DRIVING into Hill Farm, Cumnock, it’s hard to believe that The SF is visiting a contracting business and not, in fact, a machinery show room.

That impression is due to how immaculate each machine is, and how perfectly they have been displayed for our visit.

"But that's the way we like the equipment to be kept," explained Jim Mair, owner of W and J Mair Contracting.

"I like to see the machines going down that road-end looking nice and tidy, every morning."

A family set-up at Hill Farm for 32 years, W and J Mair celebrates its 60th birthday this year, and is run by Jim, his wife, May, his two sons, James and Ian (Archie), as well as his daughter, Margaret, who manages the company's books and wages.

W and J Mair was established in 1958, by Jim's dad, William, and has since built up a large customer base all over Ayrshire.

As well as this, the family also has 120 suckler cows, and 400 breeding ewes, while Ian grows 160 acres of barley, which is then sold.

All questions were answered by Jim, with input from James and Ian.

How did W and J Mair establish?

The business started by accident. My dad, mum, grandpa, gran, my uncle, and I, were in Ashen Tree Farm, at Rankinston, which was a let farm, owned by the National Coal Board, and it decided to sell the farm, and we were not in a position to buy it back then.
We then purchased a house at Drongan, and took a TE20 Ferguson, a single furrow plough, and a Massey dung-spreader, which all sat beside the house.

A neighbour then called round because his worker had left and asked if dad would help out. Then another neighbour also asked him if he could put some dung out and do a bit of ploughing.

At that point, my dad was looking for a farm, and he thought about going to South Africa to work, but instead he stayed here.
His brother-in-law took ill – he was hurt by a bull – and so he started working for him as well, and that's how it all started; by accident.

When did you become involved in the business?

I left school and started working with my dad at 15. It was hard, he was a bloody hard man, but he was a fair man.

In what way did your business compare to other contractors?

There were a lot of farmers' sons who were trying to get into contracting at that time and the biggest mistake they all made was to undercut prices. I can happily say that I have never once tried to undercut someone.

The Scottish Farmer:

TRAILED and mounted hose reels to work for roadside delivery of slurry on the umbilical pumping system Ref:RH060418128

Where did your customer base come from?

When I joined Young Farmers, that was great, because it created a whole new customer base.

When did your sons become involved in the business?

They both started working with me straight out of school.

The Scottish Farmer:

NEW Holland T7s, a New Holland T6, and just in at the end, a John Deere 6330 with loader Ref:RH060418129

How often do you renew your tractors?

Our four main tractors are having to be renewed every three years due to the number of hours we put on them.

If we run them for four years, they are going to be sitting at above 10,000 hours, and it's not fair on the dealers trying to sell them on.

They are usually sitting at around six to 7500 hours when we come to sell them.

What is your favourite machine of all time?

I had a Fordson Super Major, made in 1964, and it was the love of my life. It was what I was spending every day on for years, and I loved it.

The Scottish Farmer:

CLAAS 970 and 870 Jaguar self propelled forage harvesters, both using the Claas 300 pick-up head Ref:RH060418121

What is your least favourite machine?

I hated my Massey Ferguson 6480. It was just a pig of a thing, and so uncomfortable to drive. I have a serious back problem now and it's due to the years on those types of tractors, whereas nowadays, the boys are sitting in comfort when they're working.

It was an iron seat with no suspension and for health nowadays, tractor seats are much better.

Dealers used?

Agricar, Dundonald; Gordons, Berryhill; Ramsay and Jackson, Mauchline; John McNae; William Kerr; and TH Jenkinson.

The Scottish Farmer:

THE hard-working K-Two Duo 1000 MK5 rear discharge muck spreader Ref:RH060418126

Favourite job?

I love baling, and I love doing it in a good year. But I could honestly say there isn't a job I don't like doing.

What impact did 2017’s weather have on the business?

I would say that 2017 was worse than 1985 by far, especially in Ayrshire.

In 2015, we chopped 8000 acres of silage with one outfit, but in 2017, we chopped 1000 acres less, and that was with two outfits.

We also made 6000 fewer bales, and overall we were about £100,000 short on income.

Loads of re-seeds never got done and there wasn't a plough in the ground.

A lot of the stuff was salvaged in 1985, but not this past year.

If we had the equipment then that we do now, 1985 might actually have been a bit better than it was, but yes, 2017 was a disaster.

Over the 60 years we have built up a huge customer base, as well as close friendships, and last year actually put a bit of strain on relationships and friendships, and that was entirely down to the weather.

A lot of farmers were depressed, and some nights I would go into the office, and I was more like a Samaritan. But that's fine, because I am a listener and some of those guys just needed to talk to someone.

The pressure on the boys was also terrible, having to work in poor conditions and late at night.

You try to organise jobs and give a rough time of when you will be able to do them, but then you get a few wet days and you end up being unable to go.

My father always told me – and I always tell the boys this as well – to be upfront and be honest about whether or not you can do a job, and tell them they're welcome to get someone else if you can't do it, because they'll always come back.

If the weather doesn't get better, there's going to need to be a lot of changes, and stock will need to be kept inside all year round.

The Scottish Farmer:

AN impressive line-up of New Holland T7s and T6s, and a John Deere 6330, with front loader Ref:RH060418120

How does the business run?

A great thing about our business is that James organises his side of things – silage, slurry and dump trailers – while Ian organises his side of things – seeding, ploughing, combining and fertiliser. Ian also does the cutting with James, and the customers always know who to phone for what.

What area does the business cover?

We cover from Maybole, to New Cumnock, to Crosshands, and we do some work around Falkirk as well.

Have things changed much over the years?

We have seen a complete change from 30 years ago. Back then, we had four combines, four ploughs and two seeders working, and spent the winter lifting turnips. Now, we have one combine working and it's all silage and slurry work we do after that.

Everybody had hay and barley back then, but who can do that here now?

You never get the weather for it.

We did run two combines, but two years ago barley was becoming less popular, so we decided to invest in something that would be more profitable.

We're working in a grass-growing, stock area, and that's what we are equipped for.

What advice would you give to people coming into contracting?

To be successful in this business, you need a packet of money, the right attitude, and by Christ, you've got to work. 

It's no 9 to 5 job, and it's a whole different way of life.

If it wasn't for my wife bringing the kids out to see me while I was working, then I would never have seen them when they were younger.

Do you have concerns about Brexit?

I have no idea what Brexit will do to us, but what I think is needing to happen is, instead of the two parliamentary sides acting like kids, they should instead get together round a table and sort everything out. 

I always say there is no better way to sort something out than sitting round a table with a bottle of whisky, talking things through.

How do you get on with your staff?

The boys that work for us, are my boys, and they’re like family. We never have cross words here, or any arguing or shouting. We have discussions, but don’t fall out with one another.

How long have your staff been here for?

Logan 'Yogie' Howat, four years; Lee 'Leeroy' Howie, six years; Alistair 'Aldog' Webb, seven years; Alistair 'Ally' Holloway, four years, and Greg Flaws, one year, along with James ‘Mowdy’ Tomson, 14 years; William Smith, eight years; and Evan Young, two years. They all help out during the busier spells in the summer.

What are your thoughts about farming as a whole?

Too many farmers don't give their sons a place early enough, and hold onto the purse strings for too long. I think you need to push the youngsters on in order for them to be successful and keep the business running.

How has your wife supported you?

For years I worked with a Welger baler, and May came behind me with a Massey 390T, and a McHale trailing wrapper. She followed me around until all hours of the night, all over the countryside, wrapping bales.
I couldn't be where I am today without a great wife like May.