SMOKO STORIES - Alison Harvey

“I gained so much knowledge in that period of time, even though people used to say to me it’s a male dominated industry. It is, and it has been, but not once did I feel like they hadn’t given me an opportunity. They were very encouraging and shared their knowledge”.

From the age of seven, Alison Harvey quickly came to learn about the connection between farmers and food. However, it was after finishing her degree at Harper Adams University that she began to build her people skills and agricultural knowledge through the selection of jobs she chose within the industry. Here in her own words, Alison tells me about her beliefs in supporting local and encouraging individuals to achieve.

FF. Where did your agricultural journey begin?

AH. My family moved to the farm when I was six years old. I lived in Kempton until I was one, and then moved to Knighton, and remember coming to visit the farm, which was my grandfather's farm on my mothers side of the family. I don’t have huge memories of us visiting other than of me riding the pony. There is a story my dad told in his speech at our wedding, that when we moved here I had my first pet lambs at the age of seven. Dad was really worried about having to tell me where these lambs would end up going. Obviously I had named them all but he sat me down and was explaining to me how the farm works and what we needed to do to make money. Dad explained that we have to sell the lambs and they end up being killed for people to eat them. He asked me if I was OK with that? Answering his question, my response was ‘could we have that one back to taste (pointing at one of the pets)’? So later in life I have come to realise that my connection of farming and food has always been there. From then on I always remember being hands on on the farm. 

FF. What is your current farming system?

AH. The farm is made up of two blocks of land. One of which we rent out now. We used to have a flock of Tregaron Welsh sheep there but we sold them and still to this day I miss them terribly but it was time to adapt and change. The current farm goes up to about 950 feet. We run Lleyn sheep of which we breed some pedigrees and then cross others with terminal sires. We’ve been making some changes as my dad is in his 70’s. Therefore, we’ve discussed that the system needs to be easy and we’d like to reduce the amount of time spent on the farm to make it practical whilst also maintaining an income. In recent years we’ve started a proper vaccination programme with the ewes which has already started reducing our lameness within the flock which has then also helped reduce our workload. Dad and I have learnt to communicate better to make sure we have a proper plan in place to ensure we are both there on the same day to get jobs done quicker. The aim is to still be producing a similar number of livestock and producing a really good animal. I’d like us to be finishing more animals in the future as we’ve mainly been selling stores the past couple of years. The overall goal is to just have a good healthy flock grazing good grass.

FF. So from an early age did you always know you wanted a career in agriculture?

AH. No. I always helped on the farm and did it because that is what you do and I did enjoy it. When I was in school I wanted to be a lorry driver and also considered being a chef. I had done some work experience in kitchens and really enjoyed doing catering work. When it came to my school careers adviser giving me guidance on what I should do, we did a quiz and my results came back telling me I should be an officer in the navy. My response to that suggestion was a very confused ‘what?’. It was definitely at that secondary school age that I started thinking more about what I actually wanted to do and I have always very much decided to do what I enjoy. I just wanted to follow what I enjoyed doing along with what was important to me. I don’t think I am the type of person who could do a job that I didn’t think was right and I feel agriculture is the right career for me.

FF. Did you decide to go on to college and university after school?

AH. Yes. I did Agri Food Marketing with Business at Harper Adams University. I probably shouldn’t have stayed for sixth form after school however, I just wasn’t sure at that stage of life what exactly I wanted to do and was finding my feet during the last couple of years of school. I was also in the local Young Farmers Club (YFC). Some of the people I was in young farmers with talked about Harper Adams, and my Dad had also been to Harper, therefore I knew about the University because of them and not necessarily guidance from anywhere else. My course at Harper Adams was a four year course with a sandwich placement year.

FF. Where did your career take you next following your time at University?

