Hello All
It has been a wee while since my last post as we have started making haylage so have been very busy mowing, then spreading out the grass to dry then raking it up, then baling it, then leading the bales back to the farm to wrap and stack. The days and weeks seem to just merge together at this time of year I'm never sure which day it is! We have also been spraying a lot of farmers crops with fungicides when the weather allows.
I am currently researching installing another haylage processing plant we have machinery which processes the large square bales made in field to 22kg packs that are ideal for people who have one to three horses. Our current plant will be at capacity the coming winter which concerns me should we have a major breakdown, I have the following options
1 Continue as we are possibly use a shift system
2 Purchase a secondhand machine to run alongside ours
3 Purchase a new machine to run alongside ours
4 Purchase a super duper mega machine which will replace ours and have low labour requirements
I will continue calculating the best option with my pad pencil and calculator!
On a lighter note my Labrador is about to have puppies hopefully this will be puppies and not puppy as she doesn't look very fat to me! She should have had them on Monday I'm getting most impatient waiting does anyone have any suggestions how to get them out faster??
Many thanks to everyone who has voted for me it really is much appreciated and your support is extremely gratifying.
See you soon
Ralph
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Thursday, 28 May 2009
IWCYC: Ralph's testimonials
Hi! 'If we can, you can' here. We just wanted to share a few comments that have arrived as people have emailed to vote for Ralph to win the Challenge:
"Ralph and I undertook an MBA style course (similar content no exams) at Durham University Business School. He used his experience there to enhance his business and shared ideas that assisted the other ‘students’. He is a hard working guy with a lot to offer and therefore to give and would benefit from guidance offered by this style of encouragement!"
"I would vote in favour of Ralph Thompson for this award. I use him as my farm contractor. He does this work as a sideline to his haylage and other businesses in order to make best use of his men and machinery."
"I have worked with Ralph for only one year. I find him very professional in his approach to business and enthusiastic and knowledgeable about his product."
"Ralph Thompson is great."
"I believe that Ralph would be a fantastic choice for the award and would use the mentoring etc exceptionally well. He has been a good friend for a very long time and no other person has worked as hard as he has through such hard times. An inspiration to both his close friends and to others within the community."
"I have known Ralph for a number of years now and am always particularly impressed by his resilience and determination to drive his business forwards. He never stands still and is always ready to expand into new areas, set up satellite businesses and continue to market his products successfully."
"The agriculture sector is not an easy market into which to break but Ralph has proven that with his genuinely pleasant and likeable personality alongside astute business acumen it is an area that has huge business potential and can still be developed when looked at with fresh eyes and innovative ideas. I know he would relish the opportunity to continue his promising career with the help and support of mentoring and consultancy. His determination and raw business skills certainly prove to me he is more than worthy of such a chance and that he would use the experience to bring huge recognition to the talent and potential held within North Eastern businesses."
"Having known Ralph since high school I know how hard he has worked to create his new business from scratch and to make it the best business he possibly can. Ralph has always been 'ridiculously' motivated and dedicated and is always open to new idea's - he's always looking forward, striving to improve his business."
"Ralph's Grandfather Alfie Thompson was an exceptional gentleman who built up a lovely farm at Silvermoor with prize dairy herds and sheep. Ralph stepped into his shoes after the tragic death of his father at the farm; everyone is proud of this fine young man."
"Ralph would be an ideal candidate for this award as he has started young in a tough industry and showed he could adapt his business and meet new challenges and demand. Someone with this entreneural flair would i believe benefit greatly from the consulting and mentoring the prize would offer."
"Silvermoor Haylage has grown through hard work and friendly people, It is great to have a business like this in Northumberland near us. and over the years Silvermoor seems to be growing even bigger with alot of effort from Ralph. I and many more in our horsey world wish him much success for the future, as the equine world seems to be getting more popular these days."
"A great example of rural diversification, more of which is badly needed to sustain the British countryside."
