Welcome to final edition of BarTech 2021, our monthly newsletter from the Agricultural Grass Experts at Barenbrug UK. With thoughts, tops tips and advice on grass and herbal leys for livestock, arable and the environment. As British agriculture moves into a new era we continue to transition, and changes in the way we grow and produce food are inevitable.
As the latest member to join the Barenbrug Agriculture team, I'd like to take the opportunity to give a brief history of my time in agriculture. I hale from a family farm in the north east on England, near Stokesley, in the shadow of the Cleveland hills. The family farm was a mixed unit, compromising of arable and lowland ewes. The livestock enterprise expanded at the detriment of arable to the point we had over 1400 ewes. This was grass based system finishing over 2000 lambs, with the use of concentrate feed over the winter period.
In terms of education, I spent a year at Askham Bryan, York and two years at Bishop Burton, Beverley. This concluded with HNDAg whilst I was still at the tender age of 18. Following this, I returned to the family farm, where limited prospect for growth led me to start working for a local merchant. Armstrong Richardson & Co Ltd, Stokesley.
I started at the bottom, in grass seed mixing and admin. My role and interest in the agricultural merchanting grew as a moved around the business, having involvement in transport, fertiliser trading and technical (FACTs QA), straights and compound feedstuffs, grain trade along with being assurance manger for TASCC and FIAS requirements. Throughout my time herbage, cover crops. game cover, environmental and amenity seed were always an interest and season focus for me.
Following a period as fertiliser trader with Gleadell Agriculture, after nearly 17 years in the agricultural trade, I had progressed full circle to Commercial Manger for Agriculture at Armstrong Richardson. Driving the business into specialist products like grass and cover crops, grain buybacks and technical fertiliser. The resulting success of the team caught the attention of Wynnstay PLC. The resulting take over gave me opportunity to look at the parts of agriculture I enjoyed and felt I could add the most.
As a result, I took up the role of Regional Manager at Barenbrug UK Ltd. This allows me to engage in best practice grassland management and have input with distributors and farmers. My goal has always been to add value for everyone I am working with, provide the best possible advice and always learn along the way.
Discover our range of grass, forage, clover, herb and legume mixtures for the agriculture sector.
Discover our range of grass, forage, clover, herb and legume mixtures for the agriculture sector.
Discover our range of grass, forage, clover, herb and legume mixtures for the agriculture sector.
