RAKEHEAD FARM

NATEBY, KIRKBY STEPHEN

• THE FARM
|
• ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
|
• VISITORS

RAKEHEAD FARM is on the edge of the village of Nateby which is one mile south of Kirkby Stephen in the Upper River Eden Valley.

Rakehead is an upland sheep farm with common grazing rights on two fells.

Paul Dixon works on the farm full time, with part time assistance from his father Jonathan, and an additional self employed worker.

HISTORY
Rakehead Farmhouse and cottage date from 1685 and the farm is possibly an early post-medieval settlement expansion beyond the confines of the medieval village.

The Dixon family has been associated with the farm since it was built, although ownership has passed through other families.  Just as his sheep are “hefted” to the fell, Paul considers the Dixon family is “hefted” to the farm!

LOCATION

© Copyright 2007

TERRAIN

The farmstead is at 1,000 feet above sea level and the land rises to 2,400 feet.  The land varies from limestone pavement at Nateby to peat on Mallerstang fell.

Much of the land is moorland and Severely Disadvantaged Area.  In particular, Mallerstang fell is East facing and gets a lot of rain.

SIZE OF THE FARM

The farm is just over 225 ha of which about two thirds is used as in-bye land.

Grazing rights are held on two commons, Nateby and Mallerstang and amount to the equivalent of just over 306 ha of grazing on “white fell”.

LIVESTOCK & NUMBERS

The farm has a flock of 250 pure bred Swaledale hill ewes, 300 mules and 650 cross bred ewes.  There are no cattle on the holding.

In recent years, the Dixons, together with three other local farms, have been exporting breeding sheep to other EU countries, in particular to Estonia and France.  The group has been working together over a period of years pioneering the latest sheep breeding technology with breeds that include Swaledale, North of England Mule, Texel, Beltex and Blue Faced Leicester.  Information about their Company, Swalex Ltd, can be seen on their website at www.swalex.com.

Paul Dixon also acts as Chairman of a local Swaledale lamb group which currently markets Swaledale lamb to a Cumbrian catering supplier.  The group has developed a market for a lightweight Summer Swaledale lamb in July and August and there is also a Winter Swaledale season from January through to March.  For more information about Swaledale lamb please contact Paul Dixon on 017683 72750.

GRAZING & CONSERVATION

The farm has a Countryside Stewardship Agreement on all its fell land and has recently applied to join the new Higher Level Stewardship Scheme.  The current agreement restricts the number of sheep grazing the fell land and involves active shepherding to keep sheep off the areas of limestone pavement particularly during the summer. 

Although it is not required as part of the agreement, the sheep are housed in winter which takes grazing pressure off the fell.  The farm has a Pennine Dales Environmentally Sensitive Area agreement for the pasture land and also has a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest including High Outwood limestone fell and the River Eden.