Mon, 12 Sep 2016 Ffermio

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-Hello and welcome to Ffermio.

-In the countryside at the moment...

-..signs of the change in season

-are everywhere.

-September is the time to reap.

-I'm at Drysgolgoch Farm,

-Llwyndrain, Pembrokeshire.

-Here, they have invested heavily

-in a milking system...

-..in order to welcome the next

-generation home from college.

-The best possible harvest.

-Coming up,

-now the school holidays are over...

-..Daloni meets workers

-from the tourism industry...

-..to hear about their harvest

-this year.

-We also meet Dewi Evans

-from Rhosgoch near Whitland...

-..a multi-talented man.

-"Challenging" is one way

-to describe the dairy sector...

-..over the past two years.

-But many young people

-about to enter the industry...

-..believe it has a promising future.

-I've come to meet twins

-who are confident about the future.

-Drysgolgoch Farm, Llwyndrain...

-..has been a familiar name in

-agricultural circles for decades.

-This is due to the high standard of

-their Shorthorn and Limousin cattle.

-A new generation, Sion and Hanna,

-are ready to take over the reins...

-..with a new vision of how to build

-on the success of their parents.

-I'm going to start by asking

-a question I don't ask everyone.

-You're twins.

-You're twins.

-

-Yes.

-Does that mean

-you work together well...

-..and can always rely on each other?

-I think I can say...

-..we supported each other

-through school and college.

-We went our separate ways

-after that.

-We can work together.

-Being the same age

-we went through things together.

-We took our driving tests

-at the same time.

-Through things like that,

-we've developed a relationship.

-We've been able

-to bring that back to the farm.

-Your parents must be pleased you can

-work together and also with them.

-It makes the business of farming

-easier.

-There are plenty of obstacles

-facing the industry.

-If we can get on, it will make

-life easier in the long run.

-There have been plenty of changes

-at Drysgolgoch recently.

-Seimon and Eleanor,

-the twins' parents...

-..have installed a 70-point

-rotary milking parlour...

-..and have built new sheds.

-They milk 650 cattle.

-As part of his degree course

-at Harper Adams...

-..Sion worked for a year

-in New Zealand.

-He's delighted to return

-to home turf.

-Milking takes about two hours with

-the new system. It's much easier.

-The cattle are back in the field

-within the hour.

-The cattle are happier.

-They have time to rest

-during the day.

-It makes a big difference.

-We realized

-the cattle were on their feet...

-..for four hours or more

-each morning.

-All that standing around

-wasn't good for the cows.

-Now they can eat faster,

-they have more time to lie-down...

-..and they produce more milk.

-I've noticed another development

-on the farm.

-All the cows are wearing collars.

-We use the collars for breeding.

-They are a great help.

-They separate the cows automatically

-as they go into the parlour.

-My father and I

-do all the breeding together.

-How does the Shorthorn perform

-compared to some other breeds?

-Why do you stick with this breed?

-They sustain themselves well.

-They can walk long distances.

-They graze well and have

-a good milk yield from grazing.

-They only need a ton each

-of additional feed over the year.

-On the whole, they're very good.

-Hello.

-This one's come to tell us

-her opinion about the new system!

-That's Daisy.

-That's Daisy.

-

-You know her?

-We took her to a show in Carmarthen

-when she was a calf.

-The family

-are busy calving at the moment.

-Hanna and mum Eleanor are

-responsible for feeding the calves.

-Hanna will soon return

-to Aberystwyth University...

-..to complete

-her agriculture degree.

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

-..she won a scholarship that will

-help her continue her studies.

-My main responsibility on the farm

-is looking after the calves.

-I also look after the paperwork...

-..in addition to my part-time work

-with Agri Angels...

-..who've introduced us

-to the system of farm paperwork...

-..using a computer.

-I've expanded on that

-and also do the paperwork here.

-You're still at college.

-You're still at college.

-

-Yes.

-You're in your final year.

-Will you come home full-time

-after that? What are your plans?

-My ambition is to find a part-time

-job and help as much as I can here.

-Sion will be here full-time.

