Eirian Morgan Cefn Gwlad

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-January 2016

-What an interesting area -

-I'm visiting Pentre Ty-gwyn...

-..not far from Llandovery,

-in Carmarthenshire.

-And just on the other side

-of the hill...

-..you'll find the former home

-of William Williams Pantycelyn.

-I'm here to meet a young man

-who's working in his home area.

-He was determined to stay

-and make a living...

-..by fencing and hedge laying,

-just like the craftsmen of old.

-Such skills are sorely needed.

-His name is Eirian Morgan.

-EIRIAN MORGAN

-Llandovery

-Eirian and his family live

-in Trecastle, near Sennybridge.

-His work covers a wide area,

-from Llandeilo to Brecon.

-He spends a lot of his time...

-..travelling

-along narrow rural roads.

-Laying hedges

-is Eirian's speciality...

-..a difficult craft to learn,

-but he has the ability.

-That's good work.

-Is this the Breconshire style?

-Is this the Breconshire style?

-

-Yes, this is the Breconshire style.

-My uncle and I

-laid this hedge last week.

-My uncle has a lot of experience.

-He fancied working with me on this

-hedge, so we did it together.

-How long did it take?

-We took about a day and a morning.

-Yes, that's right.

-How do you determine your fee?

-We charge per metre.

-We charge extra for poles,

-since we have to pay for those.

-It's good work.

-It's beside the road, everyone

-can see it, so it's a good advert.

-Have you ever taken part

-in hedge laying competitions?

-No, not really.

-When I started fencing, I wasn't

-at all interested in laying hedges.

-But more and more

-hedge laying jobs came up...

-..and I had to answer the demand.

-This one shows skill.

-Yes, it's good.

-Currently, a hedge needs laying...

-..along the lane

-leading to Aberpedwar Farm...

-..near Pentre Ty-gwyn.

-Helping Eirian today

-is another local man, Carwyn Dyer.

-Things are going well, Eirian.

-Things are going well, Eirian.

-

-Yes, it's good.

-Are you asked to do

-a lot of hedge laying?

-Not so much, nowadays.

-But it keeps us going in winter.

-This area - Trecastle,

-Llandovery, Breconshire...

-..has its own style of hedge laying,

-and it's still popular.

-Yes.

-A few years ago...

-..there was more demand

-because of the Tir Gofal scheme.

-Demand has fallen in recent years.

-But now, with the Glastir scheme,

-there's been a resurgence.

-How did you begin to do this work?

-Did you have farming ambitions

-after leaving school?

-My father worked as a contractor...

-..carrying out work such as

-ploughing and spreading lime...

-..and I got into fencing

-as winter work.

-I worked for various contractors.

-When one contractor packed up,

-I was offered the work...

-..so I took a bank loan

-to buy kit for the job.

-I've been self-employed

-for almost ten years.

-I think it proves...

-..how heartbreaking it is

-for people raised in rural areas...

-..and for people

-who are involved in farming...

-..to hear others say,

-"There's nothing for us to do."

-You have to look for things to do.

-There's plenty to do.

-If you're willing to work,

-there's plenty to do.

-That's my opinion.

-We lay hedges and erect fences

-throughout winter.

-In summer, people can hire me

-as a tractor driver.

-Or farmers hire me

-to carry out concreting.

-I'm available for that type of work.

-This looks very neat, Carwyn.

-Well, it's coming along.

-There's a lot of work involved.

-There's some trimming to do,

-now that we've finished pegging.

-You're also a farmer.

-Yes, I have a farm.

-I also work two or three days

-a week in town, at GT & E Feeds...

-..I help out.

-Well done.

-You have eggs in several baskets.

-You have eggs in several baskets.

-

-That's right.

-Jack of all trades, master of none!

-I'd say you're doing a good job.

-It's good to watch you at work.

-Rural crafts are often overlooked.

-Yes, they're dying out.

-I know that this

-is just an old hedge...

-..but it provides shelter

-in a field for young lambs.

-A stone wall or a hedge

-provides vital shelter.

-Yes, that's right.

-Eirian is still hammering away.

-I'll leave the hard work to him -

-I'll get on with some tidying!

-Good!

-Is this the area you cover -

-from Trecastle to Llandovery?

-Yes, and I even travel as far

-as Llandeilo for work, quite often.

-I work within a 25-mile radius

-of Trecastle and Llandovery.

-That's the limit, really.

-Two of you work together.

-You can call on Carwyn

-when you need him.

-Things work out well.

-Employing someone

-would be difficult.

-Last winter, I had to take several

-days off because of wet weather.

-I wasn't able to work.

-There's also the paperwork

-and other considerations.

-You work, you send your bills, money

-comes in - that's how it works.

-Yes, definitely.

-Major jobs come along

-from time to time.

-Most of the time, it's small jobs,

-but we do large jobs occasionally.

-We like small jobs.

-We do them quickly and we're paid

-straight away, it's good.

-Some boys don't like small jobs,

-they want the large jobs.

-That's my original home -

-that's where Mam and Dad live.

