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Page 4 Rural Life Buildings event


A UNIQUE /% agricultural


A Jibuildings show will be staged at My- erscough College


next month. The Agricultural


Buildings Show, which wili be held on Tuesday, April 7, at Myerscough International Equine Arena, will draw togeth­ er the whole building in­ dustry under one roof, providing essential in­ formation on everything from planrring advice through to selecting the best materials. “A new farm building


for housing stoclq grain storage or a milking par­ lour is probably the largest investment a farm is likely to make in a generation,” says or­ ganiser Andrew New- bold firom Fusion Events..


: “At the Agricultural Buildings Show visitors are able to meet experts to discuss all aspects of the build.” The event is organised


in association with Rural & Industrial De­ sign and Building Asso­ ciation (RIDBA), which wili be launching its new Farm Buildings Hand­ book, priced £12, at the event Tony Hutchinson,


RIDBA’s National Sec­ r e t ^ , who will be intro­ ducing the book in the show seminars, says this provides essential tech­ nical information for all involved in the industry. Static exhibits at the


Agricultural Buildings Show wili be comple­ mented by a full seminar programme, which will provide in-depth advice on a range of unportant subjects. As well as the launch of the Farm Buildings Handbook, - other seminars will look at building design and advances m materials andtechnoloOT. Tickets for me show


are £5 if booked in ad­ vance or £10 on the day. CaU08454900142orlog on to www.farm-smart co.uk/abs/tickets.asp


Gold rush


Special vintage tractor is star of the show at auction A


GOLDEN tractor produced in 1953 to celebrate the Queen’s coronation is the star of an ex­


ceptional auction of vintage and classic tractors run by Clitheroe-based auc­ tioneers Silvenvoods. Attracting keen interest from hundreds of


enthusiasts worldwide, the outstanding col­ lection of historic tractors will go under the hammer on Saturday,


vECONOMYTO;::.v;. 1 iiSUPERIORMODEtS-:;


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. SUPERIOR range ^ • ' MEASURE OPTION'


Rraov’al of garages (inci asbestos), base lajmg serrice K'


LARGE'CHOICE- IROM;COMPTON;:fr LIDGET&CLVYTON


FREE SriE SURVEY 10YE.\RGUARrVNTEE BLYNOWPAYLYTER CREOn’WALLYBLE


April 18, at Woodacre Lodge Farm, Scorton, near Garstang(the site of the popular Scorton Vintage Rally). The Whittingham Collection, sourced


‘Typically, inntage and classic


tractors can fetch between £1,000 and £15,000 at auction. The last i :


over many years by Paul Whittingham, includes a number of very rare machines, including the limited edition McCormick Farmall gold-painted tractor, believed to be one of only 31 ever produced to celebrate the 1953 coronation. Unusual Massey Ferguson tractors on


Qburgarden^Tai^matutnCaitn: F: 01524 831260 I Sat 8am.-4pni 441 Lancaster Road, Torrisholme, Morecambe LA4 6NB (March - 'i \ lS r r ONOIsE: w’]^y.broado^eisurebundiiigs.co.TA


'


-Mon-Fri 8am-5pm oUHli)ani-4pin''


time we held a sale of this quality, we had more than 600 regikered buyers from all over Europe and


beyond, so we are expecting that bidding will be veiy competitive.’' ■ Silverwoods auctioneer Wilf Mould


to be a J.J. Thomas Ninety Five 100 Ford 5000, converted by this Midlands tractor en­ trepreneur to a sK-cylinder version and de­ scribed as “a must for the serious collector”. There are also a number of tractors suitable for restoration in the sale, including a 1947 Ferguson Continental which has been stored in a bam for the past 25 years. Silverwoods auctioneer Wilf Mould said: “Typically, vintage and classic tractors


can fetch between £1,000 and £15,000 at auction. Tlie last time we held a sale of this


quality, we had more than 600 registered buyers from all over Europe and beyond,


so we are expecting that bidding will be very competitive.” Other unusual ma­ chines in the sale in­


offer include a one-off prototype with a re­ verse drive engine, a rare example of the most powerful two-wheel-drive tractors ever built by the company - the 2805 Prairie tractor - and a 1976 Multipower 4WD trac­


tor with a flexi-cab and TB Turbo. Another highlight of the sale is expected


clude a fully restored David Brown Douglas ex-Military “Tugmaster” complete witli its cab, and an ex-British Aerospace David Brown Douglas “Taskmaster”. Also on sale on the day will be a wide range of modern tractors, spare parts, associated machinery, die cast models, manuals and vintage ma­ chinery collectables. ; For more information on the sale, or to


view a catalogue, visit Silverwoods website at: www.silverwoods.co.uk \


^


just off the Chipping RoadinThomley. And you won’t want to


Y


if you relish the tastes of all things namrally good


and healthy or if you


enjoy the sights and sounds of a busy working


farm. Three generations on


from those first Forshaws, their son Matthew and his wife Eileen novy head a business very different in its outreach from those early days, but still fo- i cussed on basic family and farming traditions.' Tliat the same family


hasfarmedLittleTown- its 300 acres nestling on the edge of the Forest of Bowland - for those three generations is full testi­ mony that they have found the right recipes in all the premium products they provide, and for the events they hold which have become a byword for family enjoyment. They attract discerning


customers from the local community, privately, commercially, nationally and through passing trade because, as Eileen says: “This is a working farm and we don’t wanttolose


that distinction!” Sittingwith daughter


Julie and daughter-in-law Janet in the computer-run central office which is the powerhouse of the busi­ ness, she adds: “We start­ ed with the backbone of farming-dairycattle, . pigs, some poultry, milk