"Slivermoor Haylage is my first choice because my horses love it and it is good value for money."
"Silvermoor currently supply me with haylage for sale in our shops. Ralph has always been approachable and easy to work with. I wish him all the success for himself and his business."
"Ralph and I undertook an MBA style course (similar content no exams) at Durham University Business School. He used his experience there to enhance his business and shared ideas that assisted the other ‘students’. He is a hard working guy with a lot to offer and therefore to give and would benefit from guidance offered by this style of encouragement!"
"I would vote in favour of Ralph Thompson for this award. I use him as my farm contractor. He does this work as a sideline to his haylage and other businesses in order to make best use of his men and machinery."
"I have worked with Ralph for only one year. I find him very professional in his approach to business and enthusiastic and knowledgeable about his product."
"Ralph Thompson is great."
"I believe that Ralph would be a fantastic choice for the award and would use the mentoring etc exceptionally well. He has been a good friend for a very long time and no other person has worked as hard as he has through such hard times. An inspiration to both his close friends and to others within the community."
"I have known Ralph for a number of years now and am always particularly impressed by his resilience and determination to drive his business forwards. He never stands still and is always ready to expand into new areas, set up satellite businesses and continue to market his products successfully."
"The agriculture sector is not an easy market into which to break but Ralph has proven that with his genuinely pleasant and likeable personality alongside astute business acumen it is an area that has huge business potential and can still be developed when looked at with fresh eyes and innovative ideas. I know he would relish the opportunity to continue his promising career with the help and support of mentoring and consultancy. His determination and raw business skills certainly prove to me he is more than worthy of such a chance and that he would use the experience to bring huge recognition to the talent and potential held within North Eastern businesses."
"Having known Ralph since high school I know how hard he has worked to create his new business from scratch and to make it the best business he possibly can. Ralph has always been 'ridiculously' motivated and dedicated and is always open to new idea's - he's always looking forward, striving to improve his business."
"Ralph's Grandfather Alfie Thompson was an exceptional gentleman who built up a lovely farm at Silvermoor with prize dairy herds and sheep. Ralph stepped into his shoes after the tragic death of his father at the farm; everyone is proud of this fine young man."
"Ralph would be an ideal candidate for this award as he has started young in a tough industry and showed he could adapt his business and meet new challenges and demand. Someone with this entreneural flair would i believe benefit greatly from the consulting and mentoring the prize would offer."
"Silvermoor Haylage has grown through hard work and friendly people, It is great to have a business like this in Northumberland near us. and over the years Silvermoor seems to be growing even bigger with alot of effort from Ralph. I and many more in our horsey world wish him much success for the future, as the equine world seems to be getting more popular these days."
"A great example of rural diversification, more of which is badly needed to sustain the British countryside."
"Slivermoor Haylage is my first choice because my horses love it and it is good value for money."
"Silvermoor currently supply me with haylage for sale in our shops. Ralph has always been approachable and easy to work with. I wish him all the success for himself and his business."
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
It's a while since I last wrote the Entrepreneurs Forum conference has been and gone which I took a lot from, I particularly enjoyed listening to Martin Lightbody and Matt Riley I could relate to a lot of what they had to say which plants the thought in your head I could grow my business to the scale they have one fine day! It was great to meet the other finalists too good luck to everyone.
Down on the farm oooo aaarrrr the boyos have been preparing for the haylage season checking the machines over in the workshop ready for the start of our haylage harvest next week which should be stressful as we need good weather but as I can't control the weather I don't worry about it one bit! We will start mowing tomorrow and baling on Tuesday the forecast is good so fingers crossed all will go well, it can't be worse than last year anyway.
I have been busy with Jim my consultant working through salary structures for the new sales position which is a tricky one finding the right balance for both parties. We have also been looking at performance related bonus schemes for the other staff members.
Seth is back to work as he says he was bored at home he is hobbling around like some one you would expect to be called Seth maybe I will send him to see Claire Fitzpatrick my fellow finalist.
