Pennant, Gwytherin Cefn Gwlad

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-April 2013

-It's late April...

-..and I'm vicinity

-of Pennant Gwytherin...

-..not far from Llanrwst, Conwy.

-The area has recently recovered...

-..from the longest and cruellest

-spring in living memory.

-But sheep and lambs

-can still be heard bleating.

-People here are smiling too...

-..and I'm looking forward

-to meeting them.

-SHEEP AND LAMBS BLEAT

-Merddyn is farmed by Tudor Thomas

-and his wife, Bronwen...

-..and their sons,

-Medwyn and Bleddyn.

-Tudor's family has lived here

-for several generations.

-What breed are most of the sheep?

-Welsh Mountain?

-Welsh Mountain?

-

-Yes, Welsh Mountain.

-And we have Border Leicester

-and Texel rams.

-Do you sell ewe lambs for breeding?

-No, we keep our ewe lambs.

-Do you?

-We haven't sold

-any ewe lambs for years.

-The fields

-are starting to become greener.

-It's nearly the end of April.

-It's nearly the end of April.

-

-Yes, things are starting to improve.

-It's not as grey as it was.

-How high above sea level

-is the farm?

-Here, we're fairly low down.

-It's about 750 feet here,

-rising to about 1,400 feet.

-Let me get my bearings.

-In which direction is Hiraethog?

-Hiraethog is all around us.

-It starts on this side

-and extends all around us.

-I'm sure you get long winters

-up there.

-Yes, we do!

-Have you always lived here?

-Yes - I'm the fourth generation.

-Don't let me keep you.

-The lads will be waiting for you.

-WHISTLING

-This is a very windy spot, Medwyn.

-This is a very windy spot, Medwyn.

-

-Yes, it is.

-Your father said

-it's 1,400 feet above sea level.

-It can be a tough place.

-It can be a tough place.

-

-Yes, the weather can be rough.

-You've been improving

-a lot of the land up here.

-Yes, we've been improving most of

-it, to try to increase production.

-It still costs money

-to keep it going.

-Yes - manure costs money.

-Tell me about the ewes.

-Many of them are lambing

-lower down the valley.

-You don't send them away

-over winter.

-No.

-The only sheep that we send away

-for wintering are the ewe lambs.

-Fair play to you.

-We've had a terribly bad

-winter and spring...

-..but the sheep look well.

-You've been transporting feed

-for them, have you?

-Yes, for months.

-Do they get silage as well?

-Do they get silage as well?

-

-Yes, silage and cake.

-You have acres of land up here.

-It's a good place to work dogs,

-and you need good dogs.

-We'd be lost without the dogs.

-I'll follow you down to bottom.

-Right.

-It's not a place to linger.

-Thank you.

-Upland farming demands

-particular knowledge and skills.

-Bleddyn is working hard to improve

-these difficult upland areas.

-Of course, they've been born

-to this work.

-I wouldn't go up there

-for all the gold in Peru.

-No?

-It's extremely steep

-near the trees at the top.

-Yes, it's pretty steep.

-Modern ploughs

-do a good job, though.

-Yes, they're good.

-They loosen up the soil

-and the old surface.

-This allows fresh grass to grow.

-Many farmers would sow seed as well.

-That's right,

-it would probably do a good job.

-If the land

-already contains plenty of lime.

-Do you apply lime in these areas?

-Yes, that's what I'll be doing.

-There are some areas where

-a standard lime spreader can't go.

-What other things do you do?

-I clear gorse

-with a forestry mulcher...

-..between September and April

-or late March...

-..and I apply fertilizer

-in April and May.

-I turn and treat the soil.

-And then we're back

-to square one.

-So it takes up a lot of the year.

-You also lend a hand at home.

-Yes, with other jobs.

-You must have a soft spot

-for this area.

-I could never leave,

-not for all the money in the world.

-How many farm wives, like Bronwen,

-have been rearing orphan lambs?

-Do you have many orphan lambs?

-Do you have many orphan lambs?

-

-Yes.

-You say "llywaeth", don't you?

-You say "llywaeth", don't you?

-

-Yes, we call them "wyn llywaeth".

-It's been such a bad

-winter and spring.

-The lambs must be brought inside.

-The lambs must be brought inside.

-

-You can't just leave them.

-That's right.

-LAMBS BLEAT LOUDLY

-Good gracious!

-There are lots!

-Yes.

-How many times a day

-do you feed them?

-Four times a day, if I can.

-All the lambing takes place indoors,

-I suppose?

-All the cross-bred ewes.

-Feeding all these is hard work.

-Some of them haven't got used

-to the bucket yet.

-They'll learn.

-But it's late April

-and lambing is coming to an end.

-Will you be weaning them

-on to pellets?

-And then they'll go outside.

-I've started weaning some of them,

-and they're eating a little.

-The larger lambs.

-The smaller lambs are over there.

