SMOKO STORIES - Katy Davies

"I remember looking at him and thinking how accurate he was in his observation of that field of animals. I was very proud in that moment, as it made me feel like my knowledge of breeding good livestock was now being passed on to him".

Born and raised on the edge of the urban South Wales Valleys, Katy Davies has always been surrounded by young lambs and a resilient farming community. However, it wasn't until she moved to West Wales, before starting secondary school, that her love for working within the agricultural industry really began. Here in her own words, Katy tells me about the journey she has taken towards becoming a renowned pedigree breeder and her true passion and dedication for achieving top recognition and prize winning rosettes at her favourite agricultural shows.

FF. Take us right back to the start Katy. Where did your agricultural journey begin?
KD. I was born and raised on a beef and sheep farm in the South Wales valleys which my mum farmed alongside my nan and my uncle. In the year of the foot and mouth outbreak (2001) my mum, sister and I moved to Carmarthen, West Wales. My mum had picked up some contracting work milking cows and various sheep jobs and it was whilst we were living in West Wales that my mum met my step father. After some time we moved in with him, on his farm, quickly followed by the dogs and finally the sheep. We moved when I was around nine or ten years old and that became my home farm for quite some years thereafter. I remember it being a very different environment living in amongst rural Carmarthen compared to the South Wales valleys. I had gone from being used to seeing burnt out cars on the side of the roads or hearing fireworks being set off late at night for no reason, to now living 20 minutes out of Carmarthen in a quiet rural area. Primary school was a major culture shock for me but it also made me who I am. There were no other farming children in my school in the valleys and it was an English speaking school with 32 students per class. The primary school which I moved to in West Wales was a school of 34 children in total and was a fluent Welsh speaking school, therefore I had to learn very quickly how to speak and write Welsh before moving up to comprehensive school. Fast forward a number of years whilst at agricultural college I became a mum to my son (little) Dafydd, I worked a number of contract shepherding jobs within the local rural community as well as UK wide and a number of years later again I met my partner, Dafydd (a.k.a big Daf) and now live in Conwy, North Wales where again I initially moved my dog up first along with three of my Cheviot sheep whilst I was off contract lambing before I finally moved in myself.

FF. What would you say was your earliest farming memory?
KD. (Katy laughs) This is going to sound disgusting but my earliest memory was of the first ewe I had to lamb. So this was while I was still living in the valleys. My uncle's next door neighbour used to spread human sludge on his fields. This particular day, I remember it well, the wind was blowing really strong. The ewe was lambing in our neighbouring 21 acre field which my mum used to hold sheep dog trails in. I think I must have been about six years old and we had noticed the ewe had a hung lamb and was showing signs of a difficult lambing. I was the one who had to attempt to help lamb the ewe with my small hands and I do not have the strongest of stomachs anyway especially with regard to that foul smell blowing in the wind. My uncle was talking me through the lambing process and explaining what I needed to do, and that was the first ewe I ended up lambing which has always stuck with me as a memory to the point that if you took me back to that field now I would be able to tell you it was under the Oak tree in the corner. Another memory I have is of me looking out of my bedroom window one day and we had a road which split my uncles farm in half. Three fields above the road and the rest were below it. Mum had always given my sister and I black lambs or sheep if they were born on the farm or bought in, mainly because they were easier to pinpoint in the fields to know which ones were ours to look after alongside the white Welsh mountain sheep. There was a black lamb on the floor and I could see crows gathering around it. I remember my Nan gave me such a bollocking after it, and my Nan never used to shout at me as she was the most gentle woman ever. My Nan taught me a lot of patience especially when it came to working with animals. Anyway, I had crossed the road which was a very busy road, hence the reason for being told off. I had gone to get this black lamb because it was being pecked and targeted by the crows. I'd had to climb on top of the dog kennel to get over the dry stone wall to be able to cross the road into the field as I was unable to climb or open the sheeted yard gate at the time. When I came back to the house with the lamb, climbing exactly the same route back which I had taken to get to the field, I had such a telling off from my Nan which I clearly remember. 

