Contact our offices
Main office
COLBURN
5 & 6 BAILEY COURT
COLBURN BUSINESS PARK
RICHMOND
NORTH YORKSHIRE
DL9 4QL
Estate Agency Offices are located in
BARNARD CASTLE, BOROUGHBRIDGE & RICHMOND
Residential Management Team
Our Offices
For those marginal, wet and generally unproductive areas of the farm, planting up with cricket bat willows can provide a handsome income whilst maintaining the ecological and biodiversity value of the site.
Cricket bat willows grow well in wet low-lying areas prone to flooding or alongside the drainage ditches running parallel to more productive farmland. Planted at 10m intervals, the Yorkshire climate allows these trees to grow at a rate that produces the quality of timber that is highly sought after by the international cricket bat makers.
For the project to be financially viable, 50 – 100 trees need to be planted on an annual basis. The new trees are planted in 15ft lengths in tree guards to prevent deer damage. The cricket bat makers are only interested in the clean unstained wood of the trunk up to the first limb. Therefore, removing any new growth from the tree is vital to maximise the value of the timber. In this part of the country, the willow generally reach the required size of approximately 60” at chest height in 14 years, a quick return for timber. At this time they are harvested and replaced, providing an attractive annual income for the farm, assuming annual planting has taken place year on year since inception. In total, 30-40 acres are required across the farm to accommodate all the trees.
If you have areas of land you think could be suitable for cricket bat willows and would like more information on the process, please contact:
[team-member name=”Edward Staveley”]
GSC Grays News
Government gives crucial commitment to end disruption to Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme
Read more
GSC Grays News
GSC Grays appoints Katherine Wigham to lead new Rural Business & Leisure Agency
Read more
GSC Grays News
Budget 2025 is a missed opportunity for farm businesses despite the Relief Allowance change
Read more