Northumberland Farmer Wins Conservation Award
A North Northumberland farm which has spent the past three years improving habitats
for wildlife has received a major award for its conservation work. Mr George Farr
of Pallinsburn, Cornhill on Tweed, has been named this year’s Northumberland area
winner of the prestigious Tye Trophy.
The award recognizes the contribution of farmers in Yorkshire and the North East
to wildlife conservation and environmental protection and is organized by the
Yorkshire Agricultural Society (best known as the organiser of the annual Great
Yorkshire Show) and the region’s Farming and Wildlife Advisory Groups (FWAG).
The farm is one of the five area winners and now goes forward to the finals with
the overall winner announced on Wednesday 9 July at this year’s Great Yorkshire
Show at Harrogate. In addition, all the area winners have the option of going
forward to next year’s prestigious Silver Lapwing Award. The five areas represented
are North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, South & West Yorkshire, Northumberland
and Tyne Tees.
The awards will be presented by Mrs. Alison Saville who gave the trophy in 1989
in memory of her grandfather Howard Tye, founder of Tye Trailers, and also her
father Kenneth Tye. Now sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the
Awards are part of the Society’s charitable work which sees more than £1million
allocated to aid to the North of England’s farming community each year
When Mr Farr took over the 1,500 acre estate it was just entering the Government’s
Countryside Stewardship scheme, to encourage wildlife, and this scheme is being
increased to encourage wildlife diversity.
Mr Farr is quick to pay tribute to the conservation work of the previous owners;
the Mitchell family who had acquired Pallinsburn in 1910. The estate includes
part of the site of the Battle of Flodden. The battlefield is covered by a voluntary
access agreement – one of a number of such agreements on the estate. Work is now
underway to develop the grassland to be historically accurate with the types of
plants and grasses that would have been evident 500 years ago.
The estate in now turning to organic farming practice, partly because of the
ever–increasing costs of fertiliser and sprays, but also because of the potential
for increased wildlife.
A key part of wildlife enhancement is to increase the population of grey legged
partridge. Magpies and crows are the main predators, but assiduous work by the
keeper is showing a reduction in that population.
Under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme field margins are six metres wide, in
general, too wide perhaps for some ground nesting birds. So Mr. Farr has rotovated
small plots to provide breaks in the canopy, giving over to drying-out and dusting
areas for the birds.
Another innovation in the margin is the planting of pampas grass. Although it
will be five to ten years before they reach full height, they are already showing
promise. The tall sharp leaves prevent sparrow hawks and other raptors swooping
down on the smaller ground nesting birds or bird chicks.
The Organic rotation is grass followed by oats or spring barley, with beans also
now being considered. The arable crops help reduce or eliminate grass weeds,
whilst the grass leys deal with the arable weeds. Spring cereals are planted
to reduce demand for weeding, whilst the stubbles are a good wildlife habitat,
particularly favoured by the partridges and hares. Spring barleys are sown as
early as possible to avoid the lapwing nesting period.
There are 125 Suckler cows, mainly Angus or Angus cross, and the first crop of
organically reared beef will go to the market this year. There is also a flock
of 150 Lleyn ewes bought two years ago as ewe lambs. These are put to Texel tups.