A passion for caravanning led an Udny family to the ideal business
to bridge a gap in their traditional farm income and strengthen
their grip on the finances of the future.
Generations of the Black family have farmed in the Udny
area for 70 years, including more than half a century at North
Mains, where they now combine farming with a successful
caravan storage enterprise.
Charles and Heather Black have been providing safe,
secure caravan storage for a decade in a well-lit, landscaped
compound. As with most farms, there is always somebody
around and the security is enhanced by appropriate fencing,
CCTV cameras and clever landscaping.
Charles father and grandfather started
the business in 1939 and North Mains was bought in 1952 to
carry on the dairy enterprise. Towards the end of the last century ,
the family decided to switch to rearing beef cows and calves
from an Aberdeen Angus bull.
When we stopped dairying and before the beef enterprise
was established, our cash flow was severely disrupted, so we
decided to diversify into Caravan Storage in 1999.
From a small beginning in an area previously used for
stacking bales, the storage enterprise has blossomed to cater for
200 caravans and motor homes.
The couple, who have three daughters, knew exactly what
was needed because they had enjoyed family caravanning holidays
for years.
People do not have the space at their houses for caravans
and also they are less secure at the side of the road.
We felt that this enterprise
could be successfully
integrated
into our farming with a
minimum of disruption.
The facility holds a Gold award from the caravan storage
association (CaSSOA).
The emphasis at North Mains is on security, cloaked with a
very human touch. One has to enjoy meeting and working with
the public. Caravanners are very sociable.
They have lived nearly all of their married lives at the
farm, the couple met through church and Young Farmers’ (JAC)
events after Heather’s family moved to Udny when her father
was called to be minister at the local kirk. Their joint dynamism and innovative approach continue to
evolve into solutions for the modern agribusiness. We plan to
plant shrubs and trees to further screen the areas and would like
to start growing vegetables in a polytunnel as we have
quite a large customer base on our doorstep.
