FIRST STEP ON FARM LADDER
EVER since John Thomas can remember, he has been imbued with a strong work ethic.
It came from his dad, Edward: for years he ran a milk round from his small farm in Llanfair, Harlech, and, at the age of 68, and with a second new hip, he now drives buses for Lloyds Coaches, Machynlleth.
His son has a similar can-do approach but taking over the family’s 40-acre farm was never an option: Dad still had plenty of work left in him.
So John, 32, is forever grateful to Gwynedd Council for giving him a start on the farming ladder.
He now manages nearly 50 acres with his young family at Morfa Mawr, a county farm in Llanbedr.
“My father was still relatively young, active and healthy, so the opportunity wasn’t available to me at the home farm,” said John.
“Besides, as young people, we need to stand on our own two feet and learn by our own mistakes.
“So I made an application to Gwynedd Council to rent Morfa Mawr and was fortunate enough to be successful.”
As well as running the farm, John is a design and technology teacher at Ysgol Godre’r Berwyn, Bala.
At the school he used his background in farming to set up an agricultural course.
It’s been running for several years and last March its students were involved in an Agrisgôp gate-to-plate project set up to inspire new lamb ventures.
With wife Eleri, who works at Bangor University, John has since privately rented an extra 100 acres near Harlech.
The couple now keep 30 Salers breeding cows and 10 in-calf heifers.
“It’s important the stock is able to look after themselves to some degree, due to my workload,” said John.
“Hence the decision to opt for Salers, as they are easy calvers and excellent foragers.”
In addition to teaching, John is a dealer for Remet logging equipment and also supplies fodder and bedding to the region’s farmers. All of which means he is not only conforming to his father’s assiduity, it gives him something to fall back on.
“I’m a great believer in not putting all your eggs in one basket,” he said. But none of it would have been possible with Gwynedd Council’s determination to hang on to its county farm estate.
“As a family, we feel fortunate to have been given this opportunity,” said John. “I think it’s important these farms are retained. It gives families, like us, the opportunity to work, live and raise our children in my locality, here in Gwynedd.”