Buchan father-and-son Alan and Hamish Watson, Balring, Mintlaw, are the winners of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society’s Good Farming Practice award for 2014.
They were presented with their award of a perpetual trophy and crystal bowl of their own choice by Provost Jill Webster of Aberdeenshire Council at an informal ceremony at the farm.
The Watson’s innovative farming enterprise was one of the three finalists in the annual awards which have been featured in the Press and Journal over the last three Saturdays.
Runners-up awards were also presented to Andrew Farquharson of Finzean Estate, Banchory, and Gary Jamieson, farm manager with Maxwell Farms of Auldtown of Carnousie, Forglen.
“Once again the judge must have had a very difficult job selecting a winner,” said Provost Webster. “The three enterprises represented here today set an outstanding example to others in the industry for their commitment to innovation, diversification, resource efficiency and continuous improvement.
“Many congratulations to the Watson family for prevailing against such top-class competition.”
Provost Webster said the council was proud of its continuing association with the RNAS, particularly in recognising excellence in farm business management through the Good Farming Practice Award which was now in its 10th year and had been sponsored by the council since its inception.
“Aberdeenshire Council is well aware of the immense contribution which the farming, food and drink industry makes to the local economy – and indeed to the quality of life here in Aberdeenshire – and is delighted to have supported the awards since 2005,” she said.
The judge of the awards, George Philip, former farm manager at Voluntary Service Aberdeen’s Easter Anguston farm at Peterculter, said all three finalists had proved very strong contenders.
“The Watson family’s commitment to integrated farming, the creation of paths for public use and their far-sighted development of renewable energy swung the balance in their favour,” he said.
Enterprises on the farm include 800 acres of crops, 150 acres of grass, 100 acres of trees and a 100-cow beef suckler herd with all progeny finished on the farm.
The public make great use of the 10 miles of paths which have been created using material from a quarry on the farm to link a 40-acre lake at the centre of the farm with the villages of Mintlaw, Old Deer and Fetterangus. The lake is stocked with fish and fishing is enjoyed by members of the Pitfour Fly Fishing Club.
The farm was the first to qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive and a biomass boiler, fuelled with wood grown on the farm, provides heat for the grain drier with a second boiler heating three houses and the farm workshop.
The integration of farming, forestry, game, wildlife, recreation, farm shop and tearoom, holiday lets and tenancies were the factors which impressed Mr Philip at Finzean Estate.
“Finzean is a fine example of an integrated estate playing an important part in the rural community,” he said.
The 850-acre farm on the estate grows malting barley and supports a herd of 165 suckler cows. Beef from Aberdeen-Angus cross heifers not required for breeding is sold through the farm shop.
Maxwell Farms is a very different farming enterprise specialising in the growing of carrots, swedes, potatoes and beetroot on an-all arable farm. Produce is sold direct to Morrisons and Baxters of Fochabers with whom close working relationships have been developed.
Mr Philip was impressed with the emphasis on quality and meeting delivery deadlines in the management of the operation and the way the farm is managed to work with – rather than against – nature with miles of hedges, a measure of unharvested cropping and creation of ponds to attract wildlife.