With the continued wet weather and an extremely challenging autumn with no respite forecast in the coming days, many growers (and us as seed merchants) are finding themselves in a very difficult situation and wondering what the best options are going forward into spring 2020. The spring seed availability is now extremely tight with spring wheat nearly sold out very little spring bean seed left within the industry.
We start todays Newsletter with the news that today marks Phil Naylors last day at Mortimers. Phil joined us on 3rd February, 1997 after previous posts working on farm, Cherrys of North Frodingham and J. Wood & Sons of Driffield. Phil quickly became part of the furniture at Mortimers, having the great advantage of knowing many of our customers, and indeed adding a number of new accounts. We have always enjoyed our involvement in the seed trade and Phil has been at the centre of our expansion. His exceptional organisational skills enabled us to produce a respectable tonnage of quality seed at our old site. Our move to Kelleythorpe almost five years ago has seen our seed sales grow year-on-year. We owe Phil and Chris Johnson who joined us just short of 3 years ago a big thank you for all their efforts at Kelleythorpe. We also appreciate all the hard work Richard Atkin (Chris’s younger brother) puts in on a seasonal basis. Phil has an unbelievable knowledge of the local area, people and places and we will miss been able to ask him to pinpoint farm locations, and all other sorts of things most of our generation forget all too easily. Phil has many interests outside of Mortimers. He has become a Grandpa in the last few years and has a great love of the outdoors which involves rearing game and running a local shoot, not forgetting his flair for gun dog training. For many years Phil has been a keen quiz goer. The long established team of which Phil is an integral member are very successful. Phil also sets a number of quizzes for other people hosting local quizzes. It is our intention to mark Phil's retirement officially in a few weeks time and we will organise a few nibbles and drinks to give you chance to wish him well. From all at Mortimers, a very big thank you to Phil for all his hard work and input over the last 22 years. We wish Phil, Jenny and family the best of health and happiness in the years ahead. Looking to the future, Chris Johnson and Mark Denley will work together in the day to day running of the seed plant - some of you will know Mark from his time working from Bradshaws office for Clugston distribution. We are constantly learning and trying to improve the service we provide - Autumn 2019 continues to challenge us all. A later start to the seed season, too many varieties and many delayed decisions on ordering have pressurised seed plants throughout the UK. Our challenge is to increase throughput without compromising service, and we will do everything possible to achieve this in the years ahead.
