveabitoflandinBuckden,butmostofthelandgoesupfromhere.BuckdenPike,whichisthehighestpartroundhere,isabout2,300feet.’
ChriscametoManorFarm32yearsagowithhiswifeGwyneth,whoworksasanurse.Itisanimprovementonthefarmheleft,CockleyBeckintheLakeDistrict,whichwashisfirstfarm.Asonandgrandsonoffarmers,Chrishadgonetouniversitybuthisheartwassetonfarming.Heworkedonhisown,fencingandshearing,untilhewasfinallysuccessfulwithatenancyapplication.AtCockleyBeck,hekeptmostlyHerdwicksheep.‘Eventhoughthisisthelastfarminthedale,asCockleyBeckwas,itisamuchkinderarea.’Withthislastmonthhavingrainmostdays,Iwonderiftheyhavemanagedtocutgrassandmakehay.‘Wehaven’tsomuchofthat,youknowhighupinthedale.Thesheepgetthefirstcut,ifyouwill,andthegrasstakesalotlongertocomeuphere.NothingreallycomesuntilwellintoMay.Thesinglesnevercomeanywherenearthemeadows,it’sonlythetwins.Consequently,we’reneverearlywiththecropbutitisgettingtowardsthetimeweoughttotryandgetitoff.’
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser;article©HarrietFraser 2
Chrisfarmswithhissons:ThomasandWilliam,andJohn,whoalsoworksasalandagent.ManorHouseFarmisrentedfromtheNationalTrustbutitisnottheonlylandthattheAkriggsfarm.‘WehaveanotherfarmoverthetopattheheadofBishopdale.It’scalledKidstonesfarm.Weboughtthatinvariousstages,startinginthelate90s.That’swhereourcattleenterpriseis,aswehaven’tmanymodernbuildingshere.Wehaveanotherfarmaswell,BishopdaleHead,thatwerentoffashootingestate.Welookaftertheinsidegroundandthenwehavethemoorinsummerasandwhentheshootingsyndicatefeelitneedsgrazing.It’sadjacenttoKidstones,soourthreefarmsalljoinup.’Intotal,thelandthattheAkriggsworkencompassesalmost2000acres,includingthegrazingonthemoor.
‘Ourlivestock’sourmaininterest,’saysChris,‘andtheSwaledalesheepareourpassion.Theboyshavehadsomesuccesswithsellingthetups,andwehaveareasonablefollowingforourbreedingstock.’Theyalsohaveaboutfiftysucklercows,pluscalves,mostlyBritishBlueLimousincross.JohnhaspedigreeBritishBluesandTomendeavourstobreedafewshowpotentialcalves.Tom,whoissittingwithusatthekitchentable,saysheshowslessthanheusedto:‘Wehavereducedcattlenumbersbecausethere’snotsuchgoodfinancialreturnonthesehigherhillfarms.Wetryandmakeitaseasytomanageaspossiblereally,justgoforeasy-calvingbreeds.’Iaskifthismeanshe’sfavouringthenativebreeds.‘Tobehonest,wehaven’tgonedownthatrouteyet.ButifHigherLevelStewardshipistoencourageustodothat,wemightconsiderit.’Thefarm’scurrentagri-environmentstewardshipschemehasbeenrunningforseveralyearsandisduetoendin2018.There’suncertaintyaboutwhatmighthappennext,withBrexitapproaching.Inthepast,theAkriggshavebeenpartofaresearchgrouplookingat‘HigherNatureValueFarming’.Aspartofthis,TomandJohnwenttoDevontofindoutaboutaschemethere.‘Ithoughtitwasquiteinterestingthattheactualpeoplemanagingthelandhadmoreofaninputintohowtheschemeswerestructured,’saysTom,‘andhowthelandwasmanaged.Ithinkittakesintoaccounthowtheland’sbeenmanagedinthepasttodeliverwhat’salreadythere,whichcanonlybeagoodthing.’Inthepast,schemeshavenotalwaysworked,saysTom.‘Insomecases,NaturalEnglandhavesetprescriptionswhichhavebeendesignatedforawideareatotryandimprovehabitats;thehabitatwasalreadygoodandthentheyappliedprescriptionsandthere’snotnecessarilyanimprovement–sometimesit’sabackwardstep.’
