An Interview With Catherine Hatton

Hi!
I'm a former GP now focusing on setting up a more holistic practice and moving nearer my family in Scotland. I love being creative, having trained as a florist and have started making pottery.
This property holds many wonderful memories for me, having spent a 'back to nature 'childhood here.
My sister and I lived with our parents in the bungalow, with our grandparents living in the separate flat annex. We spent summers collecting flowers for creative projects and foraging to make homemade remedies and store cupboard treats- if you're making elderflower champagne make sure to secure the tops well or they explode!!
My parents, grandparents and extended family all worked the land in a sustainable way employing companion planting, avoiding pesticides and chemicals , something which I believe is more important now than ever.
More recently, the flat annex has attracted a regular good rental income return

Sustainable happy living

My parents saw the advantage of raising their children in a safe rural environment with the advantage of living more sustainably and in balance with nature. They found the perfect location from where they could enjoy country living whilst being able to access larger towns and cities. There was nothing quite like being able to return to the field on a sunny Yorkshire evening and enjoying its peace and tranquillity. My parents thought it was both a privilege and a responsibility to have the field for the wider benefit of local wildlife, always looking out for native animals.

I found your website through a search engine

Parents bought the property new in the 60's, adding the annex and land in the 70's

This property and land forming the smallholding is the vision of my parents who found this gorgeous part of Yorkshire. They said that when they walked the lanes around the property and looked out across the fields to the woodlands beyond, they had "found their own little slice of paradise".

Yes, first and foremost I would recommend first time buyers enjoy the land. By working in partnership with the land i.e. avoiding the use of pesticides, it could be a hugely rewarding experience. I would suggest making small changes to begin with to work towards your goal.
Have fun and embrace the adventure!

In the 80's my parents had a poly tunnel and successfully grew flowers for the florist trade. They also grew vegetables for friends and family and sold excess at the gate.
Water was collected in butts but in a dry year water needed to be brought across to the field from the house. My Dad successfully ran a water pipe across which was suitable to be driven over to allow the crops to be watered.
By keeping bees they helped pollinate the crops and also provided us with delicious honey. This was was not only regarded as a great local product but it provided us with some extra income.
The orchard has taken full advantage of the time it has been given to become fully established. Now at its peak production it produces a bounty of apples of differing varieties. Presenting another opportunity for a further income stream, both as eating apples or maybe even produce your own cider!

The local heritage goes back many centuries with the village being mentioned in the Doomsday book and more recently, the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon castle site near the church.
There are many walks around the local area. One in particular which I love, starts from the lane behind the property, runs through Kings wood with waterfalls and streams and finishes at Roche Abbey, a ruined Cistercian abbey. I recall many visits with my Grandpa who used to live with my Gran in the annex flat. He would point out all the plants growing near the abbey which were medicinal and likely used by the monks .Some how, this made me feel closer to the land and the organic growing methods my parents and grandparents used on the property .
Having moved away to the bright lights of Manchester and recently returned, I have noticed how clear the skies are here with less light pollution making night time stargazing so easy!
More recently I have valued the easy access to motorways and main roads for travel and great access to Sheffield and Meadowhall shopping centre .I am also hoping that the planned reopening of Doncaster Robin Hood airport goes ahead as this was convenient access with an approximately 20 minute journey via the local motorway .

The generous corner plot with established country garden and the views down the lane at the back of the property from the annex flat. The property takes on different charms and features in different seasons. Winter walks down the lane with the snow crunching underfoot is a lovely way to spend the day! I love the fact that the property provides a wonderful opportunity to work from home in a peaceful environment, making a great work life balance.
I will miss sitting in the orchard in September and eating apples straight off the trees !

The property has a lot of potential. I would consider joining the two properties together as one large family house , although the flat can provide a great extra income and has its own separate utility and council tax to facilitate this .I would also consider upgrading the bathroom in the bungalow and perhaps add an en-suite .
Previously there was a gate access at the back of the property ,directly opposite the entrance for the field ( we as a family have always referred to the adjacent land with orchard as 'the field') and I would reinstate this as it make simple and easy access across the lane to the field.

The delicious apples from the orchard ,my mouth is watering at the thought of them already and the greengages if the squirrels have left any on the tree !

I recall as a young girl, my sister, Dad and myself running around the property getting soaked with water from a freely running hose pipe trying to flush out a little mole that had taken up residence in the garden.We managed to catch it in a bucket and walked down the back lane to the woods to release it to its new home!

I would look for somewhere nearer my family ,not too big, but big enough to grow organic fruit and vegetables , keep some chickens and maybe a goat or two , perhaps a couple of alpaca , but most importantly a property where there has been no use of pesticides for as long as possible .

I would wish the next owner as much joy , happiness and success in their next adventure here as my family have enjoyed here over the years ,and if you will be keeping bees I'll be back to buy the honey !

I am hoping to travel for a short time , visit friends in New Zealand and take a look at the different lifestyles in Japan and South Korea on my way back .I wish to establish a clean organic herbal supplements company producing combination products that I am just unable to find on the market currently and get back to growing more organic fruit and veg !.Perhaps I'll be able to find room for a wheel and small kiln to continue my new found love of ceramics on my new plot as I hope to fulfil my lifelong dream of building my own house .