A Farmer’s Reflections: Resilience in the Field and Pride in the Herd
Angus Gowthorpe, Approach Farm, Riccall, York
As we settle into 2026, it’s a natural time to reflect on the year that has just passed here at Approach Farm. 2025 tested our resilience, particularly on the arable side, but it also brought immense pride through the continued success of our livestock enterprise. The story of last year is one of contrasts – of challenges posed by Mother Nature, and the rewards of careful breeding and management. It’s also a year that has been overshadowed by concerns about inheritance tax and the future viability of family farms like ours. As I write this in early January, with the winter crops established and the new year stretching ahead, it’s worth taking stock of what we learned, what we achieved, and what the future might hold.
The arable enterprise: A tale of two seasons
Our arable operation, spanning around 330 acres, is a rotation of wheat, barley, beans and oilseed rape. When people ask about last year’s harvest, it’s a nuanced story. The actual combining process was relatively straightforward: the weather held, and the machinery ran well. The real damage was done much earlier in the season. The prolonged period of high temperatures and dry weather in the run-up to harvest hit the crops hard, significantly reducing potential yields. It’s a stark reminder that so much of our success is determined by factors entirely out of our control. You can do everything right, but you can’t make it rain. The heat stress affected grain fill, particularly in the wheat, and we saw yields that were well below what we had anticipated when the crops were looking promising in the spring.
Despite the disappointing yields, we press on with renewed determination. Autumn planting is a time for restored optimism and an opportunity to implement improvements to our farming system. This year, we’ve been putting our Horizon drill through its paces, and it has been a game-changer for us. The move to direct drilling has been a learning curve, but we are convinced it’s the right direction for the health of our soils and the long-term sustainability of the farm. The Horizon drill has performed exceptionally well, allowing us to establish the winter crops in good time, even with the variable conditions we experienced. The precision of the machine, combined with its ability to handle residues effectively, has given us confidence that we’re on the right track.
We’re hopeful that this investment in soil health will pay dividends in the years to come, building more resilience into our system to better withstand the kind of weather extremes we saw last summer. Direct drilling reduces soil disturbance, which helps to preserve soil structure and organic matter. Over time, this should improve water retention and nutrient cycling, making the crops more resilient to both drought and excess moisture. It’s a long-term strategy, and we’re playing the long game. The commodity prices remain challenging, but we’re exploring every avenue to add value to our production, whether through The Green Farm Collective marketing scheme or other new markets for our grain.
Grassland and livestock: The Approach Farm herd
While the arable enterprise pays the bills, our true passion lies with our livestock. The farm is home to the Approach Farm herd of pedigree Salers cattle, a breed we have been dedicated to since 2010. We were initially drawn to the Salers for their hardiness, maternal qualities and docile nature, and they have proven to be the perfect fit for our system. They are a breed that thrives in our environment, requiring minimal inputs while producing cattle of exceptional quality.
We run a herd of around 45 championship-winning breeding females, and our focus is squarely on producing top-quality genetics. The show ring is an important part of our calendar, providing a valuable benchmark for our breeding programme and an opportunity to showcase what we believe to be some of the finest Salers cattle in the country. Over the years, the Approach Farm herd has enjoyed considerable success at major shows, including the Great Yorkshire and Lincolnshire shows. These accolades are a testament to our rigorous breeding philosophy, which combines carefully selected AI sires with top-quality stock bulls, to produce cattle that are not only show-winners but also commercially relevant, with excellent conformation, growth rates and performance traits.
Our breeding programme is underpinned by a commitment to genetic improvement, selecting sires that complement our herd and move us toward our breeding objectives. We’re looking for cattle that are correct to the breed standard, with excellent maternal traits, good growth potential and the ability to convert forage efficiently. The grassland enterprise is crucial to our system: we dedicate approximately 85 acres to forage production, ensuring our herd has access to high-quality feed year-round. This integrated approach – combining grassland management with careful breeding – is key to our success.
Seeing our cattle perform well in the show ring is a source of immense pride, but the real satisfaction comes from seeing them thrive in their new homes, whether that’s in other pedigree herds or in commercial suckler operations. We know that we are contributing to the improvement of this fantastic breed and providing customers with cattle that will perform for them. The herd is more than just a business; it’s a family passion that involves everyone on the farm. From the daily chores to the excitement of the show ring, the cattle are the heart and soul of Approach Farm.
Looking forward
Farming is a life of constant challenges, from unpredictable weather and volatile markets to the ever-present burden of regulation and the ongoing threat of disease. Yet it is also a life of immense rewards. The satisfaction of a well-established crop, the pride in a championship-winning cow and the privilege of being custodians of this small part of the British countryside are what keep us going. As we look to the year ahead, we do so with a sense of realism about the challenges, but also with an unwavering optimism for the future of our farm and our industry. We’re committed to continuous improvement, to sustainable farming practices and to producing the best livestock and crops we possibly can: that’s what Approach Farm is all about.
