Women in battle for farming award

Nia Thomas
BBC Wales Rural Affairs correspondent

The competition intends to remind people of women's rural expertise

An award which aims to highlight the contribution that women make to Welsh farming is to choose from three finalists with expertise ranging from spinning and sheepdogs to mushrooms.

The 10th NFU/NatWest award seeks to celebrate the often forgotten role of women in rural life.

The finalists, from Llanafan Fawr, near Builth Wells, Crai near Brecon and Rhoslefain near Tywyn in Meirionnydd are competing for a £500 first prize.

The winner is announced at the Winter Fair in Llanelwedd on November 27.

Julie Davies, of Glwyd Cae Newydd Farm, Crai, Sennybridge

Julie Davies works full-time on the family beef and sheep farm with her husband Ceri and looks after her three children. Their newest venture is a mushroom-growing business in one of the farm sheds.

Julie Davies grows shitake mushrooms for gourmet tastes

"It was my husband who first thought about growing the small white button mushrooms," she said.

"But after many hours of looking at that type of business it became obvious that we couldn't do it here because we're quite isolated and we would have needed lots of labour. So we switched to the gourmet shitake mushrooms, concentrating on the niche market."

She admitted it had been an uphill struggle to get the business off the ground but they were now hoping to supply the Waitrose chain of supermarkets with their mushrooms which would give them a solid base.

The children - Heidi, Naomi and Reuben - also help out.

"They're very good - they'll come out and help me with the sheep and the mushrooms," she said. "We're very much together as a family which is extremely important."

She felt the woman's role in agriculture had gone unrecognised for many years.

"For me the woman is possibly the most important part of a family especially on a farm. I think this competition gives people from outside farming an opportunity to look through the window and see what we achieve in a day."

Lesley Wickham, of Cwmchwefru Farm, Llanafan Fawr

Lesley Wickham crosses a variety of rare sheep breeds

Lesley Wickham specialises in rare breed sheep, breeding animals for their high quality natural wool.

The interest was sparked off by learning to use a spinning wheel in the 1980s.

"I could only find commercial sheep locally," she said.

"I didn't know anything about rare breeds. But when I did discover them I found their wool is much more interesting."

She crosses a variety of rare breeds including Shetland, Icelandic, Wensleydale, Ryeland and Jacob.

"I use whatever gives me the quality of wool I need - a mixture of genes which gives me a variety of colours and the wool doesn't need dying," she said.

"I just keep experimenting because each year's crop of lambs gives me something different."

Produce includes a wide variety of hats, scarves, jumpers, cardigans and throws. The sheep's skins are tanned organically.

Keeping the sheep company are Dexter cattle and Boer goats, bred specifically for their low cholesterol meat.

"It's had a lot of publicity recently on some of food programmes. It's very lean - very little fat on it, low cholesterol - very healthy meat."

Eleri Wyn Williams, Parlla Isa, Rhoslefain

Eleri Wyn Williams has farmed all her life. As a child she used to help with the milking and when she lost her father 16 years ago she took over the farm full time.

Eleri Wyn Williams took on the family farm after he father died

"This is what I've always done and it's what my father wanted me to do."

An accomplished swimmer and fisherwoman, she also breeds and trains Welsh sheepdogs.

"I think they're very good dogs, and because they bark as they round up the sheep they get them moving better than other types of sheepdogs."

But she felt farming faced an uncertain future.

"There's a threat to the future of the Tir Mynydd payments and that could cause problems for many farms. And there are so many rules and regulations these days."

"But they won't get rid of us. Whilst people still need food - there will be farmers."

A regular visitor to Dolgellau livestock market, she believed more women were taking a leading role in farming.

"There are certainly more women around the markets these days. And this competition draws attention to the work of women in general on farms."