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Cattle grazing on Parc Gwair at Wernlwyd (Grey Alders)
There is an opportunity here at Grey Alders for someone perhaps just out of agricultural college or looking for a new venture to gain experience and develop ideas on a small farm.
This opportunity is open to a volunteer or a share farmer (or couple in both instances) or we can afford to pay you a wage and give you the responsibility of Farm Manager if you would prefer to do it that way.
Firstly, we need someone to maintain what we are doing now. That's: (1) Raising 2 year-old mutton then extreme-hanging for tenderness and flavour (2) Adding value with burgers, sausages and biltong (3) brewing cider and apple wine in Celtic Christian tradition.
We already attend farmers' markets and sell online and in the farm shop There is demand for all this!
Yes, we have stunning sunsets
Secondly, you'll come in with some knowledge, we hope, with ideas, skills and enthusiasm to develop the smallholding and extract maximum value from the buildings and the 23 acres all through the year.
We certainly need to re-establish the poly-tunnels and raise additional niche livestock and/or poultry. Whatever we do will must always be done well and profitably.
Weather like this is rare!
In short, bring ideas and innovation and see what the Lord will do with it all. This is probably a live-in situation but there is superb accommodation available in one of the well-equipped mobile homes here on site.
Such a set-up could easily suit a young couple or small family - or someone looking for a new beginning.
Contractors shearing our sheep.
Obviously you'll need sympathy for our Christian vision, meat-eating and cider-making and want to help make Grey Alders even more visitor-friendly and sustainable.
You'll be outgoing and at the forefront of finding things to occupy and engage our Woofing-style volunteers. That could range from helping with sheep tasks, horticulture, chopping wood, fencing or clearing a woodland trail.
We also want to run more weekend and midweek events. You'll be part of that. So you will be flexible enough to find yourself farming, food-processing, marketing, making sales and customer liaising.
Real lambs at Grey Alders!
We'll operate on a volunteer or share farming basis or as a paid position. If the former, accommodation and food will be provided, but you do not share in the profits. If share farming, you will pay for your accommodation and food and no doubt be be backed up by government assistance, until there are profits to share. That shouldn't take long as we have been working hard building up our presence at markets and in the locality already. If you are being paid, that can be on a self-employed basis, leaving you free to pursue other activitites if there is time! Either way, it will be a great faith-building exercise as we engage in a daily pattern of prayer, see the Lord at work and watch the Bible's farming metaphors come to life.
This Farmers Guardian link is all about share farming. As is this CLA link.
The cattle yard.
We love this word: Psalm 104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; (KJV)
Grass literally grows 'out of the earth.' It's the only plant that does that. Ruminants are perfectly designed to eat it and turn it into high-protein muscle meat. When we eat them we participate in a divine eco-system. How good is that? And how smart - or inspired - was the psalmist?
Please pray the Lord to raise up just the right person(s) and of course if you know someone who could be interested please pass this on. Ring or text Stephen or Judy on 07944 668809 or email Judy at this website or use the contact form.
Make sure you watch this stunning video recorded here at Grey Alders in April 2018, 'Eva has twins at Grey Alders,' and be blessed!
Four years on, and you'll be pleased to know Erica and Emmanuella are doing well, by the grace of God. Sadly, Erica has not had the lambing success of Emmanuella, but that's life, and farming. And Eva herself is still going strong, raising lovely lambs. She is one of the farm characters, no doubt about that.