Llyr Hughes a'r Teulu Cefn Gwlad

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-The sun has drawn me

-to the banks of Llyn Alaw...

-..on Anglesey.

-I'm on my way

-to Fferam Gyd farm in Llanbabo...

-..home to Llyr Hughes, his wife

-Laura and their three children.

-They specialize

-in producing beef cattle.

-They have a herd

-of very, very good Limousins.

-We'll also visit Llyr's parents.

-I'll keep their names a surprise as

-you'll recognize them immediately.

-It's nice

-to be here in the sunshine...

-..to see a family

-who are enthusiastic farmers.

-There isn't much shelter

-here in the north of Anglesey.

-The wind is a part of life.

-One of the first things that hits

-you about Fferam Gyd therefore...

-..is the wind turbines.

-They're a striking backdrop...

-..to a field of excellent cattle

-owned by Llyr Hughes and family.

-Among them is Legend, the bull

-who won the Limousin championship...

-..at this year's Royal Welsh Show.

-These calved

-about two or three months ago.

-They're a bit later

-than the commercials.

-I try and get the bulls ready

-by May.

-You don't want them

-to be too old or too young.

-You want them ready

-at the right time.

-How did you start -

-by buying a few cows?

-I bought her for 1,400 guineas.

-And she's the daughter

-of your first cow.

-She's special.

-Not because she's a special cow,

-but she has a special name.

-I named her after Mam - Dilys.

-She was the first animal to be

-registered under the Pabo herd name.

-Dilys.

-Dilys.

-

-Named after your mother.

-She bred Legend and a few heifers.

-That family is the best one I have.

-That family is the best one I have.

-

-Who's the legend, you?

-Not at all.

-My mother's the legend!

-This one was in the Team of Five

-this summer.

-This one.

-She's a good one.

-A second calver?

-A second calver?

-

-First.

-She won her class this year

-and last year.

-She'll be flushed this month.

-Goodness gracious.

-They look good.

-Have you competed

-in grassland competitions at all?

-We won the Grassland Management

-competition in Wales in 2010.

-Did you?

-It doesn't matter

-what your herd is like.

-It doesn't matter

-what your flock is like.

-If you don't have this,

-you've no hope.

-It's everything.

-The rest will follow, with luck.

-It's so important.

-The animals come along well.

-The animals look clean.

-They're healthy.

-You know yourself how important

-it is to have healthy animals.

-They're part of your life.

-They're your bread and butter.

-I used to play a lot of rugby.

-I had to have a hobby of some kind.

-These started as a hobby

-and it's grown from there.

-I'm sure the entire herd

-will be red by the end.

-Will they?

-You have some nice crosses.

-They take Belgians too,

-and they make good cattle.

-They're good stores.

-What do you do

-when bills come through the post...

-..come down to look at these?

-..come down to look at these?

-

-Yes.

-I go to see them anyway.

-I go to see them anyway.

-

-Bills or no bills!

-They're instantly forgotten!

-That's what I thought!

-It's the beginning of September.

-Time for Llyr to prepare the earth

-for another season of sowing...

-..before autumn's wet weather

-begins.

-It's reddening nicely.

-It's reddening nicely.

-

-Yes, it's coming along.

-It's ready to be resown

-to become pasture.

-It hasn't been pasture

-for eight or nine years.

-It's had two crops of barley.

-We've put pig slurry on it...

-..and I hope it'll be sown

-before the weekend.

-Only seeds.

-Only seeds.

-

-Yes, grass seeds only, with clover.

-I've never seen

-so many wind turbines!

-They're all over!

-They're all over!

-

-They're good company!

-This cleans the soil.

-It was sprayed a few times when

-barley was grown and now it's clean.

-It makes a difference.

-The pasture will be clean, fresh

-and will grow well.

-Some say that today's seeds

-don't last as long as they used to.

-Places like Cockle Park Farm

-use old seed mixes.

-I agree to an extent.

-However, the seeds sown now,

-when they do work, they work hard.

-They grow for seven or eight years

-and then they perish.

-But when they grow, they grow well.

-That's what I've found.

-Early autumn is a good time to sow.

-The weeds, if there are any left...

-I have two or three weeks

-to sow grass seeds...