-I thought if I could find

-part-time work...

-..I could widen

-my knowledge and understanding...

-..and transfer my new skills

-to the farm.

-How important is it and what do

-you think of this opportunity?

-Your parents have built up

-such a good business.

-You now have the chance

-to be part of that at an early age.

-It's great that Mam and Dad

-think about the future.

-Agriculture can be slow to change.

-They have looked to the future...

-..and have modernized

-and invested in technology.

-It isn't always easy for them

-but it's easier for us...

-..and hopefully

-we'll be able to teach them.

-With so much going on at the farm...

-..Seimon and Eleanor are happy

-to have Sion and Hanna...

-..to share the responsibilities.

-How big a decision

-was this investment?

-How much were you influenced

-by the twins' desire...

-..to be part of the business?

-It was a big factor.

-If it weren't for the twins...

-..we wouldn't have invested

-so much money in the set-up.

-It was time to do something.

-We had increased

-the number of cattle.

-When we started, Eleanor and I

-had 47 cattle. That was in 1994.

-We had expanded to 600 cattle.

-We were spending too much time

-in the old parlour.

-Milking was taking

-almost 12 hours per day.

-I was up by 2.30am...

-..and by the afternoon,

-I would feel the effects.

-My knees

-couldn't cope with the strain.

-We needed to do something

-to improve the system...

-..to make things easier

-and to speed up the work.

-You talk a lot

-about the need to change.

-Are you the kind of people

-who can cope with new technology?

-Some of your new equipment

-is incredibly complex.

-We're lucky

-the children are young...

-..and can understand

-this new technology.

-They helped

-get things up and running.

-They taught us

-how to use everything.

-This forward-thinking family

-is taking care of business today...

-..and ensuring that the farm

-will thrive in the future.

-How important

-and how valuable is it to you...

-..that the twins

-have decided to come home...

-..and be part of your business?

-It's very important.

-The countryside

-needs its young people living there.

-Agriculture and tourism

-are the only industries we have.

-I'm sure it's great to have

-good company around the farm.

-It's lovely to work

-with the two of them.

-They make our lives easier.

-There have been complaints

-within farming...

-..that the older generation

-doesn't give young people a chance.

-The situation here

-is very different.

-I feel very lucky

-and I'm sure Hanna feels the same.

-We're fortunate to have

-the resources and the set-up here...

-..and to be in a position

-to keep going.

-Hopefully, we'll be able

-to continue the farm's success.

-That's the end of part one.

-Join us after the break...

-..when we'll look at the state

-of the Welsh tourism industry...

-..and meet a trotting horse breeder.

-See you in two minutes.

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-Welcome back.

-These days, Wales is open

-to visitors throughout the year.

-According to the Welsh Government...

-..tourism is worth 8.7 billion

-a year to the economy.

-It's no surprise that businesses

-and rural communities...

-..take advantage of the chance to

-boost their income by diversifying.

-Daloni reports.

-The recent summer weather

-has been unpredictable...

-..up and down,

-with no two days the same.

-Despite that, the majority of people

-who provide holidays...

-..say it has been a good season.

-Philip and Teleri Hughes live here

-in Coed-y-Ceirw near Llanrwst.

-They farm in Cwmlanerch,

-on the family farm...

-..which is about two miles from

-here, and nearer to Betws y Coed.

-There's a caravan park

-and tents on the farm...

-..and Philip and Teleri

-have a business - Betws Cottages.

-We started almost 20 years ago...

-..by restoring a farmhouse

-in Nebo near Llanrwst.

-We have four houses now.

-What do visitors look for

-these days?

-Generally, the standard has risen

-in self-catering holiday homes.

-People expect the highest standards

-these days...

-..which is, of course, right.

-Do you feel that the area

-draws people here too?

-Definitely.

-We're very lucky to live

-in this beautiful area of Snowdonia.

-But also, in recent years, many

-adventure activities have opened...

-..which are very popular

-with tourists.

-Do you think the four cottages

-on your farming land...

-..provide a unique experience for

-the people who come here to stay?

