RAKEFOOT FARM
MESSRS COCKBAIN & SON
RAKEFOOT FARM is an owner-occupied family run farm with a large acreage under management (the majority of this is leased).
A flexible work force of Will Cockbain, his brother and sons supports the farm and undertakes off-farm work as well.
Will Cockbain spends almost a third of his time on NFU/ Sustainable Food and Farming Champion work and roles. Mrs Cockbain works in a nearby hotel.
HISTORY
There has been a farmstead at Rakefoot in 1504, with one of the barns is dated c.1700. The Cockbains have been farming at Rakefoot since 1937. (Cockbains have been in Threlkeld & St. Johns for the last 300 years).
© Copyright 2008. Photos taken by Tracey Wilson-Cockbain.
TERRAIN
825 hectares (84%) above moorland line.
SIZE OF THE FARM
The Farm is 983 hectares; the majority of it rented (c.100 hectares belongs to the family).
LIVESTOCK & NUMBERS
1100 swaledale ewes
14 Berrichon
40 Suckler cows
10 Fells and Dales ponies
GRAZING & CONSERVATION
Most of fell land is SSSI: 716 hectares; Tier 2 ESA grazing regime helps to maintain this ‘animals are the managers of the landscape’.
The Cumbria Fells and Dales Leader + programme is based at Voluntary Action Cumbria and is part-financed by the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund of the European Union and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. This project is part of a trans-national project with Gévaudan Leader + Programme, Lozère, France.
© Copyright 2008 Cumbria Hill Farms