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I farm: “With my son Connie (jnr) on our dairy farm. There’s about 100ac, with some rented and 15ac away from the main farm block. It’s on the river Deel and when it rains, the whole lot would be covered, but it’s mainly good land and dries after a few days.”
This week: “I made hay for my other son Patrick, who has a small farm and keeps Limousin sucklers. It was excellent weather for hay. I’ve a rotary mower and a hay turner. I spent four days at it myself and then my son Connie and grandson Neilus baled it.”
Cows: “There are up to 80 British Friesian cows. I started with just 11 cows when I was 18, but built up the numbers.”
Milking parlour: “We have an eight-unit Alfa Laval milking parlour we put in during the 1970s and we’re talking about putting a few more units onto it. There’s no place here for the small man anymore. You have to be expanding every day, that’s my experience.”
Breeding: “We do six weeks of AI with Friesian straws. But we’ve finished up now and we have three bulls running with the cows; an Angus, a Limousin and a Hereford.”
Kerry: “We supply Kerry. We joined in 1972 and the first cheque was £300 in the month of April. It was the world of money that time. People aren’t happy with the milk price at the moment, but it’ll come right after a bit.”
Weather: “The dry weather suits our place wonderfully. Every day of sunshine the grass is growing and it’s hard to keep it eaten at times. But rain is badly wanted in some places.”
Hay vs silage: “Any of the youngsters don’t want hay, it’s too troublesome. They want silage, but I’ve been making hay my whole life.”
Quotable quote: “Anyone with Kerry shares are millionaires.”
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