Working surrounded by some of the most iconic landscape sounds like a dream job and, for young farmer Ross Birbeck, this is his reality. Emily Ashworth finds out more.
It is known for its vast beauty, but for Ross Birbeck, Dartmoor National Park is known as home. He farms 405 hectares (1,000 acres) for Blachford Estate, rearing native breeds for Pipers Farm, having found his ideal job straight out of college. The 24-year-old, who originates from Newton Abbot, just 20 minutes from Dartmoor, has always had an interest in farming, however, you could, perhaps, say it is in his blood.
I grew up in a farming community. My parents originally worked in farming but got out of it when they were about my age, says Ross.
I grew up with friends who had family farms and my familys social life revolved around the farming community.
He gained a level three diploma in agriculture at Bicton Agricultural College in Devon, and although young, Ross has always had a plan which came to fruition quicker than possibly imagined.
Successful
With an aim to work with livestock, maybe it was part luck and a touch of good timing, but he managed to secure a job at Blachford Estate fresh from education.
He says: From about the age of 11, I was helping out on my friends beef and sheep farm. I dont know how helpful we were at that age, but we loved it and it was good experience for me. My aspiration at college was to be a stockman, and when I left college, I managed to get a job as a stockman at Blachford Estate.
Almost four years ago I put myself forward for a farm manager role which came up. It was accepted, and the owner of the estate has been incredibly supportive and put a lot of faith in me as a young farmer.
And with a passion for his surroundings, Ross is, understandably, quite content with his role.
Im quite happy here for the time being. I couldnt imagine wanting to be anywhere else, he says.
Where I am is an ancient moorland estate on the southern edge of Dartmoor. I couldnt think of living anywhere else, it feels like home. A lot of people my age go travelling, but thats not for me. I have my goals. I love managing the farm.
"Ive been given a serious opportunity to run it as I want to and the owner is extremely supportive.
Mixed
Ross helps to manage the mixed enterprise which comprises 65ha (160 acres) of mixed arable crops including wheat and barley, 300 Red Ruby North Devon cattle and 800 ewes reared over 340ha (840 acres). All are native breeds, used for commons grazing.
Ross says: We believe native breeds do better up there than anything else. They are hardy and well equipped to deal with the climate, soil, disease and the food source available where they are grown. They play an important role in nurturing biodiversity, but it has to work for us too. We have Red Ruby North Devons on the commons as they can look after themselves up there. We cant be bringing them off all the time. We rear hardy North Country Mule ewes and Swaledales too.
Blachford Estate is part of the Higher Level Stewardship scheme, managing 6ha (15 acres) of nectar-rich and wild bird-seeded mixture.
Ross says: We min-till that in every two years and manage it to give the bees more from the nectar leys and give the birds more to feed on in winter months. And we dont overgraze so bugs, beetles and wildlife can thrive.
They also work with Natural England on stocking density to ensure the commons do not get over or under-grazed.
This is, he says, to make it as efficient as possible. The cattle spend much of the year free range on Dartmoor, bringing them indoors over winter as calving takes place at the beginning of December.
Ross says: This is done to give the young calves three months of mothers milk before being exposed to ticks and redwater which are endemic on the moor. Our older breeding stock have built a natural resistance to it but before youngstock go up there for the first time, its ideal that theyve had a chance to build a strong immune system. There are some hill sheep which are outside year-round too. We lamb indoors in February/March.
Ross rears his livestock to go into local popular farm business, Pipers Farm. Sheep are taken to 55kg liveweight, with all lamb and mutton going to Pipers, and he rears the cattle until they are about a year-old.
Red Rubies are on higher ground, so we rear them to 10-12 months old, then they go onto a finishing unit organised with Pipers Farm, where they spend the rest of their life out on forage, he says.
They aim to finish them at two-and-a-half to three years old, at about 350kg carcase weight (650kg liveweight). Its these native breeds, reared entirely on pasture and mothers milk, that gives the beef such exceptional taste and texture. Whats great about Pipers Farm is that theres a set price, so I know what weve got to play with going into the year. It gives us a bit more security. And as theyre farmers too, they understand the challenges we face. Theyre good support.
With a focus on farming for environmental longevity and already managing the enterprise around the landscape, Ross seems well placed in the grand scheme of things, as new policies take centre stage, and the farming focus shifts.
Opportunity
And although he has been in lucky with the opportunity at Blachford Estate, he has worked hard and proven himself as a valuable asset, encouraging other new entrants to do the same.
He says: The future for farming is scary, but I cant imagine myself doing anything else. We just have to hope it goes in the right direction. As a young farmer with no family farm, it is worrying thinking about where to go and how we can get into farming as its expensive. Where does the capital come from?
There are a lot of opportunities for young farmers in certain places, but not so much in others. Finding the right people is a challenge too. People who are committed and hardworking are either doing it themselves or taken. There isnt the money in farming to be paying people what theyre worth, which doesnt bode well for the future of farming.
We cant do a lot to change that right now. The best thing you can do is show passion and be willing to get out and work hard. That will take you a long way.
PETER GREIG, CO-FOUNDER OF PIPERS FARM
"THE way Ross is farming in harmony with nature on Dartmoor is an excellent example of how moorlands can be both productive for food and prove a rich biodiverse landscape. Looking ahead farming has to be about community, working together and ensuring young farmers have the financial resilience to build a sustainable business. As an industry we desperately need young energy. We need people like Ross who are keen to learn and be part of doing a job efficiently, really well and with real pride. Being part of the Pipers Farm supply chain helps to take the pressure off and give young people an opportunity to farm, knowing they have a guaranteed price, so they can focus on putting all of their energy into farming. Creating this sort of supply chain builds resilience and provides genuine opportunities for younger generations to either stay on the farm or in Ross case, seek work on a thriving farm."