-My uncle farms at Ferdre

-and Mam and Dad live at Tyle Glas.

-Eirian has been carrying out

-this work for ten years.

-Examples of his craftsmanship can

-often be seen beside the roads...

-..as you travel around the area.

-This fence

-comes under the Glastir scheme.

-It's a large double fence.

-It's a large double fence.

-

-Yes, it's Glastir work.

-I've used tanalised materials

-beside the road...

-..and creosoted material

-on the inside.

-There's a wide strip

-between the two fences.

-A new hedge has been planted

-to replace the old one.

-It's coming along nicely.

-We've put barbed wire

-on the inside of the posts.

-Beside a road, barbed wire

-must go on the inside.

-These posts are creosoted.

-These posts are creosoted.

-

-They have a 15-year guarantee.

-We'll see what they're like

-in 15 years.

-The main problem with posts

-is that they rot so quickly.

-It's terrible.

-They rot in the ground and snap.

-But there's a 15-year guarantee

-on those.

-I'd like to see them

-in 15 years' time.

-You probably will.

-Hedge laying has always been

-an important feature in this area.

-In other areas,

-you see fences beside hedges.

-They perform a necessary function.

-But in this area, it must be said,

-there aren't many gaps in hedges.

-No.

-The original hedges

-were laid so well.

-Many local farmers took part

-in Tir Gofal and Tir Cymen schemes.

-Hedges were covered

-by those schemes.

-We've had a hard winter.

-It's been terribly wet,

-and we're behind with our work.

-When the weather improves,

-we'll be very busy.

-I can't take the tractor

-off tarmac, at the moment.

-Even using a bike makes a mess.

-We're coming up to Babel Hall.

-It's a new hall, is it?

-It's been renovated in recent years.

-It looks nice.

-It's a venue for eisteddfodau,

-whist drives and other events.

-The old rural craft of hedge laying

-is dying out, gradually.

-Nowadays, there's a greater demand

-for Eirian's skills...

-..in erecting stock fencing.

-That was quick work.

-Yes.

-Modern equipment is amazing.

-These fencing machines are superb.

-Yes - I'd be lost without this.

-I'm sure.

-The ground can be very hard.

-The ground is quite hard, here.

-It can be rocky.

-There's also the road.

-You do a lot of fencing.

-Is it your main work?

-Yes, there's plenty

-of fencing work to do.

-But as you know, the last

-three months have been so wet...

-..so we're behind in our work.

-But we try to do a little

-every week.

-Usually, you work as a pair.

-There's netting

-and barbed wire to fix.

-No-one else was available today,

-so I'm working on my own.

-I enjoyed watching you

-preparing the posts.

-You use a chainsaw

-to cut sharp points on old posts..

-It means we can reuse them.

-I put a pole behind a strut,

-to support it...

-..struts take a lot of strain.

-This was your original home.

-This was your original home.

-

-Yes, this is Tyle Glas.

-Your father still lives here.

-Your father still lives here.

-

-Yes, and Mam.

-That farm over there, Ferdre,

-is the old home.

-You just have to fix

-the barbed wire, and you'll be done.

-Your son is helping you.

-Your son is helping you.

-

-He's around here, somewhere.

-Yes, he's here.

-Your name is Alun, isn't it?

-Yes.

-How old are you?

-How old are you?

-

-I'm 14 years old.

-What school do you attend?

-Brecon High School.

-You go to school in Brecon?

-Have you any thoughts about what

-you want to do after leaving school?

-I want to work with Dad.

-Excellent.

-Have you been helping him for long?

-Yes.

-Are you waiting for the day

-when you can drive the tractor?

-Yes!

-You're very handy with the bike.

-I like the bike.

-It's good.

-You're wearing a rugby shirt -

-do you like rugby?

-Yes, I like rugby.

-I play football, but I like rugby.

-I play football, but I like rugby.

-

-You play football?

-Maybe Swansea will sign you up.

-I support Swansea.

-So do I.

-We have a lot in common -

-farming and football!

-All the best.

-Don't let me hinder you -

-I don't want Dad shouting at me!

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-Most of the day-to-day work...

-..for Eirian Morgan

-and his colleague, Carwyn Dyer...

-..involves laying hedges,

-and fencing.

-But today,

-they have a different task.

-They're at Garddfady Farm

-in Pentre Ty-gwyn...

-..and they're dismantling

-some old stables.

-We're dismantling these.

-They've already been sold.

-New stables will be built

-to replace them.

-These stables aren't high enough.

-The owners have four or five horses.

-We've done a lot of fencing

-on the farm...

-..now, I've been asked

-to take these out.

-Someone's coming

-to pick them up tomorrow.

-We've numbered all the sections, so

-that the buyer can reassemble them.

-I've seen some nice paddocks.

-We fenced those paddocks

-shortly before Christmas.

-The owners are incomers, are they?

-The owners are incomers, are they?

-

-Yes.

-What is the name of the farm?

-It's called Garddfady.

-It used to be a very large farm.

-It's changed hands several times,

-blocks of land have been sold off.

-About 20 acres remain.

-The land is used for keeping horses.

