Damian Barson of Tessleymoor Farm has been spinning many plates the last three years in a bid to get himself established in the tricky world of farming. One thing that’s remained consistent from day one, is the use of Crystalyx Extra High Energy feed licks.
Damian started farming at the age of 50. But before realising his farming dream, Damian ran a successful dog and gundog training business for many years. It was doing this that Damian incidentally got into farming. “I rented a bit of land to do my dog training, and it was costing me thousands to keep it maintained. I thought, if I just spend a bit to divide those fields, buy some sheep, and let them graze, I’d not only save costs, but I’d also create something interactive that the dog owners could enjoy”, explains Damian.
Damian was fast to catch the farming bug. “I thought, do you know what, I like this, I’m going to really go at it,” he recalls. “While I didn’t have an agricultural background, I’d always had a dream of doing this”. Already working seven days a week, Damian was prepared for the hard work ahead.
Damian went on to build a diverse repertoire of animals including Ryeland, English Mules and Swaledale sheep, Boer goats and Saddleback pigs. Damian has since been shortlisted as a finalist in 2023 for the ‘Against The Odds’ British Farming Award.
“I had the opportunity to invest in a farm, making improvements and growing the number and variety of livestock. However, I could see that my plans would quickly outgrow the facilities I had there, so I started to look around for a place where I could stay for the long term”.
The move to a bigger premises
Two years on, Damian has relocated to a 70-acre moor side hill farm in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.
Reflecting on his first three years in agriculture, big personal ordeals and huge farming challenges have not wavered Damian’s dreams and beliefs. “So, I’m currently running 170 sheep, and have recently taken on 4 highland cattle which has always been the dream. I also plan to get back pigs, goats and chickens”.
Positioned on steep land and with a limited budget to purchase a tractor, Damian is working on a ‘nibble and move’ system, and leans on his farming neighbour to manage the heavier contracting jobs.
“I think farming is struggling. There’s so much time and money needed to be invested, with very poor return. Every day you wake up with no guarantee of an income stream”.
Damian exudes entrepreneurial prowess to overcome these challenges.
“I came here with a vision. I’ve got plans to expand livestock numbers, take on some extra rental ground, and put up some farm buildings. I can then get back into having goats and pigs and restart doing my meat boxes. For me it’s not about scale, it’s about being more resourceful”.
With this fervent belief fuelling his fire, Damian is looking forward to exploring both economic and altruistic opportunities such as a bed and breakfast venture, bee-keeping, soil improvement, and even creating a therapeutic area for palliative care visitors.
Extra High Energy lick plays important part
Animal health and quality of life feature high on the list of Damian’s priorities. With this, Damian, wasted no time getting the balance of nutrition right as soon as he got his first few sheep. “I have always used Crystalyx to balance the grass. I’d asked around and done the research into nutritional value and reliability. You might save five quid on a lick bucket, but you might then have to buy two licks to one Crystalyx”.
Crystalyx feed licks are manufactured using a patented process that consistently drives moisture down to below three percent. This makes Crystalyx especially nutrient-dense, lasting up to three times longer than traditional feed licks.
Balancing the grass to keep ewes in good condition, in all conditions.
“I’ll feed the Crystalyx Extra High Energy lick from now [November] to get ewes in condition for tupping, and follow-through until after lambing to support lamb development and growth. I use it for pretty much for half the year, particularly as the conditions are harsher on the moor. The condition of my sheep throughout is very good”, reflects Damian.
“I’ll also use Crystalyx Cattle Booster for cattle and goats, and have found they do really well. I believe in it, and I’ve never used anything different. If it’s not broke, don’t try and fix it!”, concludes Damian.
Check out the Crystalyx Extra High Energy lick