AH. A cheese factory roughly half an hour from home, called DairyGold in Felin Fach. I had been packing cheese as a summer job whilst I was at university. When I finished my university course I phoned them to see if I could have a summer job again. They asked me what course I had completed and once I informed them, they offered me a job in the office instead. I started by doing a customer account management job and this is where my skills in customer connection really started. Finishing at DairyGold, I then moved on to an insurance sales job for a short period of time, however, I didn't really enjoy that. The people element was good and I learnt a lot, it was just everything else that went with it I didn’t enjoy. I remember being at a hen party and a friend suggested I give the Dunbia slaughterhouse in Llanybydder a ring as they had jobs available. I submitted an application, however didn’t actually get the job I had applied for which was an assistant account manager role. Nevertheless, I was offered a job as a trainee manager instead, which in hindsight was a lot better as I got to see different parts of the factory and how it all worked together. I got to witness the animals coming in right through to the meat packs going out to stores. I was there for 15 years in total and the time I spent there and the people I worked with were so incredibly passionate about what they do. I think that rubbed off on me quite a lot. I gained so much knowledge in that period of time, even though people used to say to me it’s a male dominated industry. It is, and it has been, but not once did I feel like they hadn’t given me an opportunity. They were very encouraging and shared their knowledge. If you genuinely showed an interest and asked questions and wanted to just get on, they would help you. When I first started at Dunbia, to get to know the people and the individuals working within the factory, I used to walk around with the manager in the mornings to see what everyone was doing. I also worked with customers which were mainly Sainsbury’s at the time, however I also went on to do some work with the Co-op, Tesco and Asda. I got to work with the farmers a lot too. With an office team in the factory there would be lots of different heads of departments nevertheless, they would constantly be up and down the different floors and not just sitting at their desks all the time. That gave me the insight of how all the departments worked together.

FF. What made you leave Dunbia and move to your current job role?

AH. My people skills helped me and I am quite a good listener. I want to understand what businesses are doing and how their systems work. It wasn’t an easy decision to leave Dunbia as I had a really good time there, but it was time to do something different. When you start doing the same things you can start to get complacent and it was time to broaden my mind. Probably a bit of a culture shock because even though the roles are connected, it is a different industry and a completely different way of working. It's definitely been a learning curve moving to the role of Agri Supply Chain Advisor for the company Rural Advisor. Working with farmers now, when you visit them to do a business plan you have to do the financial side as well as all the other sections. However, what interests me is what is going to work for the people there and how the family is going to cope. Questioning how it works for everyone in the family. I suppose it comes back to my interests as well. I want to enjoy what I am doing and I don’t want to do something I don’t like. I don’t really want that for anyone else either. You try to work out the people side of it as well as the business needs. It’s probably a completely different approach to what I should be doing. Farmers may not always trust the next stage of people within the supply chain, for example a processor or retailer. You have to earn that trust by developing your people skills first. For me it's a privilege to do that and then work back through the other areas, especially when you are working with a family. It’s a privilege when they invite you in and share their information. It's valuable. I was at a conference yesterday and a guy after the event said he couldn’t believe how much support we have in Wales for learning and helping rural businesses that they just don’t have in England. It reminds you to  encourage those businesses to use it while it’s there. I personally think farmers are very special people, who yes, like a moan, so I give them plenty of time to clear what is on their mind because once they are done you can start to understand their business needs. 

FF. Who have been the main inspirations to you so far in your agricultural career?

AH. I always find this question a difficult one to answer. I really struggle with it. I always think to myself what famous people do I look up to and I don’t really have anyone in particular. There are people that I have worked with who always come to mind before famous people. I admire the traits of people like the chef James Martin because to me, he seems to cook what he wants to cook. He always promotes where the food has come from and you can see the passion that he has for doing that. Most of my inspirations will probably be chefs and then people I have worked with. It’s the realness in people that I admire. I have no time for career politicians. I do admire my local MP, Ben Lake and the work that he has done. In fact, I should say Minette Batters, I am a big fan - firstly in her ability to speak and get messages across, and secondly her unfading energy to support our industry through everything. I had a boss in Dunbia who could be quite straight talking, but he did what he expected of others and didn’t treat himself differently from everyone else. He got on with the job. Overall I definitely think it's more day to day people who inspire me and I think your inspirations definitely change the further along your career journey you go. When I was in University I really admired Professor Wynne Jones, who was the principal when I was at Harper Adams. I just liked him because he always said hello and he knew your name. And then I really admired him for the speed he could down a pint! I just like people who stick to their guns and get the job done.

FF. What has been your greatest achievement or highlight in your career so far?

