FUWture of farming

Recently, our Head of Communications, Aled Morgan Hughes, spoke to a young farmer from Ceredigion, Gwenllian Evans, about her farming ambitions...

I grew up on the family farm in Trefenter, Ceredigion, and for as long as I can remember farming has been at the heart of who I am and everything I have done. From a young age, I’ve taken every opportunity to be out on the farm helping Mum and Dad - whether that was in the fields, with the sheep or cattle.

At the age of seven, my interest in sheep was further sparked when a neighbour offered us two Jacob pet lambs. I don't think Mum or Dad had much choice in the decision, as I jumped at the chance to look after them. I named them Henri and Fioled, and that was the beginning of my love for Jacob sheep - a love that has grown from strength to strength since then.

Despite having no previous experience of showing, in 2016 - when I was only eight years old - I decided to try showing the two lambs at a local show in Capel Bangor. To my great surprise, Henri won first prize, while Fioled also took first prize in her class and won Reserve Champion in the "Any Other Hill" class. This experience fueled my confidence and my interest in showing and keeping sheep.  Since then, I have travelled all over Wales and beyond showing Jacob sheep. In 2019, I had a great opportunity to show them at the RWAS Spring Festival, and once again I was successful as I won Reserve Champion with a Jacob ram I bought in 2018.

Two years later - after shows restarted post Covid - I had the opportunity to make another dream come true, which was to exhibit at the Royal Welsh Show.  The experience was unforgettable, and it was made even more special by securing two fourth places as well as the Reserve Champion title in the Senior Young Handlers competition.

Now, my experience of exhibiting has extended beyond Jacob sheep.  Last year at the RWAS Winter Fair, together with my boyfriend Jac, we showed two South Country Cheviot lambs, succeeding in winning second prize - a very special experience.

The success that comes from competing in shows has given me an immense buzz, but more than that, I have appreciated the significant boost to my confidence that these experiences have given me. They have also opened up opportunities for me to meet and make friends from all over the country, creating invaluable connections within the industry.

As well as the successes at shows, I am very proud of the opportunities breeding Jacobs has given me, and in 2021 I had the honour of being named as the Jacob Sheep Society UK’s Young Person of the Year.

Beyond the farm, I am currently completing a Level 3 course in Animal Management at Coleg Ceredigion. I have really enjoyed the course, and it has been a valuable opportunity to develop my knowledge and confidence.

One of my main hobbies is photography, an area in which I am developing an increasing interest in. Last year, I had the privilege of winning the Farmers’ Union of Wales 2026 calendar prize, and recently I have retained the UK Jacob Sheep Society Photography Cup for three years in a row. I enjoy documenting everyday life on the farm - the good and the bad - and recently launched a Facebook page to further share my photos.

With my time at college coming to an end, I am very keen to make the most of every opportunity and to continue farming - despite the increasing challenges facing the sector. In particular, I am keen to look at ways of diversifying, including offering meat boxes. I have already kept two Jacob lambs and two Jacob X Dutch Spotted lambs with the intention of experimenting this year.

Agriculture is in my blood - it's something I'm extremely passionate about - and I'm very keen to make the most of every opportunity to continue farming.