If Cwm Penmachno is to prevail as a thriving agricultural area it will be down to young farmers such as Iwan Jones - a first generation farmer.
Iwan grew up in Penmachno and can’t remember a time when he wasn't either playing or helping out on farms in the valley.
Two years ago he and partner, Gwawr took the tenancy of Carrog, an 80 acre smallholding in the upper reaches of Cwm Penmachno. In a move which is becoming more and more common in the industry, Iwan combines the main farm with another parcel of land nearer the coast and some common land to keep 300 sheep. However, he is hoping to move into keeping a small herd of beef cattle in the coming years.
2021 has been another year of challenges for the agricultural industry, but as always, we have taken the stumbling blocks into our stride.