Ieuan Williams Cefn Gwlad

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-Ho!

-# I received a short letter

-# Fa la la la la la la la la la la #

-You don't often see a post box

-so close to a farm.

-This is Ty Canol Farm

-in Dolbenmaen...

-..the home of Ieuan Williams

-and his wife, Gwenda.

-And there's a woman

-who has a rather unusual job.

-I don't know whether Ieuan

-is a lorry man or a farmer.

-We'll find out, sooner or later.

-This place has character.

-It's not very far from the sea...

-..or from mountains and snow either.

-Winters can be very cold.

-It's a very busy place.

-Nel isn't here this morning.

-But Ieuan and his wife

-are at home...

-..and they're very busy.

-Ieuan and Gwenda, it's rare

-to find both of you in the house.

-Yes.

-Where are you from, Gwenda?

-Pencaenewydd, near Chwilog.

-Really?

-Have you always lived here?

-Yes.

-Did you start the lorry business,

-or was a family concern?

-I started it.

-The man who used to run the lorries

-retired.

-Back in 1971, I think it was.

-That's when I started the business.

-I started transporting animals.

-Are you interested in machinery?

-You come from a mountain region

-where farming is prevalent.

-Were you interested in lorries?

-Were you interested in lorries?

-

-No, not really.

-I don't know.

-At the time, there was a

-decreasing demand for farm workers.

-It was a chance to seek employment.

-These days, this kind of thing

-is referred to as diversification.

-You're a farmer,

-your animals look good...

-..you have a good system.

-Farming and the lorries

-go hand in hand.

-Yes, you could say that -

-you do what you can.

-What's your job, Gwenda?

-I work full-time with the Farmers'

-Union of Wales, in Caernarfon.

-Do you enjoy it?

-Do you enjoy it?

-

-Yes.

-They're in good condition, Ieuan.

-They're in good condition, Ieuan.

-

-They're not bad at all, considering.

-They've certainly had enough to eat.

-These are mountain sheep.

-Where do you buy them -

-in Dolgellau?

-Yes, from there, and from Bryncir.

-There seem to be lots of twins.

-Yes, about half of them.

-Is this one of your best farms?

-The fields are lush.

-Look at those lambs.

-Do you use a ram

-for cross-breeding?

-We sell half the older ewes

-and keep half of them.

-They're mated with a Texel ram.

-Four-year-old ewes still have

-their best years ahead of them.

-That's true.

-We sell half of them and keep

-half of them for another year.

-They're strong sheep, and cross-

-breeding will often produce twins.

-Yes, most of them do.

-Yes, that's what I thought.

-Though perhaps one large lamb

-would be better.

-You could sell it sooner,

-when prices are high.

-This is an interesting area.

-It's been a traditional stronghold

-for the sheep industry.

-Ieuan employs three drivers,

-including Nel Owen, a young woman.

-She's already out on the road...

-..so I join Selwyn to fetch lambs

-from Llandwrog, near Caernarfon...

-..and take them back up the mountain

-for summer.

-Early April is a busy time.

-Bringing lambs home after winter.

-There are competing demands...

-..with lambing,

-and everything needs to be fed.

-Calving too.

-It's alright if the weather's fine.

-Yes, but there's a lot more work

-this year.

-I can't remember a previous April

-when the grass was so sparse.

-It's terrible, this year.

-It hasn't been so bad for years.

-We've had very hard frosts.

-Everywhere is bare - so bare.

-We're in the vicinity

-of Garndolbenmaen and Bryncir.

-We're not far from the sea.

-That's right, it's not far.

-It's just over there.

-It's very handy, with sheep.

-It means

-there's more grass available.

-There's been no grass

-over winter because of wet weather.

-The sheep haven't done

-as well as usual.

-These lambs have been away

-over winter, have they?

-Yes, about 150 of them.

-The sheep were brought here

-on 1 October, were they?

-Yes, that's right.

-They have none of the usual colour.

-No, they haven't done

-as well as usual, this year.

-I prefer them rather more yellow.

-It's quite dusty today.

-It hasn't been dusty

-for a long time.

-You're quite right.

-What we need in April is grass,

-not dust.

-Twenty-two?

-That's twenty-eight in total.

-In total.

-Hah!

-Oh!

-They could play for Wales!

-Hyah!

-In here.

-Imagine a dog race

-with three of these.

-You need an able dog.

-I left Sel, and headed for Croesor.

-I can remember climbing up Cnicht,

-many years ago, with Wil Croesor.

-I've met up with Nel.

-There's an old saying, "She may not

-be big, but she's big enough."

-She can turn her hand to anything.