FF. When did you know farming was the career route you wanted to take?
KD: It was all I had ever known which helped in a way. We had moved in with my step dad and we had been living there for possibly a year and my mother had bought a small pedigree flock of Cheviots. My sister and I had been given a small flock of Balwen sheep for Christmas also. That was when the farming lifestyle really cemented because we had started showing and basically just caught the bug for breeding and showing sheep. I remember choosing my GCSE subjects and all the other girls in my class were saying they wanted to either be a hairdresser, a nurse or a beautician. To be fair it had crossed my mind to be a nurse but I didn't think my people skills would be great in some situations. I take my hat off and admire anyone who is a nurse as I definitely couldn't do what they have to do now. So, I told myself I was going to be a farmer. We had started to do really well in agricultural shows, and in all honesty because I had always done it by getting up early in the morning to bottle feed lambs for example, I think it had always just been within me to do something within agriculture. Whether that was to do agriculture solely on its own by farming myself or a side element within the farming sector, I knew my career was always going to be agricultural related. I remember speaking to careers Wales in school and it was obvious that they felt farming was not an option. It wasn't mentioned as a career choice at all. I remember going home after the careers day and I just felt so deflated. As if farming was made out to be a no go option. Being told not to choose that path as you will never get anywhere in your career. Looking back now on that time I did feel really deflated by it. However, on the flip side, now my son has just done a GCSE in agriculture which wasn't an option when I was in school. But it was definitely the livestock showing scene which helped finalise my decision as I had started making friends around the county who were also farming and showing sheep.

FF: What's your earliest memory of showing sheep?
KD: My showing memory is a bit vague to be honest because we used to do so many shows. Weirdly enough I was looking back through tups (rams) the other day, as I have some Black Welsh Mountain rams I would like to sell. I used to have a ram lamb, and this was when I didn't really have a clue of how to trim and present a sheep correctly in the shows. It must have been around 16 years ago as I had already had little Daf. This ram lamb I mentioned was winning all the shows which boosted my confidence to keep going. Another memory is I can clearly remember the amount my mother paid for her North Country Cheviot ewes in Carmarthen livestock market because I remember her buying them and me thinking they looked a bit rough. Mum started her flock in 2005 and I quickly fell in love with the Cheviot breed so I started my own flock a number of years later. I loved the breed, I loved the society and the people involved within it. I like the fact the sheep are a little bit spirited as a breed, as I feel I am a little bit spirited too. Oddly, I bought my own flock ram before I had bought any actual ewes. I used to contract lamb for George who owns the Kinaldy flock in Scotland who had a ram that was breeding really well. George had used this ram for three years and he was unable to keep him in the flock due to his daughters coming into the flock for breeding. So I had become very aware of this ram's blood lines and made the decision I was going to start my own flock of North Country Cheviots. So I bought the ram in the February before I had purchased any females later in July. That was in 2017. 

The black Welsh mountain sheep flock started when I was good friends with a lad who tragically got killed, Chris Hughes. Some of his flock ended up being sold at the then Abergavenny market following his passing and I wanted to purchase some of them. That would have been the year before my son Dafydd was born. As I mentioned previously, I always had the black Welsh mountain breed from a young age but I only really re-started the pedigree flock when I moved to North Wales with my partner (big) Daf and we had more land to play with. That would have been roughly 2018. I am known for my Cheviot sheep however, the Black Welsh Mountains are my babies. They're such a good ewe as they raise two lambs and I think they are such an underrated little ewe. The Cheviot breed has definitely grown massively in popularity in Wales over the last few years and you could also say UK wide as they are such a versatile ewe. The Black Welsh mountain ewe is obviously a lot easier to handle due to them being smaller but I just think they are a great little ewe.

