In the latest episode of Our Farm Next Door, Amanda Owen confronts some of the toughest realities of life on Ravenseat Farm. As a thick layer of snow blankets the landscape, the Owen family experiences both the joy of winter fun and the heavy burden of farming challenges during harsh conditions.
While the children delight in the snowy surroundings, Amanda and Clive express serious concern for their flock. Clive reflects on the unpredictable nature of the winter months: “January and February were funny months, and anything could happen. That Beast from the East was quite nasty. The kids were little, and we had no electricity for a week.”
He adds, “You know, everybody gets a little bit of snow, but it can be absolutely unbelievable here, and you’ve got to be careful, otherwise it’ll have you out of business.”
READ MORE: Todenham Man Undergoes Life-Saving Quintuple Bypass After Mistaking Heart Attack Symptoms for Indigestion
READ MORE: Miles Owen Opens Up About His Dad Clive ‘Slowing Down’ on the Family Farm
Amanda shares the exhausting toll the snow takes, both physically and mentally. “When that snow hits, it can be exhausting. Day one, day two, yeah, it is fun, but day four, five, six, seven, and beyond, it is a real test,” she says.
Clive recalls some particularly devastating times: “In my time, there have been some pretty awful occasions where we’ve lost quite a lot of sheep under snow. It’s so vast out there that if they’re not where you think they are, then it is a needle in a haystack.”
Despite the hardships, Amanda finds strength in resilience. “In those situations, it’s good to look back in hindsight and say, ‘You know what we got through that’.”
She also sheds light on the unique mindset needed to persevere as a farmer, especially during severe weather. “The worse the weather gets, you should, in theory, want to spend more time inside by the fire, but when you’re farming, you want to spend more time outside because you need to take care of the animals.”
On tough mornings, Amanda feels a strong pull to face the elements head-on: “When you see that light shine through the window and you know it’s icy and snowy out there, you don’t pull the duvet over your head; you’re like, ‘Let me at it’.”
She acknowledges the essential drive required to keep going: “Because that’s what you have to do. And I always think to myself, ‘the day that you don’t want to do that, you’ve got to quit’.”
As spring arrives in Swaledale, the Owens prepare for the busy lambing season ahead, bringing both hope and continued demands. The latest episode also highlights warm family moments, including a picnic with Amanda, Edith, and Clemmie, as well as the installation of new underfloor heating and the kids’ discovery of frogspawn.
Our Farm Next Door continues to offer an authentic glimpse into the grit and grace required to sustain a family farm under the shadow of nature’s unpredictability.