in Nov 2007 by Brian Hull, Church Farm, Occold
The Sale of Threshing Tackles took place at Church Farm in 1947 as the Last family changed their farming radically to meet the demands of the time. Sixty years later, on the 21st November it was the turn of the Hull family to make a similarly radical change as they put their entire herd of 216 pedigree Holsteins up for sale.
Wright Manley's sale catalogue sums up the trials & tribulations they have had to suffer in making this change:
For the third time this autumn a date has been set to conduct the dispersal of the Ferrers Herd of Pedigree Holsteins on behalf of Mr & Mrs Brian Hull who have decided to cease milking at Church Farm, Occold, Nr. Eye, Suffolk.
The first two dates were planned for a sale at Beeston but were cancelled due to Foot & Mouth and now Bluetongue has put a spanner in the works again; as Church Farm is currently in the Bluetongue Protection Zone at the time of going to press (8th November) and the fact that animals can only move within this zone, the sale cannot take place at Beeston. Therefore the Hull family have taken the courageous decision to hold this extremely important dispersal sale at home knowing full well that only milk producers resident in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and parts of East Sussex and Cambridgeshire can purchase at their sale.
The last word should go to the Hull family:
On an emotional day selling our treasured cows, the sun and buyers came out to make it a successful day. We had so many tributes on how good the animals were and how well the cows looked, which made us very proud. Can we take this opportunity to thank all the friends and acquaintances for their support and good wishes.
One door closes and another will open & the Hull family are up for the challenge.
Brian Lesley Daniel & Amanda.