Chrissitsbackandgivesanexample.‘Therewasonepieceofgroundwhereweusedtohavelotsofwaders.Wewentintoaschemewhichwastoenhancewadingbirdsandcurlewsinparticular,butwhenthegrazingregimewascutdown,thecurlewsvirtuallyabandonedit.Itgotsolowky.’Oncetheschemeended,Chrisbegantograzetheareamoreheavilyagain,asheusedtodo(‘towhatwethoughtwasright’),andthecurlewscameback.‘Nowthere’sroughbits,andthere’smarsh,theotherbitskeptbeautifullydown.That’swhattheylike:theyliketohaveopengroundtofeedonandlookforpredators,andthenshootbackintothegrass–it’sperfectforwaders.Thebestplacewehaveisonethatwekeepoutofanyschemes.It’saplacewherewegatherto,wherewemotheroutof,andwecalvecowsthere.Soit’swellgrazedbutit’snotover-grazed,andthatisthehighestpopulationofwaders.’
Ourlivestock’sourmaininterestandtheSwaledalesheepareourpassion.Theboyshavehadsomesuccesswithsellingthetups,andwehaveareasonablefollowingforourbreedingstock.
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser;article©HarrietFraser 3
It’sveryobviousthatChrisandhisfamilylovethebirdsthatareonthefarm.‘That’sourspecialityintheconservationline:groundnestingbirds,waders.Everydayyouhearthatlapwingsandwadingbirdsaregoingdown,butwehaveloadsofthem.Thelapwingsalwaysseemtocometoearly,beforelambingtime,anditalwayssnowsaftertheycomeback.Idon’tknowwheretheygowhenitsnows,buttheylandbackaweekortwolater.Andwehaveredshankincertainareas.’Christhinksthatbirdnumbersarerising,butisstillunsureifhisobservationscount.‘Thetroubleis,whenyoutrytotellpeoplethatsortofthing,theythinkyou’retryingtopullthewoolovertheireyes.Theythinkyou’retryingtohavethegrazingandthepaymentforthebird.’Asschemeschange,though,Chrisbelievestheremaybemoreattentionpaidtowhatfarmerssayaboutthelandtheyknow.‘Ithinkthat’sbeingrecognisedandthat’swhypilotschemesandgroupshavestarted,towardspaymentbyresults.Whetheritwillcontinuenow-whoknowswhatisgoingtohappenwithBrexit?’
CrayMoss,abovethefarmhouse,isoneofseveralbotanicallyrichareasundertheAkrigg’scare,andisinternationallyrecognisedforthequalityofitsflora.Treesarealsopartofthelandscape.‘Weliketreesandwetrytoutilisethemforshelter.Ifwe’regoingtoputafenceup,wetrytoincorporatesometreeplanting.InournewschemewhichTomisorganisingwe’vegotquiteabitofhedgesbetweenpasturesandmeadows,sotreesarequiteimportant.’Evenso,boundariesheldbyhedgesandtreesareintheminority:acrossthethreefarms,theAkriggshavetolookafterabout26milesofdrystonewalls.Thesewallsmayhavestoodforaslongasahundredyears,duringwhichtimemuchhaschanged.Thebiggestchangeisthequadbike.‘Idon’tknowhowonearthwemanagedwithoutitintheolddays.Atlambingtime,you’dspotsomethinganditmightbeafternoonbeforeyougotbacktoit.Andbythetimeyou’dgotnearwiththetractorandthebox–dependingontheweather,youmightbeabletogetnearifitwasdry,wellifitwasn’t,you’dhavetowalkitdownanditcouldtakeanhour.Ofcourse,I’d’venevergotroundtherestofthem,justhadaskimpyquickround.Whereasnowadays,stockdoesgetmoreattentionbecauseofthebikes–youcanbethereinfiveminutes.Theonlythingis,thedogsareworsenow.Youneededmuchbetterdogsintheolddays,that’safact.’Makingbigbalesilagehasalsobeenapositivechange.‘Intheolddaysifyouweren’tmakingbigbales,yougotitifyouwereluckywithgoodweather,orsometimesyoudidn’tgetit,whichwasanabsolutedisaster.Balinghasrevolutionisedthat.’Butofcourse,there’splentyofworkonafarmthatyoucan’tautomate.‘You’renotgoingtogetsomevirtualfarmer–somebody’sgottogetthewooloffthesheep.There’splentyofthatkindofwork.Thoughtheworkthatyoucanmechaniseormakeeasy–hydraulicratherthanhandraulic–youwanttobedoingit.’TheAkriggsarealwaysbusywithaproject,Christellsme,typicallytodowithimprovinginfrastructure.Afterwehavechattedinthehouse,wetakethecarupandoverthebrowofthehilltoKidstoneswherethesheephavebeeninahugeshedforshearing.Thisiswherethefamilycanstoretractorsandequipment,andgatherlivestockwhentheyneedto.Chrisshows
That’sourspecialityintheconservationline:groundnestingbirds,waders.Everydayyouhearthatlapwingsandwadingbirdsaregoingdown,butwehaveloadsofthem.Thelapwingsalwaysseemtocometoearly,beforelambingtime,anditalwayssnowsaftertheycomeback.Andwehaveredshankincertainareas.