-There are lots of different jobs

-you're able to carry out.

-Yes, there are.

-We were offered this job.

-It's the type of job

-we can do on a wet day.

-After a hard day's work,

-the old stables have been removed.

-A new drainage channel

-is being installed on the floor.

-We've now removed the stables.

-We've been installing

-concrete dishes.

-When the new stables are in place...

-..water for washing them out

-will be channelled through.

-It's your job

-to keep customers satisfied.

-You have to work

-to your customers' specifications...

-..as far as you can.

-Yes, and if they're happy,

-I'm happy.

-That's right.

-After Eirian and Carwyn

-finished the preparation work...

-..a firm of specialists came in

-to build the new stables.

-Good gracious!

-There's a huge difference.

-They've been busy.

-They've been busy.

-

-Indeed.

-There are five new stables.

-And a feed room, too.

-Yes, and a tack room, behind you.

-I understand they used a

-Corwen-based construction company.

-That's right.

-It carries out work in Orkney,

-and in Scotland and Ireland.

-These stables are magnificent.

-They're an impressive sight.

-I always have something on the go.

-I'd say I always have

-at least a month's work ahead of me.

-I'm even busier at the moment,

-because the winter was so long.

-As the weather improves,

-we'll have more fencing jobs.

-Very nice.

-I'm glad, and I hope

-the work keeps coming.

-I hope so too.

-We did some fencing in this area

-last year...

-..over 2,000 metres of it.

-The weather was terribly wet

-at the time...

-..but we had to get on with it,

-because of deadlines.

-We just got on with it, really.

-I enjoyed that trip.

-Very interesting.

-Will the tea caravan be closed?

-I'm not sure.

-A good excuse to go to the local!

-That's right!

-The 'local', for Eirian,

-is the small catering van...

-..run by his wife, Wendy.

-The business operates at the

-roadside, just outside Trecastle.

-Today, their son, Alun,

-and daughter, Casey...

-..are helping Wendy.

-Everybody's here!

-Hello, Wendy - are you well?

-Hello, Wendy - are you well?

-

-Yes, good, thank you.

-Been busy this morning?

-Been busy this morning?

-

-Very busy.

-We'd better have a coffee each.

-We've been very busy, too!

-Coffee?

-Coffee?

-

-Please.

-What do you want?

-What do you want?

-

-Tea for me, please.

-Would you like something to eat?

-Would you like something to eat?

-

-No, I'm fine.

-Although if you're paying,

-perhaps I should reconsider!

-A triple cheeseburger, please!

-What's your daughter's name.

-What's your daughter's name.

-

-Casey.

-Casey, how are you?

-Fine, thanks.

-Well done!

-Are you a member

-of Trecastle Young Farmers' Club?

-Yes, and I perform with them.

-It's drama week, isn't it?

-Yes.

-How long have you been here

-in the lay-by?

-About a year, now, I think.

-Really?

-And you're busy - I passed you

-one morning, and it was all go.

-It's always busy, which is good.

-What time do you finish?

-What time do you finish?

-

-About 3.00pm.

-You live just up the road.

-Only in the village, so it's good.

-Have you worked behind the counter?

-Have you worked behind the counter?

-

-I worked a single day.

-Never again!

-Not my cup of tea!

-It's mine, anyway!

-I did one day, but no,

-I wouldn't want to do it again.

-It's quite stressful, actually,

-when it's busy.

-Trying to remember the orders.

-It looks less stressful

-than working in mud!

-After a quick cuppa, we make our way

-to Penywaun, Carwyn's home.

-He needs Eirian's help

-with installing a new gate.

-Lifting the old post

-is the first step.

-You won't recognise the old place

-when you get home, Carwyn!

-Gates should hang properly -

-it's a nuisance if they don't.

-Machines can make the work

-very easy.

-Yes.

-This is a 10-foot gate.

-I need wider gates

-to accommodate larger machines.

-And I'm a poor driver!

-Have you always lived here?

-Yes, Penywaun Farm, up there,

-is where I was born and raised...

-..and my father, before me.

-Having the right tools

-makes the work easy.

-Yes, the job's done.

-I like that machine

-for boring holes.

-It saves a lot of time,

-compared with doing it by hand.

-You could do with filling in a bit,

-underneath the gate.

-Yes, we've placed it higher

-so we can put rubble underneath.

-Cattle will try to jump

-over anything.

-Everything's muddy at the moment.

-We'll bring in some rubble,

-when conditions are drier.

-It's level, fair play.

-We'll install the other post,

-and the job will be done.

-You know, fencing and installing

-gates has become so easy...

-..I'm tempted to try it for myself!

-There you go - do you want a job?!

-I could give you two days a week!

-It would require quite a sacrifice!

-Things have improved a lot over

-the years, with better machinery.

-Good fences make good neighbours.

-That's right.

-Eirian and Carwyn

-are very fortunate.

-They live, and work every day,

-in this delightful area.

-As the number of rural craftspeople

-dwindles...

-..local residents

-are also fortunate to have them.

-S4C subtitles by Trosol Cyf.

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