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Manor Farm Activities
Introduction
to Manor Farm
The Victorian farm buildings are extensive because when they were built
they catered for over 750 acres not the present 420, certain of the buildings
are on an 1847 OS map indicating that these may be older. These old Traditional
farm buildings are more or less still intact with not many alterations
from when originally built. Since then more modern buildings have been
added but trying to save the older ones.
The present farmhouse only dates back to 1890 replacing one that was
built on the East side of the Church. The site of the original Manor of
the De Heslerton is thought to be behind the Church associated with the
Moat.
The farm is principally a commercial farm, being a mixed arable and
sheep farm, but has also diversified and offers
Bed
and Breakfast , Caravan Club CL site
and, Fishing pond Recently Conservation
work has
as is still being done over a 10 year program. Firstly it joined
FWAG the Farm and Wildlife Advisory Group and then the DEFRA Countryside
Stewardship Scheme . This will enhance the wildlife on the farm and
open new footpaths, together with planting hedgerows, trees and laying
older hedges.
Cropping
Crops grown on the farm are cereals namely wheat and barley, oilseeds
as linseed, and root crops sugar beet and potatoes, to sell off the farm.
Fodder beet, kale, and grass are grown to feed the animals. Setaside
is used for increasing the wildlife, some in 6 meter arable
margins within the countryside
stewardship scheme . Other areas are specially sown for wild birds
to feed on in the winter, the rest for ground nesting birds to nest on
in the summer. The crops are grown in rotation. wheat followed by barley with a break
from cereals in the form of a root crop. For details about their management
see farm diary .
Where grass is grown this is classed as permanent and is not ploughed
out very often. The grass near the church is the location of the old village
and has not been ploughed for at least 75 years. This is part of the stewardship
scheme.
Livestock
The farm carries a ewe flock of between 25 and
30 ewes. The breed is a cross bred Mule, ( a cross of a Blue faced Leicester
Ram and a Swaledale ewe). This will have one, two, three, or very
rarely have four lambs.
Lambing is typically from mid March to Mid April.
It is the aim to have two lambs per ewe; lambs born as triplets
one is taken off and put to singles if it is seen that the ewe can feed another lamb.
For details about their management see farm
diary
Other livestock are ponies Chickens, Geese, ducks, and turkey's. These
are mainly for the visitors to look at and for really fresh eggs for visitors
to eat at breakfast!
The satellite image below shows the farm house and buildings in the
top centre with the different colours showing different crops in the fields.
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