-..before it gets too wet.

-How many acres will you sow?

-How many acres will you sow?

-

-Around 40-45.

-That much of the farm will be fresh.

-Yes, around 10%.

-A field of food

-for the herd next year.

-Red Limousin cattle aren't

-the only ones on Fferam Gyd farm.

-The crossbreeds are important too.

-These are the bread and butter.

-The cows calve in spring.

-We sell most of them.

-We keep the heifers for breeding.

-The steers go to Morgan Evans,

-who sell them.

-You say

-the animals are sold in spring.

-How old are the calves

-when you sell them?

-Between six and eight months old.

-They've grown well.

-They've not been given creep

-but they will in time.

-They'll be tested, castrated...

-..and the cows

-will be scanned in early October.

-The empty cows will go

-and the rest will calve later on.

-The heifers that come in

-will be used for breeding.

-They will be put with the bull

-when they're 15 months old.

-I've noticed that you also use

-a British Blue bull quite a lot.

-Yes, he certainly has a job here

-with the females.

-A good shape always sells well.

-He does a good job and the calving

-is quite easy too.

-The bull with this lot

-is 20 months old.

-His father was a champion

-when I bought him in Carlisle.

-That was six years ago and I've just

-sold him to a neighbour of mine.

-His son is here now. We're very

-pleased with the British Blue.

-You only have to sell at market

-a couple of days a year.

-There's no time to go every week

-and sit around.

-Just like you, I'm too busy!

-It's not all about cattle. There's

-a lovely flock of sheep here too.

-Llyr prepares the Beltex-Texel

-cross rams to go out to work.

-Bless them.

-Do you put this harness on them

-every year?

-They're really handy

-when it comes to the management.

-I try to keep a daily record

-of which sheep are served by rams.

-I then know when I need staff

-and when to feed the animals.

-When I've got two or three hundred,

-I change the colour.

-I'll know which come first, followed

-by the next 200 and the next 200.

-I don't have to feed the last 200

-with the first group.

-It saves me a few quid.

-It's quite time-consuming.

-Yes, but in the long run,

-I save time and money.

-I start with yellow,

-then red and finally, blue.

-How many sheep

-will be given to each ram?

-Forty.

-Pretty tight to start

-and then slacken them up.

-When they're busy

-they have forty each.

-These straps have padding

-and they are quite wide.

-They're not uncomfortable.

-They're not uncomfortable.

-

-It's like a fitting at Moss Bros.

-You've done that expertly.

-It can be difficult

-doing it on your own.

-How do you process the lambs?

-On the hook or in the mart?

-All of them straight to the hook.

-They all go to

-Woodhead and Fairfield abattoirs.

-Most have gone to Fairfield

-in Wrexham this year.

-A lorry picks them up on the yard.

-About 150 of them.

-What is your background?

-You must have been to

-an agricultural college.

-I was at Harper Adams

-for three years.

-From 1991 to 1994.

-I went to Australia for a year.

-That was my time for gallivanting.

-Then I came home

-to farm with my father.

-He gave me an opportunity

-and I took it on.

-We're fine here.

-There's plenty of food here.

-It won't last long.

-Off you go, lads.

-They know where to go.

-There's nothing better

-than releasing them.

-Are there 400 sheep here?

-Are there 400 sheep here?

-

-Yes, 450 ewes.

-This will be grazed clean

-in three to four days.

-Eight or nine acres.

-Eight or nine acres.

-

-Yes, eight acres.

-This field was reseeded

-some four years ago.

-The seeds are from Aberystwyth.

-They should produce doublers here.

-They are in great condition.

-We dipped them on Saturday. We have

-problems with fly strike otherwise.

-That will last for a while.

-They'll work with these now.

-Will you push them together

-every day or leave them be?

-Round them up and count them every

-day to see how many are served.

-From one day to the next.

-To know exactly

-when I'll get the little ones.

-On a day like today, you can't

-imagine what it's like in January.

-It's very different.

-These will be inside

-before Christmas.

-My usual routine means I'll bring

-them in after the Winter Fair.

-The seasons really fly by.

-You have a special system here.

-They weren't stupid

-to put these windmills here.

-There's a lot of wind.

-Almost as far as you can see,

-there's not much shelter up here.

