Michael a Gwawr Jones Cefn Gwlad

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-The subject of this programme

-is an interesting one.

-I'm visiting the home

-of Michael and Gwawr Jones...

-..Ffridd Farm, Llandygai.

-They have a young son, Bedwyr.

-They're renting a farm

-on the Penrhyn estate...

-..and they have a 15-year tenancy...

-..which is unusual, nowadays.

-It's a nice story

-from the world of agriculture...

-..at a time when people

-are turning their backs on farming.

-Starting a farming business from

-scratch is not easy, these days.

-But Michael and Gwawr

-are giving it their best.

-They're enjoying it.

-You have lots of dogs, Michael.

-Let's see how they perform!

-Are you particularly keen

-on Kelpies?

-Well, yes.

-They're...

-They do the job, when they want to.

-You're sorting out lambs today,

-are you?

-Do you sell them on the hook?

-After you.

-WHISTLING

-That'll do, good girl.

-Here, Tess.

-That'll do.

-That'll do, that'll do.

-OK, here, Tess.

-That'll do.

-That'll do.

-Slowly.

-When does lambing take place?

-It begins in December

-and carries on until May.

-It begins with the pedigree

-Charollais in December...

-..but for these, it's late January.

-You're choosing lambs to send away -

-lambs weighing 40 kilos or more.

-Let's hope there are a few!

-Stand.

-It's a nice type of sheep.

-Continental lambs have a nice shape.

-Now, I'm struggling with what type

-of ram to use with them.

-Should I keep them as pedigrees?

-Their weight is good.

-They're 45 kilos on average,

-maybe a little more.

-It's so nice to see a fine lamb.

-Yes, and I like a dense fleece.

-Yes, that's fine.

-There's something about lambs

-with a dense fleece.

-They have a better appearance.

-Not quite big enough.

-Have you been feeding them

-concentrates?

-No, just grass.

-I try to re-seed a little

-every year.

-I feel I get my money's worth

-from grass.

-The lambs do better

-and they're healthier.

-You must have fresh grass

-in order to fatten lambs.

-You want them to grow

-to the correct weight.

-You have to pick lambs

-when they're the right weight...

-..before they lose condition.

-Their weight is up to standard.

-My favourite job

-is marking the best lambs!

-What did people say

-about standards, years ago?

-"It's the ones John West rejects

-that make John West the best!"

-You've been busy

-erecting new fencing.

-It makes the old fencing

-look untidy!

-It does the job, though.

-Let's take a look at the cows.

-That gate hangs nicely.

-Yes.

-This is very nice grassland,

-full of clover.

-This was sown four years ago.

-Are these the suckler cows?

-Are these the suckler cows?

-

-Yes, they're calving at the moment.

-You've chosen British Blue.

-Yes, the breed suits my purposes.

-It's a good suckler breed.

-They need to be good milk producers.

-Continental calves

-need plenty of milk.

-It's a nice type of cow.

-What sparked your enthusiasm?

-I lived and farmed

-with my grandfather...

-..but my grandfather's farm

-wasn't big enough.

-So I did other work to bring in

-an income, such as selling cake.

-I worked away from the farm

-and visited other farms.

-But I just wanted to work at home.

-To run your own business?

-Yes, that's what I wanted.

-My heart wasn't in my work.

-Then this opportunity came up,

-so we went for it.

-We still have a long way to go.

-How long have you been here?

-It'll be five years, next year.

-You started at a young age.

-I was 24 years old.

-Young enough to be a member

-of the Young Farmers' Club!

-And today, are you just as keen

-as you were when you started?

-Yes, this is where I want to be.

-Of course, I have a young family -

-Bedwyr - to consider.

-I don't want Bedwyr

-to be in that situation.

-If he wants to farm...

-..I hope I'll have enough work

-to keep him at home.

-That's fair enough.

-What do you have here?

-Yearling rams, for selling.

-Send the dog after them.

-Did you breed them?

-Yes, apart from two stock rams

-that I bought.

-You're keen on the Charollais breed.

-Yes, they're the right length

-and weight, and lambing is easy.

-How big is your flock?

-You have Charollais and mules.

-You have Charollais and mules.

-

-Dolly mixtures!

-When I came here first...

-..I had to decide what to keep,

-what type of sheep.

-I made a mistake, initially.

-I should have known the land wasn't

-good enough for certain breeds.

-It's taken until now

-to get into the swing of things.

-Your background isn't

-completely agricultural, is it?

-My mother was a farmer's daughter...

-..but Dad couldn't tell

-sheep from cows!

-Well, he knows, now!

-He comes here to help out.

-Why did you become interested and

-where did you get your education?

-I've been following you around -

-you're doing a good job.

-It began with my grandfather.

-It began with my grandfather.

-

-Where was that?

-Llandudno Junction.

-The farm was called Wern Wen.

-Taid has been a great help.

-I turned to him for advice.

-He'd tell me, "You don't want

-to spend that much!"

-I can see what he means.

-Water troughs, for example.

-If a trough is leaking, I turn off

-the water and fix it myself...

