Archive Article: 2001/01/05
Mike Allwood
Mike Allwood is owner-
occupier of 82ha (200-
acres) near Nantwich,
Cheshire. The 175-cow dairy
herd block calves during
May and June. Besides
converting to organic
production, he is also
planning to produce
unpasteurised cheese
JANUARY is a time for reflection, so how did we do in the year 2000?
On the farm, we passed our final Soil Association inspection and started selling organic milk in June. The conversion has gone well with few real problems apart from the endless niggling paperwork.
We set about minimising the financial benefits of our new milk price by not producing enough of the stuff during summer – a mistake we will not be making this year. Would anybody like to lease in some quota at a very reasonable price?
We instigated a pence/litre approach to our costs, and sadly shed a valued employee who had been with us for many years. Our remaining farm staff – one full-time and two part-time – have coped extremely well with the workload, supporting the old adage that work expands to fit the people available.
Our move to contract silage making has been far more effective at reducing stress than squeezy putty. It is so comforting to know that the whole job can be finished and sheeted within a day.
The cheese business has managed to soak up most of the farm profits all year, at times seeming like a profession best suited to masochists. What end product we did make, which wasnt mouldy, dry, too soft or past its sell-by date, suffered the extra problem of me trying to sell it.
However, we did win six medals at the British Cheese Awards, and recently things have started to get exciting. We can now foresee a time when the dairy will be at its capacity and we will need to spend more of the banks money to expand.
Our new organic shop opened – before Tony and Pat Archers – in July. We have achieved a small but regular clientele and have learned all about throwing stock away when it goes past its sell-by date.
We look forward to another year with excitement. We now have three businesses and a great team of employees. The main challenge for Sandy and me is how best to use our own time to really push forward without spreading ourselves too thinly.
I wish all farmers weekly readers a prosperous 2001. *
Making cheese has soaked up profits on Mike Allwoods farm, but it is now becoming exciting.