Time to go as I have my agronomist coming to look at some grass fields which need to be sprayed then Peter who I buy my grass seed from.
Down on the farm oooo aaarrrr the boyos have been preparing for the haylage season checking the machines over in the workshop ready for the start of our haylage harvest next week which should be stressful as we need good weather but as I can't control the weather I don't worry about it one bit! We will start mowing tomorrow and baling on Tuesday the forecast is good so fingers crossed all will go well, it can't be worse than last year anyway.
I have been busy with Jim my consultant working through salary structures for the new sales position which is a tricky one finding the right balance for both parties. We have also been looking at performance related bonus schemes for the other staff members.
Seth is back to work as he says he was bored at home he is hobbling around like some one you would expect to be called Seth maybe I will send him to see Claire Fitzpatrick my fellow finalist.
Time to go as I have my agronomist coming to look at some grass fields which need to be sprayed then Peter who I buy my grass seed from.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Broken down!
Well this week has been a bit of a challenge so far Seth who is my foreman is off work with a bad back meaning I have been busy spraying crops as well as the usual office work.One of the tractors has died an is in need of a new transmission (££££ :(££££!! ) so Rob and I took her to the local dealer for repair, I hope the dealer can turn the job around in a week so it is ready for thew start of our haylage harvest. Hopefully Seth's transmission is on the mend also!
We had our regular staff meeting on Monday morning which happens every fortnight, I like to keep everyone informed of what is happening in the business, share my ideas and most importantly get ever one elses ideas. These meetings work really well, I find people are motivated by being kept "in the know" and the meeting are a great way to share my vision for the future of the company.
The boys have finished moving the pheasant pens now and have been processing haylage, spreading fertilizer onto a local farmers wheat and we have some cattle sheds to muck out later this week.
I have been using the services of a business consultant the last few months we meet once a month, the purpose of this was to introduce KPI's into the business in a more structured formal way and to develop my strategic plan for the business medium term. I find it very helpful having an outside perspective of my business and enjoy the challenging questions which come from our meetings. I met with Jim this morning we had a long discussion about my intention to recruit a full time sales person later this summer and the financial implications. I am going to need a sales person as we are about to double production!!
Well I had better go and prepare for the Entrepreneurs Forum conference which is tomorrow, I'm very much looking forward to it you never fail to meet some great people and always come home full of enthusiasm. Please come and talk to me at the ball afterwards as I am going all alone, how sad!
Speak soon
Ralph
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Ralph's first blog (ever!)
Good morning all
Welcome to my first ever blog I'm not very sure what I am supposed to write really but here goes!
Firstly many thanks for the opportunity to be selected as a finalist and thanks to the judging panel for their time, I enjoyed the interview, as always when mixing with like minded entrepreneurial people I left full of enthusiasm keen to get back to work. I'm really excited to be a finalist and this has given me a boost to keep pushing forwards.
At Silvermoor we are a diverse business as we produce horse feed, provide agricultural services, let out a few cottages and look after some cattle, as you can imagine everyday is different.
Today Keith and John are shifting some pheasant pens for a game farmer who is moving with tractors and trailers, this will be a welcome change as they have been very busy processing haylage (horse feed) for the last few weeks and caught up yesterday. Seth (he actually isn't as old as you imagine!) is off with his new baler for the first time to bale some silage (cattle feed) for a dairy farmer he is very excited but I don't think he would admit to it.
I am in the office writing this looking out across the fields its lovely and sunny maybe I will move my desk outside. Unfortunately I have a lot of invoicing and purchase invoices to input as well a grant claim to make for our new website and marketing materials which will be going live soon, so not very exiting. When that's done I am off to look at some fields which I may rent to make even more haylage, we are doubling production this year!! If I get all that done I will go and drive the sprayer as one of our customers has some wheat which is in need of a fungicide.
I will keep you informed with the Silvermoor news again very soon.
Over & Out
Ralph
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