-Yes, people like to think they're

-coming here to stay on a farm...

-..and see the sheep in the field...

-..and perhaps the boys working,

-herding the sheep.

-Are you glad

-that you've diversified?

-Yes.

-These days, farming's up and down.

-So it's good

-to have some extra income.

-Over 40 years have gone by...

-..since Rob and Liz Owen diversified

-on their farm, Cae-cethin...

-..in Llanfair, near Harlech.

-I started doing quarry tours in 1973

-with my mother and father.

-I worked there for years.

-Then I saw that we needed something

-for children.

-The little ones didn't really want

-to go underground.

-As we had the farm...

-..I thought we'd start

-with little animals.

-So we started on a small scale.

-We've been doing it

-for over 20 years...

-..and it just developed from there.

-What do you show in the quarry?

-The holes where they quarried

-roofing slate.

-It has been closed since 1906.

-They walk back from the top

-down to the little animals here.

-There are little rabbits for them.

-The children love cuddling them.

-How much farming

-do you do these days?

-We keep beef cattle.

-We buy store cattle in Dolgellau

-and then we sell them on.

-Why is tourism so important

-in this part of the world?

-It brings another income

-into the farms.

-There are a lot of young people

-in the farms around here.

-They want to carry on.

-They want to make a living.

-You can't take a picture

-of that view...

-..and tell the bank manager

-it will pay the mortgage.

-You have to do something,

-so we diversify.

-The majority of the farms

-around here do something.

-What sort of summer

-has it been this year?

-It has been a busy summer.

-One of the busiest

-we've had for a long while.

-It hasn't been beach weather...

-..so we've taken advantage of that.

-Although lots of tourists

-have been around this year...

-..because of the cuts

-to local authorities' budgets...

-..some worry that services

-are going to be reduced.

-There's always concern

-when something like this happens.

-We must make the most of tourism.

-Tourists strengthen the economy...

-..here in Conwy

-and in every other county in Wales.

-In 2015, the contribution

-the tourism sector made to Conwy...

-..was five per cent higher

-than it was in 2014.

-So we do see the rural economy

-increasing each and every year.

-How important is tourism to

-the agriculture sector in this area?

-Very important, to be honest.

-When you think that in Conwy...

-..there are 70,000 beds

-where people can stay.

-A lot of those are on the coast, but

-a lot of them are in rural areas.

-Farmers and agriculturalists

-have diversified into tourism.

-Those tourists

-contribute to the economy.

-Over 800 million came in to

-the rural economy of Conwy in 2015.

-Tourism and agriculture go hand in

-hand in a rural county like Conwy.

-Visit Wales

-has promoted the country...

-..as a good place for adventure

-this year.

-Next year,

-the focus will be on mythology.

-And because the value of the pound

-has dropped...

-..foreign visitors have more money

-when they come here at the moment.

-I think

-there's a very positive future.

-There are more people coming here

-for different reasons.

-And many come from abroad

-these days, which is a good thing.

-I think we give

-a really good Welsh welcome to them.

-There are more people

-about this year.

-With the problems

-in other countries...

-..people are thinking twice

-about going elsewhere.

-If we can keep them

-coming to Wales, we'll be OK.

-They'll come, year in year out.

-We have everything they want.

-From the coast, up to the mountains

-- everything. They can't go wrong.

-A rural activity that has increased

-considerably in its popularity...

-..is harness racing.

-And Dewi Evans has had another

-wonderful season this year.

-Red Roses, near Whitland...

-..is the home of Dewi

-and his wife Helen...

-..and their daughters

-Bethan and Catrin.

-Dewi has been breeding horses for

-harness racing for seven years...

-..on the border between

-Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

-I was brought up in Cefneithin

-in the Gwendraeth Valley...

-..in a street of houses with

-no connection with farming at all.

-My main interest was animals.

-So I became friends with

-the sons of farmers in school...

-..and I would go over

-on weekends and summer holidays...

-..to help them on the farm

-with getting the hay in and milking.

-When I finished school,

-I only wanted to be a farmer.

-So I went to college and worked

-on farms in the Gwendraeth area.

