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.