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“I have kept Welsh Mountain rams ever since I was about 20. I take immense pride and great pleasure improving my flock.”[/caption]
The Farmers' Union of Wales has teamed up with renowned Londoner photographer Chris Clunn to produce a bilingual book of evocative portraits of 61 farmers of all ages living and working on traditional family hill farms in the Snowdonia National Park.
Mr Clunn's previous work has graced many covers and been published in newspapers and magazines worldwide. His images are currently held in the National Portrait Gallery, the Guildhall, the Museum of London, the National Monument archives and various private collections.
He started work on the book, entitled "Meirionnydd", a few years ago after meeting former FUW area officer Elfed Roberts who sold him insurance for a small, run down and derelict stable he has converted into a home at Maentwrog on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park.
"Once the paperwork was done, Elfed left with all the relevant details and a copy of my previous book on the characters of Smithfield meat market under his arm," said Mr Clunn. "Weeks later, he mentioned how much he enjoyed the book and asked if I would be interested in working on a similar project recording the farmers of Meirionnydd.
"I was aware that this was a rare opportunity for an outsider to get to know something about how real rural Wales works. With Elfed and FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones as my guides, this was the perfect introduction to the local farming community, a world of which I knew nothing but was looking forward to finding out about.
"We'll have some real characters for you here Chris, Elfed remarked. He also made me aware that English is very much a second language here.
"So do yourself a favour and at least learn a few words of Welsh - it will help a lot, Elfed added. He was not wrong.
"I hope my photographs go some way into giving an insight into this world of rural farming that I have been fortunate enough to dip into over the last four years.
"I am most grateful to Elfed and Huw, perfect gentlemen with a wealth of knowledge and advice, who have been key in making this whole project happen.
"I couldn't have done it without them and I also offer a very special thank you to all the farmers who have welcomed me onto their land, agreed to have their portraits taken and given this city boy a wonderful education in farming in the old kingdom of Meirionnydd."
FUW president Emyr Jones, who farms near Bala and is the subject of a portrait in the book, said it was a great honour and privilege to be asked by Chris to write a few words of introduction to this unique work.
"During his career, Chris has established a reputation for being able to capture and chronicle the very essence of communities and working lives, and this book confirms to me that he is as capable of doing so in his adopted home of rural Meirionnydd as in his native London.
"Inside the book you will see a portrait of an agricultural society and culture which continues to exist, as it has done for generations, in one of Wales' most challenging and hostile farming landscapes.
"This is the culture I grew up in and in which I continue to be immersed. It is a way of life where agriculture, livestock, and the cycle of the seasons are ingrained in every thought and sentence, and one which I am passionate about protecting.
"It was this passion, and the influence of my late uncle John Jones, Maesywaen, which drove me to become involved in farming politics, and this book gives the reader a glimpse of why my enthusiasm is as strong today as it was all those years ago when I attended my first union meeting.
"While Meirionnydd has its own unique qualities, the type of society captured in these pages extends throughout Wales, from the Welsh-speaking heartlands of the west, across to the predominately English-speaking areas of the south east, where the love of Wales and our agricultural heritage is as strong as it is anywhere.
"Chris has succeeded in capturing something which is so precious, yet so many of us take for granted."
Huw Jones said during the past three years Chris became a regular visitor to the livestock market in Dolgellau, which is considered to be the heart of the farming community in Meirionnydd.
He appreciated the unique qualities of those attending, the farmers who take immense pride in their stockmanship, this being the reason why the market attracts buyers from far afield.
"These farmers make a living in one of the most rugged and harsh environments in Wales, and succeed on difficult terrain and thin soils.
"Chris has captured the simplicity of rural life at its best, his images showing true, honest, faithful characters, hard working, neighbourly and kind, and living close to the land. The farming way of life is that of established families, immensely proud of their heritage and traditions, steeped in history, with the Welsh language and culture close to their hearts.
"They are absolutely determined to protect this rich inheritance for the future and to tackle the many challenges facing the farming community. Chris' images show a deep sense of the overriding importance of continuity and stability on farms and the wisdom and strength of the characters in the book."