FF: Tell me more about the show trimming and dressing work that you now do? When did that start?
KD: I started trimming, and I remember this clearly. We had bought a ram lamb. When you buy certain livestock they have a sale number stamped (painted) on their backs. The majority of the livestock we had shown before him were mainly lambs which didn't really require a lot of trimming, just brushing up and tidying to keep them clean in order to show off their lines and confirmation. But trimming was something I always wanted to do as I had watched so many people do it. When I say I watched, I used to sit at the top of the shed on a Saturday and Sunday in the Royal Welsh Show, aged 12-13 years old, and intensely watch people trim their sheep ready for the show rings. So this ram lamb that we had purchased with the back stamp, obviously as his wool was growing the stamp colour would rise also with the wool. We had brought him in to the yard one day and I thought to myself that I was going to have a go at trimming him. I managed to trim down to below where the back stamp was visible and because the ram had obviously been trimmed previously for the sale, his lines were quite easy for me to follow. When I first started trimming I always had older, more experienced people coming up to give me hints and tips of what I should do to improve my technique. Even though I am only 33 years old, it's almost come full circle and people are asking me for tips now which feels quite nice that I can give some knowledge back. I always wanted to practice, and practice really does help improve your skill. We used to do 26 shows in a season when I was still living with mam and we had our own isolation unit so I definitely had a lot of practice doing it. I also had learnt to shear sheep when I was in agricultural college which helped me a lot as I learnt the lines of the sheep. To trim a sheep you need to know how the wool falls and how to handle your hand shears to trim that wool correctly. However, I always remember my mum telling me that I would be good at doing it because I used to cut my grandmother's hair and my mother always told me I had done a really good job of it. In my opinion the best thing you can do before you even start trimming and dressing a sheep, is handle the animal because every sheep will have a weak point and you need to know the lines of that sheep through handling it in order to help hide that weak point as best you can through trimming. That's what trimming essentially does is make everything look level and clean. You need to know the confirmation of that sheep in order to get the best out of it. I now know that there are some breeds which are easier to trim and that there are certain breeds who will behave on a trimming stand compared to others. Plus, I am a bugger for not saying no if an opportunity arises or I get asked to help trim other people's sheep as I will always learn from it. I'd help anybody as long as they are keen and willing to give it a go. I have also learnt that my time trimming these animals is valuable as it's not a job that can be done in ten minutes. It's a skillset which I have built up and practiced over many many years.

FF: Who have been the biggest inspirations to you throughout your farming journey so far?
KD: My mum would definitely be my number one inspiration for definite. There is so much that my mam has taught me that she probably doesn't even realise it. I've learnt so much by just watching her and following or copying what she has done. She works hard. My nan also I would say has been an inspiration to me. She taught me patience, how to be gentle and she taught me how to care. Every farmer needs the caring and gentle qualities as we can't always rush around at one hundred miles an hour being rough with everything we touch as things will end up being broken or damaged. There are so many people who have shaped me into the person I am and as I mentioned earlier I have enjoyed listening to so many people within this industry as I have grown up. My agricultural lecturer, Mary Richards, I'm not sure how much she may have inspired me as such, but she definitely grounded me. She was the support I needed at that time in life. But there have been so many other people who have inspired me in ways that they probably don't even know, or even I may not know they have actually had an impact until some years later. There's definitely too many people for me to list that have been inspirational to me. A great piece of advice I was told by George who I have worked for in Scotland, with regard to showing sheep was 'don't go looking for a show sheep because a show sheep should always come looking for you'. I always remember him telling me that and I have come to learn it is very true.

FF: What have been your greatest highlights or achievements so far in your agricultural journey?
KD: Number one was graduating from college because if you ask anybody at that time, it took a lot of tears and a lot of swear words, several all nighter's in order to get that qualification so graduating is definitely up there as one of my greatest achievements. Winning the Royal Welsh show ten years after my mother had won it with the Cheviots has to be up there as an achievement for me also. And now, at this moment in time, it would probably have to be seeing my son, Daf, and how he has developed into the young man that he is. He makes me so proud all the time but there was one occasion where we were looking at a field of sheep, probably two years ago now. It was a field of Cheviot sheep over the winter months, and I have always said you can get a better look at a sheep when they are in the field rather than a yard or livestock market. Daf and I were stood in the field and he turned to me and pointed out what he thought was a really good  Cheviot ram but also told me where he thought the ram may be lacking slightly. I remember looking at him and thinking how accurate he was in his observation of that field of animals. I was very proud in that moment, as it made me feel like my knowledge of breeding good livestock was now being passed on to him. Those are definitely the three things that stand out for me as highlights and achievements. However, I am always happy to see my prefix of livestock being sold and purchased at sales to go on for pedigree breeding. To me that means that someone values your sheep enough to use on pedigree ewes. 

