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Not many people believe me when I tell them I grew up on a farm, it’s a side I don’t often show when i’m in the city, but as i’m growing as a person I am growing closer to my roots and appreciating the wonderful upbringing I had as a child, living out on the hills, battling the elements and preparing for the most unexpected of daily challenges. All skills that I have used continually in every aspect of my life.
Here’s my story…
All Photos
by
Paul Henry Photography
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The Farm
My family’s farm is at the head of the Eden Valley in Cumbria and it is a hill farm, which basically means what it says – a farm up in the hills. Situated 1200ft or 420m above sea level at the house and even higher on the moorland, it’s fair to say we get some extreme weather. It is a small family run farm with my Mum, Dad and brother James. We breed a variety of sheep breeds and cows to be sold at the local auction houses.
When I was born, the farm had a small herd of dairy cows which we sadly lost in the Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic (FMD) of 2001. The entire herd had to be slaughtered on 7th September, along with generations of a blood line that had been developed in our flock of sheep for many years. It was a heartbreaking time for many farmers who sadly lost all of their stock and in some cases, loved ones too whose livelihoods were lost and with it their whole purpose for living. Many farmers sold up and cases of anxiety and depression increased, it was a hugely stressful time for all and also meant that as children, we had to self isolate on the farm for months to try and protect our animals against contracting the disease. Although I wasn’t very old at the time, I have a few memories of having homework sent through to the farm as I wasn’t able to attend school. I can remember quite vividly the day my Dad discovered that our beloved dairy cows had contracted FMD, it was one of the worst days of our lives.
After losing all of our animals in 2001, we slowly began to restock with new bloodlines from other farmers. This time we decided to leave the dairy industry and move into the beef side.
A farmer’s calendar is always full, with each new season bringing its own set of jobs. It can be a very isolated life and every day is a workday with no set hours or pay. In Spring time the sheep come down to the lower ground near the house where they have their lambs out in the fields. This is a very challenging and very important time of the year for farmers, they are extremely long days with only a few hours sleep in between, it can be magical, but stressful too.
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Summer time is a beautiful time of the year. The cows go out into the fields as the weather is a lot warmer for them and for the ground to be able to hold them. It is also when the grass is left to grow so it can be harvested into the winter feed. This is usually in the form of silage and hay bales, but can also be chopped up to make loose silage which is piled high into a heap under cover to protect it from the harsh weather. Summer is when the sheep are sheared too, their wool coats being sheared off so that they don’t overheat in the warm weather. It also protects them from parasites and disease and is good all round for their welfare.
Autumn time is when preparations begin for the long winter months ahead. Usually the weather can be very wet and cold at this time of the year, so it can make a lot of work keeping things clean and tidy and the stock safe and well out in the fields.
Winter time is when the cows come back inside as the ground can get pretty churned up with their hooves, but also to protect them from the harsh winter weather which can include temperatures below freezing and snow, but more often than not, includes a lot of rain and wind which is not pleasant for anyone to be out in!
Growing Up
As a child I didn’t have the happiest of times at school. I was targeted by a group of bullies throughout most of my school life, both in primary and secondary school, until I eventually moved schools in year 9. The farm was a safe haven for me, somewhere I could retreat back to and spend time surrounded by love, beauty and nature. Animals have always been important to me, in particular my dogs, though I love the cats too, but it was with the dogs that I would go for long walks, runs up the fell and general roaming and exploring, getting away from it all and connecting with the healing powers of nature.
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It was quite difficult for me to ‘hang out’ with the other kids in town, I lived 9 miles away from most of my friends and there wasn’t (and still isn’t) any public transport, so I had to rely on my parents to drive me which wasn’t always possible when we had cows to milk twice a day and sheep to feed, not to mention the hungry mouths of the feline and canine variety. I was fortunate though that my mum encouraged me to take part in the local dance school and other after school clubs which soon became my social life.
As a child I loved being on stage, I found my confidence there, I loved performing and having the chance to be someone else for a moment in time, it was a sanctuary for me.
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Two Worlds Combine
It took me over two decades before I began to implement the confidence i’d learned being on the stage to my everyday life. My journey has taught me so many valuable lessons and I am grateful for the growth I have had, and continue to experience. I’ve learnt that I can’t live a life of fast pace and hustle without some aspect of my wellbeing suffering for it. I have learnt what is important to me in life and it is not only my career. Spending time in nature, with my family, with the animals in the peace and tranquillity of the countryside is something I absolutely must do to re-energise, so I can continue to pursue my career as an actress in the hustle and bustle of London life.
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As a family, we only ever had two holidays that I can remember with us all together, it simply wasn’t possible to go away with all the animals to look after on a daily basis, so my holidays now are spent on the farm with my family whenever I can go. I help out as much as I can when I’m there – feeding things, walking things, driving things, checking things, fixing things and mucking things out! It truly is a blessing to have the best of both worlds and I hope to be able to bridge the gap between the two by sharing my experiences with others.
