Sam Rowlands MS for North Wales and Darren Millar MS for Clwyd West have been seeing first-hand how an upland farm is run in North Wales.
Both recently visited Gallt-y-Celyn farm in Pentrefoelas, near Betws-y-Coed.
Sam said:
I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Alun Owen, FUW County Chairman, along with his wife, Marian, who have been successfully running an upland farm on the Foelas estate for many years.
The farm lies between 600 and 800 feet above sea level and produces store cattle and fat lambs and it was fascinating to be taken on a tour around the area and see for myself what a hard way of life it can be.
I was impressed to see how Alun and Marian are also planning for the future of the farm. The business was taken over from Alun’s parents and their son, Sion, is now following in their footsteps and is studying at Llysfasi College of Agriculture.
I also had the chance to speak with Glyn Roberts, FUW President and discuss his concerns on farming matters such as TB and Agri pollution regulations.
Darren said:
It is always a pleasure to meet up and support local farmers and see all the hard work which goes into keeping our nation fed.
Farming is the life blood of the country and we all need to appreciate what an enormous amount of sheer hard work and effort goes in both to producing the food we eat and protecting our countryside.
On the farm, Marian and Alun Owen, have a herd of suckler cows which are self-sufficient and are crossed with a Charolais bull. However, recently they decided to use the Aberdeen Angus bull.
In addition to a suckler herd which calve in Spring and Autumn they have a flock of Texel sheep crossed with a Llyn ram to get ewe lamb replacements, and a Texel ram to produce fat lambs and sell them, like the cattle through to live market.
Sam Rowlands a Darren Millar yn cyfarfod cynrychiolwyr o Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru ar y fferm
Mae Sam Rowlands AS dros Ogledd Cymru a Darren Millar AS dros Orllewin Clwyd wedi bod yn gweld drostyn nhw’u hunain sut mae fferm fynydd yn cael ei rhedeg yn y Gogledd.
Bu’r ddau yn ymweld â fferm Gallt-y-celyn ym Mhentrefoelas, ger Betws-y-coed yn ddiweddar.
Meddai Sam:
Roeddwn i’n falch iawn o gael cyfle i gyfarfod Alun Owen, Cadeirydd Sirol Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru, a’i wraig Marian, sydd wedi bod yn rhedeg fferm fynydd yn llwyddiannus ar ystad y Foelas ers blynyddoedd lawer.
Mae’r fferm rhwng 600 a 800 troedfedd uwchben lefel y môr ac yn cynhyrchu gwartheg stôr ac ŵyn tew ac roedd hi mor ddiddorol mynd o gwmpas y fferm a gweld drosof fy hun pa mor anodd y gall y ffordd hon o fyw fod.
Fe wnaeth cynlluniau Alun a Marian ar gyfer dyfodol y fferm argraff arna i hefyd. Fe gymeron nhw’r awenau yn y busnes gan rieni Alun ac mae eu mab, Siôn, yn dilyn eu camrau nhw yn awr ac yn astudio yng Ngholeg Amaethyddol Llysfasi.
Cefais gyfle i siarad â Glyn Roberts, Llywydd Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru, hefyd a thrafod ei bryderon ym myd ffermio fel rheoliadau TB a llygredd amaethyddol.
Meddai Darren:
Mae’n bleser cyfarfod a chefnogi ffermwyr lleol bob amser a gweld y gwaith caled sy’n cael ei wneud i fwydo ein gwlad.
Ffermio yw enaid cefn gwlad ac mae angen i bawb werthfawrogi’r gwaith caled a’r ymdrech anhygoel a wneir i gynhyrchu’r bwyd rydym yn ei fwyta a gwarchod ein cefn gwlad.
Ar y fferm, mae gan Alun a Marian Owen, fuches sugno sy’n hunangynhaliol ac wedi’u croesi â tharw Charolais. Fodd bynnag, fe benderfynon nhw ddefnyddio’r tarw Aberdeen Angus yn ddiweddar.
Yn ogystal â buches sugno sy’n lloia yn y gwanwyn a’r hydref mae ganddynt ddiadell o ddefaid Texel wedi’u croesi â hwrdd Llŷn i gael ŵyn benyw cadw, a hwrdd Texel i gynhyrchu ŵyn tew a’u gwerthu, fel y gwartheg i farchnad fyw.