-You're happy to work

-with all kinds of machines.

-Yes.

-Are there stones in the fodder?

-Yes, and we have to be careful

-when loading the machine.

-They can damage the blades

-on the machine.

-Are these good for sheep?

-Yes, they eat a lot.

-They'd eat it every day.

-We feed them every other day.

-This is the third or fourth load.

-How much in a load?

-A lot -

-this is an eight-wheeler load.

-You get about 25 tonnes in a load.

-It's a convenient feeding method.

-Breaking it up

-makes it easier on their teeth.

-Cattle will eat it too,

-but we keep it for the sheep.

-Yes.

-You're busy, moving from one job

-to another.

-That's right.

-The sheep have been waiting for you.

-It's very windy here.

-Yes, a hell of a wind!

-A hell of a wind!

-You said it!

-Yes!

-Right-ho!

-It's been years

-since I was last here beside Cnicht.

-On that occasion,

-I climbed to the top.

-It's good to see it again.

-I'm in Croesor.

-Ieuan has land in this area,

-and his sheep also graze on Cnicht.

-He and his grandson, Elis,

-are on their way here...

-..bringing lambs that were brought

-from the coast this morning...

-..back here for summer.

-I'm on my way to meet them.

-We leave the main highway

-and head for Croesor...

-..and Cnicht, along narrow lanes.

-It's very important that we keep

-these old traditions alive.

-Go around them, Elis.

-The lambs have come through

-the small village of Croesor.

-Bringing them through

-is a tricky job.

-There don't seem to be

-as many gates around...

-..and the lambs get everywhere

-in search of grass.

-Even here, there's more grass

-than there is on Cnicht.

-Elis, Ieuan's grandson,

-is working with him.

-Ieuan will tell you it's never too

-soon to start teaching these boys...

-..how to do this work.

-You have to be born in this place

-in order to farm here.

-Alright, boys?

-Champion.

-Will the sheep stay here for long?

-Will you shear them

-before taking them up the mountain?

-Yes, as soon

-as the weather improves.

-When they've had time to recover.

-They were going everywhere

-in search of grass.

-That's right.

-Tell me about

-your link with Croesor.

-I used to work here

-after leaving school...

-..for a number of years.

-I was privileged to be able

-to buy land here 20 years ago.

-I've been here ever since.

-I hope I'll have another 20 years!

-Yes, indeed!

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-The weather today

-at Ty Canol, Dolbenmaen...

-..is much better

-than the last time I visited.

-Several months have elapsed

-and spring has arrived.

-I'm joining Nel today.

-We're picking up a load of lambs

-in Anglesey.

-I'm looking forward to the trip.

-Where are you taking them?

-Where are you taking them?

-

-Merthyr Tydfil.

-Down to Merthyr.

-I won't be going all the way

-to Merthyr with you...

-..but I look forward

-to the trip to Anglesey.

-Away we go, Nel.

-You need plenty of room

-for such a big lorry.

-How long have you had a HGV licence?

-It must be four years

-or thereabouts.

-Really?

-Or maybe five years.

-I was 19 years old

-when I passed the test.

-I'm now 23 years old.

-Good gracious.

-Did you drive a big lorry

-for your test?

-Yes.

-I did my test in Caernarfon.

-I drove through Bangor too.

-How many lambs will you have in the

-lorry after you've finished loading?

-Five-fifty or five-sixty.

-It depends.

-It depends on their size.

-These lambs are fairly big.

-What's your maximum speed?

-Forty - you can drive

-at about forty.

-You can't go much faster than that,

-when loaded.

-Do you often make the trip

-from Anglesey to Merthyr?

-Yes, that's where we go, nowadays.

-The other abattoir closed.

-Did you lose a lot of business?

-Did you lose a lot of business?

-

-Yes, it was terrible.

-What's the longest distance

-that you travel?

-Do you drive to Scotland

-occasionally, for autumn sales?

-Yes.

-I've been to the mart in Kendall.

-We've had collections in that area.

-Bentham, Skipton - all those places.

-You can drive for four hours.

-You can drive for four hours.

-

-Four and a half hours.

-Then you must stop.

-How much can you drive in a day?

-Four and a half hours,

-then a 45-minute break...

-..then another

-four and a half hours.

-Do you bring your own food?

-Do you bring your own food?

-

-Yes, usually.

-I have to stop, anyway.

-If you hear a noise,

-it'll be me snoring!

-It's a very comfortable seat!

-Do you breed calves as well?

-No, we buy stores.

-You've got to load

-plenty of food too.

-How many do we have?

-How many do we have?

-

-Seventy-five.

-Seventy-five?