-SHEEP AND LAMBS BLEAT

-The sun has reached

-Pennant Gwytherin.

-This is Bryn Clochydd Farm...

-..the home of Morris Jones

-and his family.

-The sun is shining,

-and I'm wearing my sun hat.

-Let's hope it works!

-If not, I'll sell it!

-It's early June.

-The sheep and the lambs

-have fattened well.

-It's surprising, the way they've...

-..come through the winter,

-and the spring, especially.

-But we'd been feeding them heavily.

-A matter of necessity.

-I'm sure.

-Your sheep are very white,

-aren't they?

-We've been breeding these for years.

-They're mules and half-breeds.

-We've been breeding for size,

-and as dense a fleece as possible.

-Size, too.

-And you want them

-to have white heads.

-Yes.

-Your lambs do you credit.

-They're not very old.

-They were born in April.

-I should imagine they wanted

-to go back where they came from!

-That's right!

-Do you carry out all the work

-yourself?

-Most of it, though I bring in help

-occasionally.

-I use contractors for some jobs.

-I see.

-I was coming up towards the farm.

-It's six weeks

-since I last visited the area.

-Silage seems to be coming along

-quickly.

-We're only just starting.

-The wind is still northerly and cold

-but the grass is growing.

-In just a few weeks' time -

-about two weeks...

-..it'll be the longest day.

-The solstice, yes.

-You call it "troad y rhod"?

-I don't want to hinder you.

-Are you earmarking?

-The Bryn Clochydd earmark.

-A two-cut notch

-on the lower edge of the right ear.

-And a folded notch

-on the lower edge of the left ear.

-I had though it was unique

-to Bryn Clochydd...

-..but I discovered that Gwyn Berry

-uses the same mark.

-It wouldn't surprise me...

-..if every sheep in North Wales

-had Gwyn Berry's mark!

-What a character!

-Let me put some pitch on this ewe.

-We have to use

-this particular pitch.

-The mark say "BC".

-That looks old.

-The mark fades.

-These sheep live a long time.

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-So this is your mountain pasture.

-This is Bryn Clochydd's pasture.

-It's on Mynydd Hiraethog.

-Each farm in the Gwytherin Valley

-has pasture.

-Some of you have improved

-extensive areas of the mountain.

-Yes, some farmers have been able to

-do so because the land is quite dry.

-But in some of these parts,

-the land is much too wet...

-..to do anything with it.

-Wet land often comes within

-the remit of conservation schemes.

-I do understand and accept...

-..that subsidies are needed

-in places like this.

-The growing season

-doesn't last long in these areas.

-It's very short - especially

-in years like this one.

-It lasts just a few months.

-If we didn't receive subsidies,

-there would be far fewer farmers...

-..and we'd have to farm

-on a far bigger scale.

-Boundaries are important

-for all farms.

-You have very good fences.

-A matter of necessity.

-Like every other farm,

-we must have fences.

-When I bought the farm in '72...

-..there weren't any hedges

-or fences.

-That was the very first thing I did.

-I put brand new fences everywhere.

-Over three miles of fencing.

-The posts for this fence

-are 40 years old.

-These are the posts I bought in '72.

-They're made from softwood...

-..but they've been dried

-and treated with a chemical...

-..whatever it is they use.

-The posts were properly dried

-and treated, and they've lasted.

-This fence is quite new,

-and it's attached to the old posts.

-I see you're erecting new posts too.

-We've applied creosote to the base,

-and we've dried them.

-But I'm sure they won't last

-as long as these posts.

-It's a very good valley for farmers.

-It stretches all the way

-from the road to the peak.

-You have mountain pasture...

-Mountain pasture.

-Mountain pasture.

-

-And land in the valley.

-The problem for many of us...

-..is that there isn't enough land

-to grow crops...

-..compared with the amount

-of land for grazing.

-It can be a problem.

-WHISTLING

-What could be better

-than shearing out in the pasture?

-All you need is a fine day

-and plenty of sheep.

-Tudor is in his element -

-and indeed the whole family.

-And there's a bonus -

-we have a champion shearer...

-..a local lad, Gareth Evans.

-We've been up here in cold weather,

-but today, it's glorious.

-Yes, it's much better.

-Even though spring came late...

-..are you keeping to the same dates

-for shearing?

-Close enough.

-The sheep are in fine condition.

-The sheep are in fine condition.

-

-They're not bad.

-This is far easier

-than taking them down to the farm.

-Shearing up here.

-It's what we do

-if the weather's fine.

-You shear in lots, do you?

-You shear in lots, do you?

-

-Yes.

-You must be getting hot, Gareth.

-You must be getting hot, Gareth.

-

-Yes, it's hot.

-You're the Welsh champion.

-It's good to see you

-out here in the mountains.

-I'm sure this work is in your blood.

-Yes.

-I live close to this area.

-Are you a farmer?

-Yes - I was granted

-a council farm last year.

-Well done.

-You're getting through them

-very quickly.