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser;article©HarrietFraser 4
meamachineforweighingsheepaccurately,andanewdiptheyhavehadbuilt–twoautomatedadditionsthatwillcertainlycutdownonthetimethatroutinetaskstake,andmaketheirliveseasier.Anotherthingthathaschangedistheincreaseinthenumberoftwinlambsthatareborn.‘Peoplefeedthesheepbetterthantheyusedtobutalsowiththeschemes,becausewe’vegotrestrictedgrazingatcertaintimesoftheyear,wholeareascanbegrazedlateron.Theytendtogetreallyfit,onceyou’veweanedthelambs,sobytuptimethey’reinidealconditiontoconceivemorelambs.Oncethat’sstartedyoutendtobebreedingoffsheepthathavehadtwins,soitbecomesgeneticaswellasmanagement-driven.’Ithasnowbecomecommonpracticetoscantheewesandidentifywhicharecarryingtwins.‘Weembracedthatthefirstyearwecamehere.Thesinglesdon’tneedtocomeontothebetterground,andwecanleavethattothetwins.Youcanplanforit,andfeedthembetter.Itisagreattoolandit’snotexpensive.’Whenit’stimeforthelambstobeborn,theworkloadisatitsmaximumandthingscanbecomequiteintense.Chris’sfavouritetimeofyeariswhenlambingisover.‘Wecanmoveontootherjobs.Everything’scominggreen,thetreesarecomingout.It’sbeenalllivestockuntilthen,everyhouroftheday,there’salwayssomethinggoingwrong–andthenwhenyougettoJune,youcanjusttakeabreather.’Incontrast,hisleastfavouritetimeofyearisduringwinter.‘Idon’tlikeitwhenitgoesdarkatfouro’clock,Ithinkthere’sapsychologicaleffect.Andjustbeforelambing,that’softenwhenyougetabitoftrouble.It’softenwet.Ithinkthosearetheworstperiods.’
It’sagreatshamethatthenumberofpeoplehasbeencutdown.Andalsoit’sadifficultjobmanagingwhenyougetbigger:themaintenanceofthewallsandthatsortofthing.But,it’safactthatyouhavetomakealiving.Butthere’sgottobealimittothat,becauseyoucanonlymanagesomuchlivestockattheendoftheday.
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser;article©HarrietFraser 5
Thesecyclescomeyearafteryear,andChrishasalifetime’sexperience.Whatdoeshethink,though,aboutthefuture,andhowfarmingmaylookforhissonsandgrandchildren?‘WellIknowthatfarmshavehadtogetbigger–wehavethreefarmsnowinthisfamily.Butthat’snotnecessarilyagoodthing.Before,itwaslikefivefamilieslivingoffthesefarms.Thatmakesacommunity.Soit’sagreatshamethatthenumberofpeoplehasbeencutdown.Andalsoit’ssuchadifficultjobmanagingwhenyougetbigger:themaintenanceofthewallsandthatsortofthing.But,it’sjustafactthatyouhavetohaveittomakealiving.It’slikethatinalotofbusinesses,Iguess–you’vegottogetbiggerorgetout.Butthere’sgottobealimittothat,becauseyoucanonlymanagesomuchlivestockattheendoftheday.’