-We've planted a lot of thorn

-in the ditches around here.

-There isn't much shelter.

-That's why Beltex-Texel cross

-are more suited than Charollais.

-They don't get blown away.

-Here's the surprise I promised you

-at the start of the programme.

-Llyr's father, Peredur Hughes...

-..was President of NFU Cymru

-for many years, but is now retired.

-He lives with his wife, Dilys...

-..a mile from the

-old house at Fferam Gyd...

-..where Llyr and his family

-now live.

-I have been very fortunate

-to have a son who wanted to farm.

-I was very happy to let him do it...

-..especially when I went

-to work with the union.

-That continued for ten,

-twelve years.

-When that came to a end,

-I couldn't really come home...

-..and tell my son

-that I was back in charge!

-He's still there...

-..and I do some work on animal

-welfare for the Welsh Government.

-It really pleases me and he's

-a better farmer than I ever was.

-Ever since he was young,

-he wanted to be a farmer.

-I grew wheat and there

-were tractors and machinery...

-..but his thing

-has always been stock.

-He has a great eye

-when it comes to choosing an animal.

-The bull we took to this year's

-Royal Welsh is a good example.

-He said at the end of last year that

-it would do well at the Royal Welsh.

-I'm really happy

-that he knows his animals.

-He knows every animal, every calf.

-You are definitely the man

-for this next question.

-We hear so much about

-the lack of a future...

-..for the family farm

-in Wales and across Britain.

-That our young people

-have no future on the land.

-There must be

-a future in agriculture.

-Of course there is, as long as

-there's support for the farmers.

-I'm happy with

-caring for the environment.

-But high-grade food production

-has to come first.

-That's crucial as the population

-continues to grow.

-They all have to be fed and we

-produce the best food in the world.

-The government has to realize that

-and support those food producers.

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-The show bulls...

-..owned by Llyr Hughes

-of Fferam Gyd, Llanbabo, Anglesey...

-..are a sight for sore eyes.

-With animals

-of such a high standard...

-..an experienced handler

-is essential.

-Llyr has one of the best,

-Robin Roberts.

-Is this the bull you're showing?

-Is this the bull you're showing?

-

-This is Legend.

-Robin's done well with him

-this summer.

-How old is he?

-He's 20 months old.

-He weighs 950 kilos.

-He's incredible from behind.

-He comes down nicely

-towards the bottom, doesn't he?

-We're taking him to the sale

-in Carlisle in October.

-Hopefully we'll sell him there.

-Someone will like him,

-that's for sure.

-You'd think so.

-It's important for a bull

-to move well.

-He needs to track squarely.

-You don't want wonky legs.

-You don't want him too narrow

-in the front or back.

-His tracking is perfect.

-Because the standard of our show

-cattle has improved so much...

-..people will put everything

-into breeding a good bull.

-Competition is so fierce now.

-People want the best every time.

-The standard rises every year,

-not every decade but every year.

-This bull must be close

-to his owner's heart...

-...because his name is Pabo Llyr.

-How old is this one?

-This one's a month younger,

-around 20 months.

-His mother is the one you liked

-in the field. 115.

-The one I bought in Carlisle.

-She bred Pabo Francis

-who sold for 13,500.

-She's a good breeder.

-He's very smart. He's long too.

-He hasn't finished filling out yet.

-He's coming along nicely.

-Looking to the future,

-I can see you have a calf there.

-He's going to

-the Weaned Calf Sale...

-..although Robin

-tried to persuade me to keep him.

-He will be going to the sale.

-The Carlisle Red Ladies Day

-and Weaned Calf Sale in December.

-These sales

-have become very popular.

-I think he's the type of calf

-that will sell.

-It's fair to say that the standard

-of Limousins in Wales...

-..is as good as anywhere else.

-We're one of the best countries

-for breeding Limousins.

-The standard in Wales

-has risen so much.

-In beef and in pedigree shows,

-Wales competes very well, fair play.

-At last year's Winter Show,

-Wales won just about everything.

-Things are looking good here, Robin.

-Things are looking good here, Robin.

-

-That's right.

-You must be

-looking forward to Carlisle.

-I'm looking forward to showing them.

-I've been looking at the little one

-over there and the other bull.