-Seventy-five?

-

-Were you expecting more?

-I thought he'd said

-one hundred and something.

-This is a difficult job.

-You have to count carefully

-and load them properly...

-..and you're always working

-against the clock.

-But she's managing well.

-Count how many there are left.

-Isn't it good to be young and agile?

-There's not much room

-between these floors.

-We're in Anglesey,

-land of the can-do people.

-All credit to Anglesey's farmers -

-these lambs are in good condition.

-She looks like a pretty little dog!

-Loading is a tough job.

-Yes, it's a tough job.

-They're fine lambs.

-Yes, very fine lambs.

-How are you doing?

-One more lot to come.

-I'll go and count them.

-SHE WHISTLES

-Good.

-Well done.

-Silage today?

-Silage today?

-

-Yes, finishing it.

-It's good to have fine weather.

-It's good to have fine weather.

-

-It makes a change from rain.

-Mind your feet.

-It has quite a strong spring.

-I doubt if it could lift me, though!

-It's a good day

-to travel on top of a lorry!

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to see you.

-

-You too.

-Keep up the good work!

-I'll take that.

-Seventy-seven.

-The mobile phone is one

-of the worst things ever created.

-MOBILE PHONE

-Hello.

-How's things?

-Yes, I'm leaving Plas now.

-Good, no problem.

-Shall I meet you in Brynsiencyn?

-Yes.

-Meet me at the top of the lane.

-I'll do that.

-Do you get the movement licence?

-Do you get the movement licence?

-

-Yes.

-I'll be on the quad bike.

-No problem.

-Thanks.

-What time will you arrive home

-tonight?

-I won't be coming home tonight.

-I'll find a place to park tonight,

-and drive back tomorrow morning.

-Is there much work in this area?

-Yes, we transport lots of cattle.

-Sometimes we'd take a load

-practically every day.

-Are they taken to St Merryn too?

-Yes, to St Merryn in Merthyr.

-Yes, to St Merryn in Merthyr.

-

-Thank the Lord for it.

-The closure of the Gaerwen abattoir

-was a huge blow.

-Yes, especially for us.

-Where did you take

-your first-ever load?

-I remember where I picked up

-my first load.

-In Tywyn.

-In Meirionnydd?

-In Meirionnydd?

-

-Dolgellau, yes.

-Is this your man?

-Yes, this is the job.

-He's got huge tyres

-on that motorbike.

-Six.

-WHISTLING

-Thank you.

-I shall leave you now, Nel.

-There we go, champion.

-Not that I've been much help.

-Will you have to do

-the unloading yourself?

-No, there are men to do it.

-The lorry will have to be washed.

-It's been quite an experience.

-You have a decent load to transport.

-Yes - about five-forty.

-Yes - about five-forty.

-

-Do you enjoy your work?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-

-It's hard work.

-Yes, it is.

-There aren't many women

-who drive big lorries.

-Look after yourself.

-I will.

-Don't make a fortune, because

-that's what I'm trying to do!

-Thanks, ta-ra!

-This is Cwm Pennant, is it?

-This is Cwm Pennant, is it?

-

-Yes.

-Many of these houses

-are probably holiday homes.

-Yes, they are.

-Those two,

-and there's another behind us.

-That one, too.

-There's a church and a church house.

-Is that Cwm Pennant church?

-Yes, Llan church.

-I don't know

-when it stopped being a church.

-Do you remember services there?

-Do you remember services there?

-

-No.

-You're too young!

-Well, yes!

-You have a little freedom

-at the moment.

-It's nearly the middle of June.

-The lorries will be getting busy.

-It's hard work, managing lorries

-and raising cattle.

-I spend most of my time at home.

-I sometimes unload or pick up,

-when the need arises.

-Whoa, boys.

-You won't have any trouble

-selling these.

-With a bit of luck.

-They've had plenty to graze.

-Food is what they need.

-They're black Limos and Charolais,

-are they?

-Yes.

-We get heifers from the black Limo.

-I have several cows with some

-Welsh Black and Aberdeen in them.

-We can keep our own heifers.

-It's important to have the

-native breed on the maternal side.

-You need good milk producers.

-Without milk,

-you don't have anything.

-The Charolais are a good shape.

-You must have a good bull.

-You must have a good bull.

-

-We have our own bull.

-He's home-bred, from a heifer we

-bought in Welshpool a few years ago.

-From Pennie in Welshpool.

-It has the right breeding.

-They calve quite easily too.

-Did he sire that white heifer?

-No.

-She was sired by next-door's bull!

-You have good neighbours!

-S4C subtitles by Trosol Cyf.