Withmoreandmorefarmsbecomingamalgamated,itseemsthatintimetherewillbefewerfarms,andfewerfarmers.‘Yes,butthat’salwaysbeenthecase,’saysChris.‘It’salsobeendifficulttogetintoit.Longhours,hardwork,andlotsoffarmers’sonsdon’twanttodoit.Thethingis,notjustintheDalesbutacrossthecountry,oncetheychangedthepaymentstoaland-basedpayment,younolongerhadtobeanactiveproducertogetthemoney.Wegotinvitedtoafewstakeholdergroupstodiscussthenewproposalsandwewerealldeadagainstitbeingputontheland,becausewewantedittobekeptwithanactivefarmer.Oncetheychangedit,youknewwhereitwasgoing:yougetanolderretiredguywhobeforehadtogiveoveroremploysomebody,otherwisehewouldn’thavebeenabletodrawthemoney.Butnowhecankeepthepayments,andsitwhereheis.’
Christhinksthere’ssomewaytogobeforethepaymentschemesbecomeeffective,sustainableandfair.‘Whentheysay‘subsidiseagriculture’Ialwayssaythatit’sthefood-eatingpublicthatarebeingsubsidised.Itjustcomesthroughfarmerstodoit:we’repricetakersratherthanpricemakers.Youdoneedthesupporttosellthefoodatthatprice.Foreveryactionthereisareaction,anditneedsabitmorelong-termthinking.’‘OnethingIdofeelstronglyaboutisthatfarmersalwaysseemtobegettingtheblame.Takeover-grazingforexample,orputtinggripsinthemoorlandsinthepast.Whatyou’vegottorememberisthattheywereallgovernmentschemesthatcausedthose:apersonfromtheministrycamealong,askedyouifyouwereinterestedindoingthisforapayment,andofcourseyoudidit,andyougotpaid.Anexpertcamealongandtoldyouwheretoputthem.Wedidn’trealisetheyweregoingtogougeoutandgoten-footdeep,spoilthecountryside.Samewiththeover-grazing.Theyputtheheadagepaymentonthesheep–sowhatdidpeopledo?Theykeptmoresheep.Thefarmershaveonlyeverreacted.Theschemesweren’twellenoughthoughtthrough.’IaskChris,ifsomeoneweretoaskwhyitisgoodtohavefarmersinthedales,whathemightsay.Hesmiles.‘I’djustsay,well,letitspeakforitself.Itwasrecognisedallthoseyearsago-Ithinkitwasoneofthefirstnationalparks-recognisedasiconicbecauseofwhatitis:theflowermeadows,thestonewalls,thepastures,theheathermoors.Ithasbeenmouldedandmadebyfarmers,andyouneedfarmerstomaintainit.Thatwouldbemyattitudetoit.’
Letitspeakforitself.Ithinkthiswasoneofthefirstnationalparks-recognisedasiconicbecauseofwhatitis:theflowermeadows,thestonewalls,thepastures,theheathermoors.Ithasbeenmouldedandmadebyfarmers,andyouneedfarmerstomaintainit.
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietandRobFraser;article©HarrietFraser 6
‘It’sagreatpartoftheworldtobefarmingin,’hecontinues.‘Ofcourse,I’mlikeeverybodyelse,I’dlovethewinterstobetwomonthsshorterandthesummerstobetwomonthslonger,butit’snotgoingtohappen!’WhenChrisgoesoutofthevalley,he’salwayshappytocomebacktoCray.‘I’malwayssogratefultoturnbackupthedale,togetasfarasKilnsey,tobehomeagain,outofitall.Justbecauseyoudon’twaxlyricalandwritepoetryaboutit,peopledon’tthinkthatyouappreciatelivingintheseplaces,butyoudo.’
www.dalesfarmers.co.uk
It’s a great part of the world to be farming in. Justbecauseyoudon’twaxlyricalandwritepoetryaboutit,people don’t think that you appreciate living in theseplaces,butyoudo.
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