-It's one good animal after another.

-Legend has been out in front

-over the summer...

-..but this one is catching up fast.

-Temperament is important

-when you're showing animals.

-At Llanelwedd, the days are long.

-You have to be there

-for such a long time.

-You're in the ring for a long time.

-The animal wants you

-to show him at his best.

-He needs to be working with you

-to bring out the best in him.

-Congratulations

-and good luck in Carlisle.

-Let me tell the nation, I had

-the honour of waiting with you...

-..at the presentation

-of the Queen's Cup.

-I remember you jumping in the air

-when you won.

-I think I'm still up there!

-I'm sure you'll be pretty close

-this time.

-Thank you.

-Come on, mate, come on boy.

-Next door to the old farmhouse

-at Fferam Gyd is Fferam y Llyn.

-With a fantastic view

-of Llyn Alaw in the distance...

-..it's a good spot for Dilys,

-Llyr's mother, and his wife Laura...

-..to have a chat.

-Did the young couple start their

-life together here in the bungalow?

-It was built a little while

-before they got married.

-They moved in

-a few months before the wedding.

-We've lived here ever since.

-That was in 2004.

-It's great to start off in the place

-where you're going to live...

-..and for the children

-to be brought up here.

-It was nice to bring them home...

-..and have them christened

-in the local church.

-It's a lovely little church.

-It's one of the oldest churches

-in Wales.

-Three of our children

-were christened there.

-It has closed but a harvest festival

-is held there every October.

-Where are you from originally?

-Dad is originally from Bala.

-His parents farmed there.

-My uncle farms there now.

-My mother comes from Leeds

-- she's an Englishwoman.

-This is the longest

-I've lived in one place.

-My father worked in hotels

-so we moved around Wales.

-I was born in Haverfordwest.

-So you came here via Ceredigion?

-So you came here via Ceredigion?

-

-That's right.

-Wonderful. I can see that you

-and the children are happy here.

-The children love it.

-It's important for children to be

-brought up at the heart of the farm.

-They can play here and help with

-the farming. They are very lucky.

-Iestyn would follow his father

-around all day if he could.

-The youngest one

-is like his shadow.

-Llyr was just the same

-with his father.

-He wants to be farming with him.

-You no longer live in the bungalow.

-We moved out last summer

-whilst doing up the old farmhouse.

-He's done a good job.

-He's done a good job.

-

-A very good job.

-He didn't work as fast as I'd hoped.

-We rented out the bungalow

-before the house was ready.

-We were in the caravan for a while.

-You've kept

-the character of the old house.

-It looks just as it always has.

-It's just as it was.

-Is the house very old?

-Parts of it date back to

-the 15th or 16th century.

-It's a listed building.

-I've been told that the lower part

-had a thatched roof at one time.

-Renovating the farmhouse has been

-a pleasure for Llyr and Laura...

-..despite all the hard work.

-It's a great feeling

-to live in the old place.

-We worked hard in the evenings.

-My workmate and I had to strip

-the whole place right back.

-The builders came in

-once everything was stripped away.

-I was the painter.

-I'm good at knocking down

-but no good at fixing!

-That beam must have been

-in the original house.

-Everything that was worth keeping

-has been kept...

-..and used around the house.

-All the beams above the doors

-and windows are original.

-These are all old.

-These are new.

-The A-frame above the dining table

-doesn't do anything.

-Neither does this one.

-Neither does this one.

-

-They're just for cosmetic purposes.

-Memories come back to you

-from every corner.

-Every time you turn around.

-It's not a strange place for you.

-On the night we moved in, it felt as

-if there was someone with us...

-..in the house.

-I felt it was my grandmother.

-I never met his grandparents

-but you said it felt like her.

-It was as if she was welcoming

-us on that first night.

-It's taken a lot of time

-and hard work...

-..but dad, myself, Laura

-and mam love the house.

-Our children are being brought up

-where my father was brought up.

-That adds to

-the romance of the house.

-With the children

-playing on the farmyard...

-..the character of the farm

-will be nurtured in them.

-I've said many times

-that I feel as if I'm home now.

-I've wanted to live here

-since I was a little boy.

-Dad was brought up here. Living here

-now, I feel as if I'm home.

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