AH. I'm very proud of the fact that we produce food at home. We’re not on a big scale and don’t pretend to be but we are very proud of what we do. A highlight for me was nominating two farmers for the Farmers Weekly Awards and they both ended up winning their categories. That was a real feel good thing for so many people who were involved and not solely just the individuals who won. The families and even the people in the factories who got involved were pleased. So that was really good. And now, if I’m honest, the most rewarding thing I do is facilitating the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show Rural Leadership Programme. I absolutely love doing that. It’s incredibly rewarding and it made me realise that I like encouraging other people to be the best they can and giving people the belief to have a go. Seeing the difference in people when they come in and start the programme compared to how they finish and go out, which I don’t take all the credit for, is really nice. When you form a group of people like we do, that development just sort of happens.

FF. What advice would you give to a young person looking to start a career in the agricultural industry?

AH. Just do it. I’m not into all that manifestation stuff necessarily, but I do think where there is a will there’s a way. Ask for help. Speak to people. Where has the interest come from? Is there a person they have seen when driving past a farm that they could ask and just start talking to that farmer. Try anything and have a go. I feel lucky that I have had access in the way I have because my dad isn’t from a farming background. The other good way to get into it is to marry well (lol). It’s difficult and I know it’s difficult but there is also a huge amount of help and people will want to help you as well. Don’t always think that the only way you can be in the industry is by already having a farm and producing stock. There is a massive range of jobs linked to the industry and an equally large pool of skills are required to fill these roles. If you are coming out of university you can look at a graduate scheme with a company or do some work experience. For example if you went to a feed merchant you will meet farmers through doing that job. So any way you can, get yourself into it. Build up knowledge and experience while also earning an income. Don’t just assume the only way to be in the industry is by having a farm. Going back to our discussion on career advisers when I was in school, it makes me angry that it was assumed if you struggled with lessons that it would be OK because that child was going back home to farm. How wrong can you be because of the amount of skills you now must have to run a farm business. Even if you do come from a farming background and you want to be a farmer, go and learn something else. Don’t just go to school and then go straight to the farm. Go and learn some skills, gain some experience. Work for somebody else. Do a different job. Do some training as it all helps. I would also tell them to travel. It will help agriculture in the long term if people travelled to see something different. I’ve started doing some mentoring with Meat business Women, and I have had my first mentee and it's brilliant. Working with someone who has so many ideas or wants to go in a certain direction but doesn’t know how to go about it in their company has been interesting. Just helping her sound things out in the right place is great. She’ll either do it or won’t but at least you discuss taking that next step to see what it is like. The Meat Business Women conference is probably the best conference I have been to. The speakers usually suit what I think and they do various workshops. They challenge you properly.

FF. The farming industry in recent years has increased its promotion of looking after our mental health. What do you do to look after your own mental health?

AH. I actually think I am quite good at looking after myself. If something is starting to push too much, I will just push back. It’s different in a way, because I work full time and then go to the farm. I find the farm is my relief. Whereas someone who is working on the farm everyday  will see it very differently. For me, going to do a sheep job is an exciting “yes I’m off to the sheep” statement. But it is that break away from your daily routine I suppose. It’s removing yourself from that heaviness of whatever you are doing. I could have been working with a farmer who was really struggling with debt or a family bereavement. That kind of stays with me a bit however, you can only do what you can do. You need to make sure you take a break away. The farm for me is that. I do like a walk on the beach. I find the coast very therapeutic and enjoy a paddle in the cold water. Simple things. And then of course there are my flowers.

FF. Tell us more about your flowers. Why did you start your flower business?

