eventguide2015

Lakeland hill farm to host
industry summer showcase
Millstone Moor Farm, Cockermouth, is the 350-acre family farm run by Neil and Sally Marston
and home to the Highberries crossing Leicester flock which produces some of the most sought-after
North of England Mule ewe lambs.
The Marston Family
Cumbria is recognised as one of
the UK’s key sheep producing
areas, and Millstone Moor Farm is
home to one of Cumbria’s most
noted flocks. The farm provides a
perfect showcase for NSA North
Sheep 2015, giving visitors the
opportunity to see a well-run
traditional North Lakeland Farm in
action. A bonus is provided by the
amazing panoramic views of the
North Lakes, across to South West
Scotland.
Trading as N.C. Marston, the
business is a partnership between
Neil and his parents, Raymond
and Frances. Neil runs the day to
day farming enterprise with his
wife, Sallya well-known local show
jumper. They employ one regular
casual worker, Jack Cartmell,
who is integral to the overall
management says Neil: “Jack is a
huge asset to us and we certainly
could not manage the farm
without his support.”
Neil, now aged 44, grew up on
the family’s dairy farm at Scaleby,
near Carlisle and has always been
passionate about sheep farming.
He started his own flock of
pedigree Blue Faced Leicesters as
a child, 30 years ago,aged 15.
To pursue and further develop
their sheep farming enterprise,
the family moved from Scaleby
to Millstone Moor Farm six years
ago. This is a traditional North
Lakeland Farm, which unusually
for the area, benefits from fields
which are sizeable in comparison
to many other farms. Since
moving to the area, the family
have extended their acreage and
today they rent an additional 300
acres of land on holdings nearby.
The Marston family are
delighted to be hosting the NSA
North Sheep 2015 and are looking
forward to welcoming people with
both an interest in sheep and the
development of the sector. In
terms of sheep farming, Millstone
Moor Farm offers something for
everyone, from the commercial
farmer to the pedigree sheep
breeder. As it is post-lambing,
there will be in the region of
5,500 head of sheep on the farm,
comprising of 2,000 ewes and
3,500 lambs.
During their visit, people will
see the award-winning stock; a full
cross-section and spectrum, from
the hardy hill ewes to lowland
sheep, and learn about the
family’s management techniques.
Millstone Moor Farm, is home
to a 1,000-strong Swaledale
flock, started six years ago,
including 30 pure-bred pedigree
Swaledales which bear the.
Millstone Moor prefix. The 30 pure
bred Blue Faced Leicesters have
the Highberries prefix. There are
an additional 50 non-registered
pure Beltex ewes, 500 Mule ewes
and 300 Texel ewes. The farm
also runs a herd of 70 suckler
cows Limousin and Belgium Blue
Crosses.
The Marston’sbuy in draft
Swaledale ewes from Kirkby
Stephen, Middleton-in- Teesdale,
Bentham and Cockermouth, and
have sold their highly-regarded
North of England Mulesand
Blue Faced Leicesters lambs at
Mitchells of Cockermouth. (Neil
would like to insert her that his
prime lambs all go deadweight to
St Merryn, Merthyr)
Their tups are much sought
after, and were the highest priced
at Cockermouth auction mart in
2014, at £7,000, with an overall
average of around £2,000 fortups
and females.
Neil is a regular on the
showing circuit, the highlight of
the year being the Royal Highland
Show where in 2014 he won the
mule ewe lamb class, and overall
reserve as well as the Blue Faced
Leicester Male Championship
and Overall reserve in his first year
show Bluefaced Leicesters.
Neil is keen to point out that
the North of England Mule is
becoming more popular because
with the right terminal sire you
can produce E grade carcases
which are very easily finished off
grass, it is an easily manageable,
low maintenance and low labour
sheep. It is suitable for high
stocking, is easy to lamb and
Neil Marston
more profitable. He adds: “It is
amazing how you can turn a
high maintenance sheep like the
Leicester with one cross into such
an easy manageable sheep as the
Mule.”
Neil’s breeding policy is to try
wherever possible to anticipate
what the market wants. They cross
their home-bred North of England
Mules with a Beltex tup, to provide
them with a finished product with
minimal input. “Prime stock is
unpredictable so we always try to
breed as many head of breeding
stock as possible as we know
quality breeding stock demands a
good premium.” Says Neil
There are extensive housing
and farm buildings at Millstone
Moor whichare used for both
housing and lambing in March
and April as spring weather
conditions on this farm, which
rises to 220-metres-above-sealevel,
can be so unpredictable.
Since the Marston’s took over the
farm they have converted many
of these buildings to make them
more efficient and manageable
for one person feeding and
bedding.
In the past the farm was part of
the ELS Scheme, however they are
currently in a
transactional
period and
are awaiting
the details of the new
schemes.
The April weather
especially is a key factor in
determining the success
of the year, both in terms
of lambing, survival rates
and, of course, forage
potential. The farm is
almost self-sufficient in
fodder. Around 100 acres
is utilised for clamp silage
and eight acres of turnips
and root crops are grown
for finishing.
Some concentrates
and minerals are
purchased in as is straw for
bedding purposes.
The Marston family
are very much looking
forward to welcoming the
sheep industry to their
farm and to Cumbria for
NSA North Sheep. They
hope that visitors will not
only enjoy seeing some
tremendous sheep in one
of the most magnificent
parts of the North Lakes,
but will also learn how
they are embracing both
the opportunities and
challenges the sheep
industry is currently facing.
Marston Sheep
northSHEEP
www.northsheep.org.uk
northSHEEP
WELSHSHEEP event guide 2015
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