‘Farming is in my blood’
Alison O’Neill, 59, lives on a hill farm near Sedbergh in the Yorkshire Dales, where she keeps 200
Rough Fell, Herdwick and Swaledale ewes.
Wool is very much my bread. I took on my farm tenancy 23 years ago and keep a mixed flock purely for fibre, using all my wool to produce dog leads, felted fleece rugs and tweed.
I was born into farming; my parents and grandparents had hill farms and, as a child I loved it, even though we lived in a big old farmhouse with no central heating. My grandfather retired and sold up, and then my dad sold his farm, as it wasn’t making enough money.
We moved to the village where I had my own mini farm with horses and a couple of lambs. I was also given a toy farm – but it had a male farmer and his wife was fixed by the door holding a tea towel! So I threw him in my brother’s toy box and used a knife to free his wife so she could farm instead! I thought it was so wrong that it was set out that way.
In the years that followed, I lived in cities, worked abroad and did all kinds of Alison makes dog leads from the wool things – everything except what I wanted. Around 30 years ago, I experienced a strong pull calling me back to the land. ‘I’m going to farm again,’ I said to anyone who would listen.
It took a while to find a tenancy – we only had £60 in the bank – but taking on this farm was one of the most exciting days of my life.
It hasn’t been plain sailing. The foot-and-mouth epidemic almost finished it, I’ve been through divorce and raised my daughter Scarlett, now 22. To keep things going, I’ve done B&B, trained as a guide to lead walks and then I began experimenting with uses for my wool, selling pieces online.
I love my flock and always have. I know each one’s name and personality. I care for them and, in turn, they provide for me.
I fashion their wool, creating beautiful products, offering provenance and heritage as hallmarks for everything I make.
I’m lucky – it may be simple, but I love this way of life.
‘I care for the flock and they in turn provide for me’