AH. I started it last year (2024) because I wanted to have flowers for a grave for palm Sunday and you can never buy them in the shops or supermarkets because everybody prefers to do Mother’s day flowers or flowers for Easter which is right. But palm Sunday is just impossible so I thought I would attempt growing my own. Then a couple of people told me it was a good idea because they could never get flowers for palm Sunday also which made me think OK, I’ll grow a few extra. So last year I grew a few hundred bulbs of various things because you don’t know what is going to grow on a slope in stoney soil in Wales on the wrong side of a valley that doesn’t get much sunshine. The biggest surprise has been that they actually grew and people bought them. So yes, it was really good. For 2025 I have increased the numbers and have a better understanding of what will or won’t grow. I’m not claiming to know everything. I have done a lot of courses of which I am doing one at the moment to learn more. I’m hoping to do a nice Spring range and then another at the start of the Summer. The business has grown organically and I don’t actually aim for it to be massive. It is just a nice thing to do. Delivering flowers to somebody, and it doesn’t matter what you are actually doing it for, it does just brighten someone's day. When you take someone a bunch and the recipient asks who has sent them, you tell them and they usually always respond with a smile or nice comment. The more you get into doing something the more you realise quite a few people are actually doing the same as you and there is a good network of contacts within Wales and the UK. Starting this business also follows my ethos of buying British or buying Welsh when it comes to the food I eat and you can do the same with buying flowers. Plus they last longer which I am really impressed with because I was extremely nervous about that. Local cafes and holiday accommodations have bought them from me which is nice, but then I also return the gesture by going to shop with them or recommending them. It keeps the money in your economy and I think that is hugely important. Having lots of smaller businesses in local areas is healthy for our economy, especially in rural locations.

FF. In your ideal world, what would a good agricultural life/business look like?

AH. Brings in money which is enough to support people properly, not just be asset rich. That they actually have money to live off. Healthy livestock, healthy land, healthy families. And to have that you need to make sure you learn the right things and understand them. The produce you are selling is valued. And working with your community. When you're younger I don’t think you realise it as much, but a community is vital. It’s hugely important to keep it going. I remember when I was in University and people were going on their placements and they were saying they wanted to work in specific places, earning a certain salary, or work in the city etc. And that's brilliant, I’m not taking it away from them but I remember thinking that was not something I desired to do. I like to go and visit different places, I like to see different things, but home is more important. I have a group of school friends and we have all stayed in the area and I think it's the strength of our area that brings people back to stay and build their skillset to make their own area stronger.

FF. What is one item you can not farm without?

AH. Well I have two, but the first one which came to my mind, I have and use a child's size crook. I’ve probably had it for about 20 years. It is battered but it is just really handy when you are trying to move things around and need a little bit of a longer arm to make a noise if needed. That actually went missing for a while and my dad found it in the shed and I’ve never been so relieved. And the second item would be gloves. I wear gloves all the time. I want to look after my hands, but as well as this, Tug of War, long term, has weakened my grip. Therefore, when I wear gloves it helps my strength. And if I really want to treat myself, I’ll put hand cream on at the start of the day just before I put my gloves on.

FF. If you are having a bad day at work and have been dealing with a business plan that was challenging, what is your go to song of choice to motivate you to get the work done?

AH. David Guetta’s song ‘Titanium’. But I probably have two others that I would like also which are ‘This girl is on fire’ by Alicia Keys and then finally for some reason I really like Lainey Wilsons song ‘What’s Up’. However, in general, if I am in that kind of situation, I will just put some music on or just go and get some fresh air. I remember putting songs together to sing in the car, as an example, when I was on my way to a selection day for the rural leadership. I remember thinking to myself that I needed to perform on those days and I find having those playlists on in the car that you can sing along to just power you up. When I am out for a walk in the fresh air however, I don’t listen to music or podcasts. I don’t think it helps me switch off or allows your brain to go where it needs to go. Sometimes you need to walk to get that emotion out and you need to feel what you are emotionally feeling. I personally just think that if you are trying to release that emotion whilst listening to a podcast, then you're not doing it properly. Plus there's plenty of birds, or other sounds going on around you that you can listen to. I even talk to the dog if I need to.

FF. Final Question. Why farming?

AH. As an industry it’s in me and, it’s important and, it’s right. I had to do a YFC presentation a few weeks ago on why farming is important, and it just is. I don’t think there is any other answer. It just is. When I worked for Dunbia, we used to do trips out to see farms with the customers we were supplying. Some people thought we were just doing the trip for a jolly but I always remember thinking that those trips were the most powerful thing we could do as we would get a customer who understood nothing out on a farm, to meet the people who are farming it. It’s important to share our story.

You can follow more of Alison's journey on:

Instagram - @sheepshoesandfood or @blodaucaegroflowers