Women in Ag

Florence Mannerings, 27

Farming is in Florence’s blood. Both her Grandfather and GreatGrandfather were dairy farmers but they had stopped milking and sold up before she was born. Her parents started up on their own from scratch on a Hampshire County Council tenant dairy farm in 1998 where they ran the farm completely by themselves. Florence grew up immersed in farming and was always her Mum’s little helper, often standing in her Pjs on night checks and she loved every second of it. The farming industry is ever changing and over the past few years there is now a definite increase in the importance of traceability and environmental impact of the food we eat. This shift has also enabled Florences own dreams of selling produce direct to the public and increasing public knowledge of where their food comes from and how it is farmed. The family now farm in Kent and with different and at times challenging geographical conditions Florence’s breeding priorities have changed. Florence believes that purer Dairy Shorthorn will perform better off the hard grazing and minimal concentrates here.

The best thing about Dairy Shorthorns is their character and temperament, if I had to pick one favourite it would have to be Attwoods Tabia. Tabia was born in January 2013 and Florence has shown her every single year (minus covid) since then and she is basically a rather unique best friend! She has three times been Supreme Dairy Champion and has the best and most loving character. She is due to have her eighth calf in December and Florence is very excited to welcome the latest Tabia into her Nightingale Herd. Florence has a very active social media presence in the farming community, our own ambassador of the Shorthorn breed and champion of the farming industry. However, Florence is very aware that social media isn’t always a positive in modern life, but that it can definitely be used for good. “There will be girls out there that don’t see women in farming roles, and that is where social media comes in. Not only can it help promote British farming by enabling the public to see the day-to-day running of farms; but it can help be an inspiration to younger generations through being able to see so many different kinds of people farming. I have never been short of a female role model in farming as my Grandmother, an incredible woman, farmed solo and my Mum has always been equal farmer alongside my Dad; therefore Women in Ag is a completely normal thing in my life. I never doubted I could be a farmer.” “If I was sending a message to other younger women I would say focus on your goals. If you are determined, passionate and hardworking there is nothing stopping you from getting where you want to go”

Jenny Bennett, 26

Jenny Bennett farms with her parents over at Uttoxeter where in 2020 she took over the farm from her grandfather and set about investing money into diversifying and bringing the business into current times. In August 2021 this venture became a reality with the Marchwood Milk Hut open for business. “I wanted to showcase the incredible British Dairy Industry and the amazing product we produce, for consumers to buy and enjoy the delicious, highly nutritious product direct from the farm. We pride ourselves on our super fresh milk which travels meters not miles. The milk is gently pasteurised each morning, cow to vendor in under four hours, you will not get much fresher or climate friendlier than that!” Jenny graduated from Harper Adams University and started working as a Rural Surveyor, specialising in off shore utilities, wind farms and water companies. She still does this day to day and manages the running of the farm

and milk hut between work commitments, whilst the farm work is taken on by her parents. The farm has been in the family for over 60 years and alongside the 90 milkers they also run 30 pedigree beef. In a turbulent industry the family have always been active in seeking better ways to add value to the business and with a low input grazing system in 2017 the Shorthorn bull Amber Domino was purchased and run with the entire herd. “We were so impressed by the first crosses that we went to buy ten cows in 2020 and have never looked back from the Shorthorn breed. We introduced top class families like the Dainty Princesses, Princess Anne, Favourite Clare and Barrington Iris from Amber and later the Tabia family from the Attwoods herd” Once the base herd of Shorthorns had been established and the farm officially signed over to Jenny the next ambition was to add further value to their product and so Jenny invested her house deposit into the milk hut. “I decided that adding value was the way forward rather than increasing cow numbers. I wanted to have more control over the price we were getting for our milk, when the market relentlessly fluctuates farmers are forced to think outside the box on how to increase value to their business, and I hoped this was our answer.”

So, the milk hut was underway in the height of the covid pandemic, which caused complications and prolonged the set up but now the hut is well established and has just celebrated a successful first year. Sales average 80-100 litres a day but the weekends are obviously much busier. The hut also stocks other local produce which attracts a lot of passing traders who can grab a fresh bottle of milk and lunch bites from the vendor. “Supporting local, supplying seasonal and backing small businesses is so important.” When thinking about the farm Jenny still has ideas for the next investment, upgrading the parlour is on the wish list for the future but one thing that is certain is that the Shorthorns are there to stay. The breed is well known for its milk quality, longevity, maternal instincts and the ability to convert forage to milk which makes them the ideal choice at Marchwood. “Plus their fantastic temperament makes them a joy to work with, Attwoods Tabia 6th is most definitely the favourite, she loves a cuddle and a scratch every milking without fail, she will stand waiting for attention before she comes in to be milked. I’m not quite sure she is parlour trained yet though as she does sometimes make her way into the pit and knock units off!!” If there is one tip that I can pass on to any budding young farmer its that you have to fight for what you want and ignore the people who try to pull you down. Farming is hard work but if you are passionate and love what you do nothing can hold you back. All the hard work is worthwhile, stick to your vision and just go for it!

Bekka Blenkharn, 38

Bekka has been a familiar face around the North West for years, she grew up on a mixed livestock farm in the Lake District that was sold before she turned 18 having lost her mother at the age of six and her father at sixteen. Despite this Bekka has always been passionate about working with dairy cattle particularly Dairy Shorthorns. “I fell in love with the breed due to their abilities to produce high quality milk on grassland, silage and in parlour feed. Their spirit and hardy ability to withstand the harsh Cumbrian weather makes them ideal to work with.” She caught the Shorthorn bug whilst working for the well known Winbrook Herd of the George and David Dent at Winton. Where she really learned the ropes on how to breed and prepare cattle to the highest standard until the milking portion of the herd was dispersed in August 2017. The fortunate side was that some of the best bloodlines in the breed were going to be available, so she made the decision to purchase revered cow families which became the foundations to her very own Rawghyll herd. Over the next few years choice cattle from other herds were added to the growing new herd and sexed semen from the best bulls Shorthorn Sires UK had to offer helped increase numbers. Select purchases were made from Churchroyd, Cotonhall, Kenprest, New Park, Lisnamulligan, Oxton, Bilbro, Strickley, Moorriggs Whitchester, Bradhill and Tahuna. Bekka now farms at Northfield Farm, Lowick, Northumberland where the tenancy was taken on 11th June 2022 of 200 acres mixed grassland and arable, milking in six aside Fullwood parlour. Currently milking around seventy cows with over thirty head of youngstock, the cattle are grazed daily and given TMR at night. The herd is milk recorded with NMR and regularly tested for disease and vaccinated for IBR, BVD and Lepto. The farm has 125 cubicles but Bekka would like to milk no more than 100. “Happy cows equal healthy cows, our milk contract is with Arla and we have criteria that we have to meet, the Shorthorns high health breed status helps us achieve this but I want total cow comfort” It would prove to be a tough start for this fledgling herd due to the big move and the drought conditions experienced in the summer of 2022. Silage was made for the coming winter and the cows soon started to perform. An area not known for its dairy farms and now with a pedigree Dairy Shorthorn herd there, just watch this space! I’m sure all the people who know Bekka and how enthusiastic about our breed she is will wish her all the best for the future success in this far flung corner of England with her beloved reds, whites and roans. “Top tip, always follow your dreams no matter the hurdles” shorthorn 107