FF: What advice would you give to a young person who may be leaving school, or anyone who is wanting to start working within the agricultural sector?
KD: I would say just do it. Take every opportunity that comes to you. It will either be a lesson or it'll be a blessing. Yes, you can work on some farms which aren't great and you never ever want to go back there but, you will work on some farms that will treat you like family and who will always have you back if they need you. I'd also say listen, but also know when to keep quiet and your opinions to yourself. I'll admit I learnt that last statement the hard way. Don't be rude and know when it is the right time to speak, especially if you have asked these people to help you learn about the industry. Don't be cocky and pretend you know it all. Instead ask as many questions as you can to gain knowledge on different systems and perspectives. You may not like the answer you hear but be prepared to listen to the answers you are told. That's the farmer's knowledge and time that they are willing to spend with you. Take it and listen because as I said initially it will either be a lesson or a blessing. If you are from a farming family I can't stress enough how important it is to go away from your home farm and work for somebody else. It doesn't have to be overseas, it can be a few miles down the road. Whether it's for a few years, 12 months or just a couple of months helping with a lambing, calving or harvest season. Get off your home farm and learn to work for somebody else because you learn so many new ways of doing jobs as well as seeing different farming systems. You will also learn respect for those who have done the job before you. It will either work out good for you, or if it doesn't then you have had a go and tried your best. I've said yes to so many opportunities and I have been fortunate that I have also been able to take advantage of them when they have been offered. I honestly believe everything happens for a reason. However, what I do want to stress is the fact this industry doesn't earn the money it deserves and therefore a few years ago I had to make the decision to take a job off farm. Not many farms the same size as ours can sustain having several people living and working off it. I used to do a lot of seasonal contract lambing work but decided to take a step back to get a full time job basically because inevitably I want to buy my own house. I want to be able to pass something on, of my own, to my family. My contract lambing and freelance work was great fun but realistically I wasn't able to get the desired lifestyle for myself without a more secure income. I'm still able to do some contract lambing work with the annual leave and any extra free time I can get. Nevertheless, having a secure income through my job has enabled me to pay bills and if I'm honest has allowed me to experience and see a different way of life. I will admit it is hard. It's hard to juggle farm life, work life and family life but, it was a reality check I needed to go through at that point in my life to realise that you can't always survive on money from farming and sometimes you do have to look elsewhere in order to live the life you want. And there are a large number of jobs within agriculture where you can still be working in the industry but you're not necessarily on a farm.