-Two or three years later,

-I rented a place in Porthyrhyd...

-..and we bought a few calves.

-A couple of calves

-became more calves...

-..and in 1996,

-we moved down here to Red Roses.

-It has increased from there.

-My interest in harness racing

-came out of the blue...

-..through going on the weekend

-to see races and watching it on TV.

-I went up to see a friend in Brecon

-and told him I was interested...

-..and he said he had a friend

-who was selling one.

-By the end of the afternoon...

-..I'd bought a horse,

-two carts and a harness.

-And then that wasn't fast enough -

-I wanted a faster one.

-Then I bought the mare

-Magical Current.

-I had a lot of fun with that one.

-And when she came

-to the end of her racing days...

-..I decided to use her for breeding.

-She produced My Amazing Grace.

-We've had a very good season.

-I've done better than I'd expected.

-My Amazing Grace

-has done enough for this year.

-She has gone from a nursery grade,

-up to a novice...

-..and that was better

-than I'd expected.

-In addition

-to the harness racing horses...

-..Dewi has 12 ponies and Welsh Cobs.

-He also keeps a flock

-of 250 Cheviot-cross sheep...

-..five donkeys...

-..and he also breeds Jersey calves.

-In 1998,

-he won the Western Mail prize...

-..for the best Welsh Young Farmer

-under 30.

-We decided to keep sheep when

-we first came down here in 1996.

-The place had a sheep quota.

-To be honest,

-I'd never worked with sheep...

-..just dairy and suckler cattle.

-I had to learn through experience

-and do so quickly...

-..with lambing and handling sheep.

-We started off with Lleyn sheep.

-They were pure.

-Lambing outside in March

-was a bit tough for the lambs.

-We decided to give the Lleyn ewes

-a Cheviot ram.

-They're much hardier.

-I'm sure the Lleyn chaps

-would disagree.

-Over the years,

-I've used more of the Cheviot ram.

-We're getting a pretty good result

-with the fattened lambs.

-We started rearing male Jersey

-calves. Some thought it was funny.

-We saw there was a market

-for Jersey bulls...

-..to use on the heifers.

-There are farms where the value

-of their cattle is so high...

-..they don't want to lose heifers

-from calving.

-They use a Jersey bull to make

-calving much easier for heifers.

-They give birth in the morning...

-..and are back in the parlour

-in the afternoon.

-We don't keep too many as they're

-real characters when they grow up.

-Dewi also has experience

-in artificial insemination...

-..and works for Genus.

-We've just removed the semen

-from the flask.

-We put it in the water

-to thaw it out...

-..and then bring it up

-to blood temperature.

-I've come to East Lake Farm

-in Amroth.

-They keep around 700 dairy cattle.

-We're chalking the cattle today.

-When another cow

-jumps on her back...

-..the chalk comes off and we know

-she's ready for the bull.

-I've been with Genus

-since June 1989.

-I enjoy my work.

-I speak to people

-who are on my wavelength.

-They all know that I farm at home...

-..and so

-we chat about what's going on.

-I get to hear about the weather...

-..and the price of milk and lambs

-many times a day.

-Over the years, the job has changed.

-Within these five square miles,

-there are around 5,000 dairy cattle.

-In years gone by,

-there would have been around 500.

-I get by quite well.

-I do a little work

-before leaving in the morning.

-I check that the stock is OK

-when I get home.

-To switch off and relax, I get

-the most pleasure from the horses.

-Seeing a foal being born and then

-seeing it stand for the first time.

-I look forward

-to seeing how it'll turn out.

-Seeing it race for the first time.

-There's no feeling

-like crossing that finishing line.

-I get them home safe and then

-I'm back to work the next day.

-That's it for this programme.

-I've really enjoyed getting to know

-the Drysgolgoch family...

-..and their Shorthorn cattle.

-Next week, we have

-a special programme for you...

-..from the International

-Sheepdog Trials...

-..that were held in Tywyn

-over the weekend.

-We look forward

-to having your company then.

-Until then,

-from me, the Ffermio team...

-..and this little one, goodbye.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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