OU can’t miss the signs to Lit­ tle Town Dairy,


rounds which our four children eventually helped with as they leamt the business, then we went into yoghurt produc­ tion, expanding our range after moving the business in 1993 from the old farni to the new purpose-built centre where we are


now.” Expansion continued as ' .


Little Town-now an award winner on several fronts - became known for its beef production from its 200-head Aberdeen Angus herd, its increasing range of dairy products from 160 RSPCA accredit­ ed Friesians, pork from Saddle- back/Old Spot cross­ breds - and for the way thefami-


Now the shop is a firmly


established and regular port-of-call for those once


- food service customers, restaurants, pubs, other manufacturers and to the


casual customers. It is also the hub of the busi­ ness’s distribution centre for Little Town’s exten­ sive meat range and its core dairy produce to schools, supermarkets,


NHS. Together with the pop­


ular yoghurts, creme fraiche, smoothie drinks and farmhouse ice cream are always in stock, plus a


for the home fires. And, with Eileen, her


their children enjoy kid­ dies meal boxes in the


other daughters Alison and Margaret plus a strong team of staff, it is grandchildren Nicola,


Emily and Kate who also help in the shop, Laura and Meg do so at week­ ends, while Josh, Jack and Joe help Mick on the farm, as does eleven year old Emma-while two year old Matthew waits in the wings! Little Town itself is also


waiting at the moment for the winter cold to disap­ pear and some spring sun­ shine to arrive and herald the start of the busy events season. An early start was


Mick Forshaw with some of the cows at the farm.


■ ly shares its knowledge and skills with the public through its


open days, events and all­ round accessibility. In 2005, preparations were made to create a


farm shop. “It was after people


started calling on a casual basis to pick up trays of


yoghurts and other pro­ duce that we decided on


. t hi s move,” explained Janet, whose husband Mick-Matthew and ee 's son


ook Eileen’s son-l iooks afteruci '


wide range of cheeses from the region, fresh local milk, eggs, farm­ house butter, a selection of breads and vegetables


and many other items for the table, fridge and


larder including the new freezer value packs-


■ Not forgetting the ani­ mals, and new on the sale: shelves, is a range of feeds for birds, rabbits, poultry,


“they’re a winner!” says Eileen. , _ , .


. pets, plus hay, straw and


the farm side of the busi- : shavings - and for their ^ jig55_


' owners, kindling and logs


actually made last month with a success- fol Valentines Week­ end tempting many visitors, but one of the most popular events is the open day in June. Visitors can tour the farm and the animal pens, watch milking or sheep shearing, enjoy trac­


tor rides, support other local producers selling


their wares in the mar­ quee, and relax with teas, coffees, ice cream and other refreshments at the tables set outside. TTiat’s usually weather :


permitting, and to safe- : guard against the typically English summer, the fam-. ily is now planning a small cafe to be up and running within a few weeks time. Visitors and customers


wil be able to sit in com­ fort, enjoy homemade re­ freshments, and watch


play area. In the coming months,


the Forshaws are going to be even busier with more expansions. Two fishing lakes are planned, just off the Harbour Lane corner, and these will be estab­ lished on a landscaped site by the end of the year. The lakes will be


stocked for coarse fishing, there will be a fisherman’s lodge “for brews and


other necessities,” the family agreed - “and that is the next step forward


for us all.”


The Agricultural Buildings Show 2009 '


yiis to bring together fanners-ani theJrade undejone '


The reference point event covenng all facets o f fann^buildmgs Its am the best possible solutions fo r the farnibusmess. .


. .. ' • |


Alison Moulding, Janet Forshaw, Margaret Gomall, Julie Hallett and Bleen Forshaw. lectures by MARTIN COWEf^


_______ We down on tile fam just outside Longridge has held fimly to tile ti^ d itio n a lv a lu e s ^ ta b yM a tti^ ^ ^


Forchaw when they took over Utile Town Fam In 1944. Now their extended family ■ all 22 ofttem - rim it ^ L W e Town Dairy and they showed GIUJAN WHAUfY how they have brought those values, standards and the business rtseit so successfully into the 21st century.


ABOVE: The meat counter at the little Tovm Daily shop. BELOW: The little Town Dairy.


March, 2009


. . .


Tuesday7thApril9.00am-fOOpm Myersaugh College, Lancashire _


^


■ T j ,c k e ts £ 1 0 o n th e d a y .F o r1 /2 p r ic e t ic k e ts u , ■ revisit: www.farm-smart.co.uk " ’ call: 0845 4900142


I email: admln@farm-srfiari.co.Lil(i - \^uote'booking epde: CAT


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AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS SHOW


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