-..because I'm the one who's paying!

-You have the freedom and the desire

-to develop the farm.

-You have the time.

-You have five years' experience.

-I'm not at a stage where

-I can spend money and make changes.

-I've been extremely fortunate...

-..and I'm grateful to the Penrhyn

-estate for what they've done.

-They took a gamble on me -

-I was a young lad.

-I'm extremely grateful

-for what they've done for me.

-Michael and Gwawr's farm

-is in a splendid location...

-..at the foot of Snowdonia,

-but also close to the sea.

-When Michael wants a break

-from his work...

-..he comes to Felinheli,

-or Port Dinorwic...

-..where he fishes for lobsters.

-Do you come here regularly?

-There's a man who lives locally

-who helps on the farm.

-He has a boat.

-It's nice to go out on the boat

-for an hour or two.

-I like something like this,

-but I'm not keen on water.

-When I have a bath, there's

-just enough water to wet my feet!

-I prefer a shower.

-Is this the boat?

-Is this the boat?

-

-Yes, this is the boat.

-How are you!

-How are you!

-

-Good morning.

-Alright?

-Alright, Dave?

-You're welcome.

-You're welcome.

-

-Are we ready?

-# On Huw Puw's barge

-# Who wants to go to sea... #

-No, I'm not going with them!

-A coward looks after himself!

-But it's interesting to see how

-Michael and his friend farm the sea.

-# See the wonders of the world,

-places like Pwllheli

-# Porthmadog, Nefyn, Abersoch,

-Red Wharf Bay, Felinheli

-# Beaumaris, Amlwch and Llanon

-# Caernarfon and Holyhead

-# New Quay, Solva, Fishguard... #

-This is a shore crab.

-These are caught off the headland.

-They're cooked, frozen,

-and exported to Spain.

-Dei can have that to take home.

-# Fa la la la la la

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

-# Fa la la la la la

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

-Mmm - what could be better

-than a lobster, fresh from the pot?!

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-Ffridd Farm is under new management

-and new ideas are needed.

-Michael is part of a business

-that promotes Welsh lamb.

-Eight of us have come together

-to set up a meat company.

-We're trying to improve the value

-of our lamb...

-..and to increase sales.

-People view lamb as a joint of meat

-eaten by the family on Sundays.

-When it's cooked well,

-you can't beat it.

-But we have to move with the times.

-Everything moves on.

-We have to move on with our lamb,

-or we'll be left behind.

-The flavour of lambs that have been

-reared and slaughtered at home...

-..is so much better than any

-ordinary shop-bought lamb.

-From time to time, the company's

-partners meet to discuss plans.

-He doesn't want the meat

-to arrive too early in the morning.

-Are we happy with this?

-Very happy.

-Very happy.

-

-Do you want to add anything?

-That needs to be in Welsh.

-Oh, yes.

-The Welsh lettering in white.

-The Welsh lettering in white.

-

-Welsh should come first.

-Good gracious, what a crew!

-How are you?

-Very good.

-Something smells nice.

-Is this the meeting you mentioned?

-Two were unable to come today.

-Getting everyone together

-is difficult.

-I can imagine.

-What's the name of the company

-and the scheme?

-We all run family farms.

-Our aim is to improve value

-for the farmer.

-We're trying to develop

-a scheme for processing.

-We want profits

-to come back to the farmer.

-Lambs are our investment...

-..and we want to make sure

-that what we do...

-..earns money for the farmer and

-helps to maintain our family farms.

-Our prosperity as Welsh farmers...

-..relies on the success

-of our lamb sales.

-Anything we can do

-to increase the demand for lamb...

-..will have a positive effect

-on family farms.

-I feel there's a lot of work

-to be done in this country...

-..to put lamb

-back on the weekly menu...

-..for families

-throughout the country.

-That's our aim - to put lamb

-back at the top of the menu.

-All our produce can be cooked

-in under 20 minutes.

-We're trying to appeal to people

-who live busy lives.

-And everyone

-wants things like chillies.

-We're trying to come up

-with new recipes.

-Burgers?

-Burgers, meatballs -

-anything, really.

-We know what children are like,

-they love burgers.

-If you put a piece of meat in front

-of them, they don't know what to do.

-But if you give them a burger,

-they'll eat it.

-There are things we hadn't imagined.

-We've learned

-about people's shopping habits...

-..and how they respond to packaging

-- what sort of things attract them.

-It's been thought-provoking.

-In my view, our landscape

-adds a great deal to our produce.

-Also, there's the fact...

-..that we're trying to take care

-of our own produce...

-..trying to take it further

-than the farm gate.

-Facebook and Twitter

-have been very useful.

-We launched our own page.

-We've done marketing

-at the Royal Welsh.

-We'll be taking part

-in the Conwy food festival.

-It's important that we go out there

-and talk to our target market...

-..and listen to what people say.

-We want the money

-to come back to the farmer.

-Farmers are always

-on the bottom rung of the ladder.

-Money filters down...

-..but by the time it reaches

-the farmer, there isn't much left.