-The shearing's going very well.

-Yes, and the sheep are looking well.

-Yes, they are.

-Have you been abroad recently?

-Yes - I was in France last week.

-I was representing Wales

-in the Six Nations.

-Did you do well?

-Yes, we did -

-Wales beat France in the end.

-We did well.

-It takes me more time than that

-to peel a banana!

-Anwen, the women are in charge

-of wrapping the fleeces.

-You're Tudor's sister, aren't you?

-You're Tudor's sister, aren't you?

-

-Yes.

-So you were born and raised

-in this area.

-Yes.

-And you've learned

-how to wrap fleeces.

-Did more people take part

-when you were a child?

-People stopped using hand shears

-in 1959, at Merddyn...

-..and turned to machines.

-You have the Welsh champion

-here today.

-Only the best!

-You're working hard, Sara.

-Very hard work, in this weather.

-You're Medwyn's partner.

-Were you brought up on a farm?

-Were you brought up on a farm?

-

-Yes.

-I come from Rhes-y-cae

-in Flintshire, originally.

-I moved here six months ago.

-And you're the granddaughter of the

-late Gwyn Jones of Rhes-y-cae...

-..the sheepdog expert.

-Yes, but don't ask me

-about sheepdogs - I'm hopeless!

-It's hot, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

-I was watching Sara

-wrapping the wool.

-Things are going well.

-Things are going well.

-

-Yes.

-The sheep are in good condition

-after such a bad winter.

-It's remarkable that they survived.

-Have you nearly finished shearing?

-Yes, we have

-about two more lots to go.

-Just another two groups.

-Elwyn, this is the most important

-job of the day...

-..keeping the shearers supplied.

-I'm keeping the pen three-quarters

-full - I don't want it too full.

-They'd be pushing the doors out.

-They'd be pushing the doors out.

-

-Your wife is wrapping fleeces.

-It's very much a family affair.

-Yes.

-You're filling plenty of sacks,

-Bleddyn.

-Yes, we're doing quite well.

-What happens to the wool?

-It's sent to Ruthin.

-There's a depot in Ruthin?

-There's a depot in Ruthin?

-

-Yes.

-It used to be in Denbigh.

-What has the ploughing been like

-this year?

-Very good, unlike last year.

-Much better.

-The work has been done in good time.

-The work has been done in good time.

-

-Taking the old tractor out.

-Yes, and the weather's been hot.

-Very dusty.

-This is Llwyn Saint Farm.

-It's the home of Meirion Williams

-and his family.

-Does your land

-stretch all the way to the river?

-Yes, the river forms a boundary.

-It's a very meandering river.

-Yes, very much so.

-What is it called?

-What is it called?

-

-This is the Cledwen river.

-It rises in the mountain.

-There's a large bog up there.

-It flows towards St Asaph.

-I see.

-The sheep are Texels, are they?

-Yes, all our sheep

-are Texel crosses.

-And this is your grandson.

-Your name is Llion, isn't it?

-Your name is Llion, isn't it?

-

-Yes.

-Which school do you attend?

-Which school do you attend?

-

-Dyffryn Conwy.

-Do you like school?

-Do you like school?

-

-No!

-What an emphatic answer!

-But you're enjoying the holidays

-at the moment.

-I heard you'd been to Llanelwedd

-to buy a ram.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-

-What breed?

-Texel, and he's a very fine ram.

-From where did he come?

-From Tophill in Lancashire.

-Tophill?

-That's...

-That's a very good flock.

-Nowadays, the big breeders

-have shares in rams.

-Is that what you've done?

-Yes, I have a share with my uncle.

-He has more experience

-of keeping sheep.

-I've only just started.

-On the other side of the valley...

-..Dewi Roberts and his son

-are making silage.

-Dewi is well-known local character.

-I see you've been marking boundaries

-and erecting fences.

-Parts of your land

-are very widely scattered.

-Some had never been touched.

-The ideal way to go about it...

-..was to rotovate the land

-in September, just once...

-..and leave it alone all winter.

-Without seeding?

-No, just leave it to the frosts.

-By early summer, it was good.

-Is this silage for your own stock?

-Is this silage for your own stock?

-

-Yes.

-Though I'll sell most of it.

-Really?

-You're a seller?

-I sell most of the big bales.

-They've been selling well,

-especially last year.

-They might do even better this year.

-People say there's a shortage.

-Does a tear come to your eye when

-you consider how expensive it is?

-No.

-It's costs a lot to grow.

-Yes.

-Nuts are expensive, fuel is

-expensive, wrapping is expensive.

-The costs just go on and on.

-Is that your son driving?

-Is that your son driving?

-

-Yes, that's Eryl.

-How many children do you have?

-We have two sons.

-And you're a busy man.

-And you're a busy man.

-

-I know!

-I'm too old to be busy!

-SHEEP AND LAMBS BLEAT

-S4C subtitles by Trosol Cyf.