FF: As you are already aware farming can be very stressful at times. What do you do to look after your mental health?
KD: The livestock showing aspect of what I do, for me personally, is honestly treated as a holiday as mad as that sounds. Even though it is related to farming, there is extra stress and workload for farmers who do it with preparing the animals for example and travelling to the different shows UK wide. Showing for me is what makes me happy. It's a bold statement to say but I'm not sure if I would love farming as much as I do if we didn't have the pedigree sheep. I'd love it, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure if my heart would be in it if it wasn't for the pedigrees. I love talking about the breeding of our stock and seeing where those bloodlines go next. It keeps me focused and I love the social aspect of it all. I'm a very sociable person anyway, but showing allows me to get off farm and see other people which is important. I do think I struggle more in the darker, quieter winter months especially now I am working in an office and not out on farm in daylight hours. Going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark reduces the time I have access to natural light which I have always been used to growing up. Having said that once the lambing season arrives followed by the showing season, I thrive. So for me, looking after my mental health is all about making time to socialise with people whether that is at the shows in the summer or in the local pub in the winter. It's really nice that we are fortunate to still have a local pub in our village where farmers can come together and talk. I also find trimming sheep really relaxing because in that moment all you are thinking about is trimming that sheep as best you can. You have no time to think about anything else because you'll end up making mistakes. I don't even like to have music or podcasts on in the background if I can help it because I prefer listening to the sound of the hand shears making their specific little noise, and treating the process as my quiet time. I am also a Regional Champion volunteer with the DPJ Foundation charity in Wales and I feel very fortunate to be able to give something back to the people working in the industry. Before the charity was started and set up by Emma, I was struggling quite a lot personally and I think others may have realised it. However, I did not know at the time myself that I was struggling with my mental health. But with the help of good friends and talking to others I was able to come out the other side. I'd made the decision to start volunteering with the DPJ Foundation after the beast from the east which affected the UK in 2018. I had become very aware of the importance of talking to others when you are struggling or feeling like you are not being heard. When the beast from the east happened I was lambing up in Scotland for George who at the time was working for the National Sheep Association (NSA). George had received a phone call in the first few days of me lambing there. The call was from a farmer who had encountered some shed damage. George invited me to listen to the conversation he was having with the farmer on the phone as he thought it would be beneficial for me. Obviously George checked that it was OK with the farmer first. By the end of that conversation all three of us were crying. The farmer was at breaking point due to it being lambing season and he had encountered major storm damage as well as livestock injuries and sadly deaths. Something about that call made me think differently about others working in the industry. Something about our conversations hit me inside and made me realise I wanted to help in some way. When I heard about the DPJ Foundation, and Emma's story in particular, I knew I wanted to become a volunteer with them. As a charity it's not just the counselling that they have helped with. Obviously that aspect of what they do is a great support and help for the agricultural industry in Wales. However, more importantly they have also helped to break down the stigma. These days you hear so many more people talking about mental health and I truly believe that the DPJ Foundation has helped immensely in generating those waves of positivity and support for the farming industry and community by encouraging people to talk about their mental health. It's been great to see so many people I know also want to fundraise for the charity because they know of someone who has needed the help they provide. 

FF: What is the one item you could not farm without?
KD: I don't think there is just one item. The first item I think of is a good pair of boots, because if you're not in your boots you're in your bed. I have gone away from wearing wellies and I was always a girl who lived in her wellies but now I prefer to wear a good pair of boots instead. As a sheep farmer I would say a quad bike and a good dog, especially if you have Cheviots (lol). Finally, I absolutely love my Kaiwaka bib over trousers. However, in all honesty I would have to say I could not farm without a sense of humour. When you have a shit day and you feel like shit, to come back inside and just laugh about it, is to me, the best thing you can do. I personally think a sense of humour goes a long way in farming. Everything else I have mentioned is materialistic to a degree. They will help get the job done but a good dog and a sense of humour are the most important. A dog can sit next to you and work alongside you on both good and bad days. A sense of humour isn't really a physical tool you use but it can be a coping tool that you need to use on some occasions. I remember during the COVID pandemic, I saw a ewe that was having difficulty lambing in one of the fields by the roadside. I ran over to her without a dog, or quadbike, and managed to put my coat over her head to keep her calm while I helped deliver her lambs. Once the last lamb had been pulled I remember hearing someone clapping behind me. I didn't even know someone was watching me at the time but it made me laugh that someone was giving me a round of applause for doing my job. A story I still laugh about all these years later.

FF: If you were having a really bad day whilst working with the sheep, what would be your go to song of choice to help you get motivated and get the job finished?
KD: I have a few songs that always bring back great memories. I think I use different songs at different points of my life. For example, if I am lambing in Scotland but am missing home then I will put on Max Boyce or something Welsh. However, the one song which I always love to hear because it's nine times out of ten is always the final song in an agricultural show dance is The Killers 'Mr Brightside'. The other ones I always love to hear are Bryan Adams, 'Summer of 69' and The Stereophonics, 'A Thousand Trees'. 

FF: Final question. Why Farming?
KD: It's my life and it's my passion. It's a weird way to describe it which some people may not understand, but it's home. Farming as an industry covers such a large area for such a small community of people, and for me that community is home. 

You can continue to follow Katy's story on:
Instagram - @wildwelshshepherdess