-Money is skimmed off

-on the way down.

-It would be nice to see

-direct profits.

-That's our aim.

-Perseverance pays in the end.

-Renovation can cause

-loss of character.

-But Michael is working

-with the Glastir scheme...

-..to renovate the farm

-using traditional methods.

-The old ways are sometimes better -

-and easier on the eye.

-You're patching the wall.

-It's a new wall,

-built under the Glastir scheme.

-Was there a gate here,

-to let animals through?

-No, there was just a small wall,

-about a foot high.

-It needs to be higher.

-How long will it be?

-From the bottom,

-all the way up to the pylon.

-You'll need plenty of stone!

-You'll have plenty of work,

-lifting stones!

-This will keep you busy.

-This will keep you busy.

-

-Glastir is giving us plenty of work.

-It's a good thing.

-I'm sure it is.

-It's a pleasure to see

-such a well-built wall.

-It provides good shelter

-for sheep and other animals.

-What... ?

-That tile goes all the way up.

-That tile goes all the way up.

-

-We begin at the bottom.

-We're pulling it down

-and rebuilding, but higher.

-You have lovely old outbuildings,

-but you always need more.

-You can never have

-too many outbuildings.

-You can never have too many sheds.

-You can never have too many sheds.

-

-So you're building a new shed.

-Yes, hopefully.

-We're building a shed

-and a silage pit.

-You've started clearing the ground.

-Building a new shed

-involves an awful lot of work.

-And it has to fit in

-with the old sheds.

-The old sheds were fine for a while.

-But I wish I'd had more

-when I started.

-For example, a young man needs

-money to buy stock, initially.

-I preferred to spend my money

-on sheep and cattle...

-..things which would bring in

-more money.

-But sheds are useful.

-I could have spent money

-on a tractor...

-..but I didn't need a new tractor.

-I didn't have any stock, initially.

-I could have done with more money

-to buy stock.

-That's where I struggled.

-That's where I struggled.

-

-That makes a lot of sense to me.

-You're also building a silage pit.

-A silage pit, yes.

-A shed and a silage pit.

-Silage for the cattle?

-Silage for the cattle?

-

-Yes, and for the sheep.

-I hope the silage turns out well.

-We'll see.

-We'll see.

-

-I wish you all the best with it.

-There's lots of slate

-from local quarries on the farm.

-Rebuilding this fence is hard work,

-but well worth the effort.

-This looks like a tough job.

-I regret starting it!

-It didn't seem so bad

-when I started.

-Was it something you had to do?

-Did you have any choice

-regarding the type of fence?

-No, it's part of the Glastir scheme,

-so it must be rebuilt.

-How old are those poles?

-A hundred years old or more.

-A hundred years old!

-A hundred years old!

-

-I'd say so.

-You won't have to do it again

-for a while.

-They were popular, years ago.

-Unlike a wooden fence,

-slate doesn't rot.

-Unlike fencing posts.

-Is this type of fence

-common in the area?

-Yes, there are lots in this area.

-There are slate quarries locally,

-such as Penrhyn.

-There's also Dinorwig quarry.

-The work is laborious, though.

-There's a lot of work involved,

-but it'll be nice when it's done.

-It adds character to the farm.

-From blue slates to blue lobsters!

-In the kitchen, it's lunchtime.

-The water's boiling.

-Do you want me to put it in?

-I don't like things like this!

-I'll put it in, whiskers first.

-Right, it's in.

-We can hear it boiling.

-How did you meet - were you

-brought up on a farm, Gwawr?

-Yes, a farm in Llanefydd.

-Yes, a farm in Llanefydd.

-

-In Denbighshire?

-So you're accustomed to farming.

-You have more of an agricultural

-background than Michael.

-Yes, I was raised on a farm.

-I've gone back to work, part-time.

-I work as a PA.

-Excellent.

-It gives you

-somewhere different to go.

-You go your separate ways

-during the day.

-That means you're more eager

-to see each other in the evening!

-Is it still moving?

-Let's hope it's not!

-It's on its back.

-If it's still moving,

-something's wrong!

-How do you know when it's ready?

-Is it fully cooked?

-Mmm, nice!

-It's nice.

-It's nice.

-

-We'll have salad to go with it.

-It's very nice!

-Lovely!

-Lovely!

-When you saw this place,

-when you began to work the farm...

-..there must have been

-an element of risk to consider.

-Yes, it's been hard work...

-..and sometimes we've wondered

-where the next penny will come from.

-But it's what

-we've always wanted to do.

-So long as we can pay the bills

-and carrying on living here...

-..we'll be happy.

-Yes, that's what life is like

-on this farm.

-We see remnants of yesteryear,

-but they're planning for the future.

-I wish all the best to Michael

-and Gwawr and little Bedwyr.

-Michael is showing a lot

-of enterprise on this farm.

-He has rolled up his sleeves

-and he's doing his very best.

-I wish them all the best

-in their efforts, as a family.

-Let's hope the Almighty will allow

-me to return to see the results!

-S4C subtitles by Trosol Cyf.

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