I farm: “1,700ha of hill farm producing cattle and sheep with my wife and two sons. We sell Mules and Blackfaces. We also sell lambs to butchers. We have cross cows which we put to the Charolais bull.”
This week: “The weather has been very localised with some areas a lot wetter than others. The central belt has been getting battered with rain. But we have been here before.”
Enjoys farming: “I like being a farmer because you are your own boss. There is a degree of freedom. Equally you are at the vagaries of things you can not affect. Things like the pound, which you have no control over, is having a big effect on farming right now. We can’t control our future. But it’s always been like this. There is good and bad in equal measure.
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Trade: “Lambs are up 10-15% on the year for us. It is down to supply and demand at the end of the day. But we always seem to need more to cover costs which are also rising.”
Young farmers: “Perhaps it’s just me having two sons at home but I feel there are more young people getting into the sector. There is a growing vibrancy. The two boys are fully involved in the business. Both went to university and could have done other things but farming seems to be in their blood. They have embraced the business and are not shy in coming forward. You need to give proper responsibility to the young. Remember sheep work is very physical and is harder when you’re old.
Brexit: It offers a reason for hope. We have the ability to be in control of our own destiny. The EU had become too unwieldy. Who were we all supporting? There was some serious wastage.”
Quotable quote: I am always a glass half full sort of person. Looking around the world others have it much worse.
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I farm: “1,700ha of hill farm producing cattle and sheep with my wife and two sons. We sell Mules and Blackfaces. We also sell lambs to butchers. We have cross cows which we put to the Charolais bull.”
This week: “The weather has been very localised with some areas a lot wetter than others. The central belt has been getting battered with rain. But we have been here before.”
Enjoys farming: “I like being a farmer because you are your own boss. There is a degree of freedom. Equally you are at the vagaries of things you can not affect. Things like the pound, which you have no control over, is having a big effect on farming right now. We can’t control our future. But it’s always been like this. There is good and bad in equal measure.
Trade: “Lambs are up 10-15% on the year for us. It is down to supply and demand at the end of the day. But we always seem to need more to cover costs which are also rising.”
Young farmers: “Perhaps it’s just me having two sons at home but I feel there are more young people getting into the sector. There is a growing vibrancy. The two boys are fully involved in the business. Both went to university and could have done other things but farming seems to be in their blood. They have embraced the business and are not shy in coming forward. You need to give proper responsibility to the young. Remember sheep work is very physical and is harder when you’re old.
Brexit: It offers a reason for hope. We have the ability to be in control of our own destiny. The EU had become too unwieldy. Who were we all supporting? There was some serious wastage.”
Quotable quote: I am always a glass half full sort of person. Looking around the world others have it much worse.
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