£4.25m dairy farm bordering Cotswolds goes up for sale after 77 years with family

The Long family has farmed at Park Hill Farm, Idlicote Road, Halford, Shipston-On-Stour for 77 years, developing a dairy herd with the noted ‘Wagtail’ prefix.

John and Rose Long, who farm with their son, Rob, have decided to retire from the dairy industry in South Warwickshire where the family is well known.

“This an excellent opportunity for a purchaser to take on and further develop the farm, perhaps diversifying,” said Sarah Hulland, a director of Halls in Kidderminster and Richard Abbey, from Earles, Henley in Arden, joint agents

“There are opportunities for barn conversions and perhaps redevelopment for residential use of the original farmyard, subject to planning consent. With three residential properties and extensive dairy buildings, the farm has great potential for alternative enterprises and uses.”

The residential properties are Park Hill Farmhouse, a three-bedroomed Victorian house, Elmedene, a three-bedroomed, extended, Banbury bungalow and Wagtail Farmhouse, a recently built, four bedroomed house with planning consent for an extension.

Both Wagtail Farmhouse and Elmedene have an agricultural occupancy condition attached to them.

The farm has current and former dairy parlours and associated rooms, an extensive range of steel framed buildings, an open fronted cattle yard, steel portal frame machinery store, former cow house, pole barns and a dilapidated traditional threshing barn with a lean-to.

There is also a Pemberton Monte Carlo static caravan, concrete panel and earth bunded silage clamps and a slurry lagoon

The 266.63 acres of gently undulating land lies in three main blocks, with water meadows having frontage to the River Stour and Fosse Way. Most of the land is well above the floodplain and used to grow maize and wheat to produce fodder for the dairy herd and permanent grass. There is also five acres of woodland.

The farm was bought by the Long family in 1947, initially milking Guernsey and Shorthorn cows on 108 acres. In 1968, John and Rose took over and went into a partnership with other family members the following year.

Rented land increased the farm to 320 acres and new steel framed buildings and a dairy were built, milking 100 cows through an 8/8 herringbone parlour.

When the owners’ brother emigrated to Canada in 1986, the herd increased to 180 Holsteins and many of the cows were sold to a stock farm in Cumbria, following foot and mouth in 2001.

In-calf heifers were kept by the family and the herd increased to more than 200 cows, leading to a new dairy complex being built on the farm in 2011, with a 20/40 50-degree ADF rapid entry and exit parlour for three times a day milking.

Cow accommodation was extended in 2016 to accommodate 500 cows, producing more than 17,000 litres daily and utilising fodder produced both at home and on adjoining farms.

Post-Brexit, labour challenges and lower milk prices resulted in the herd reverting to being milked twice a day.

The joint agents encourage prospective buyers to inspect the farm to fully appreciate its potential.

Viewing is by appointment and accompanied by Sarah on 01562 820880 or Richard on 01564 794343.