Women in agriculture profile featuring Heather Stewart

​Carnlea, outside of Ballymena. It has only recently, become home, so I am definitely classed as a blow-in!

Occupation:

For the past seven years I have been the events officer for the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), and I suppose these days you could add a part time farmer to that too.

Farming commodity:

I live with my partner on his family farm that he has in partnership with his parents. We finish about 100 cattle, store through to beef, mainly Charolais. In the winter we run about 450 store lambs, mainly Texel bred with a few Suffolk for a change this year.

My solo projects on the farm include a small but ever-growing flock of pedigree Kerry Hill sheep and I’m trying out some bucket reared Belgian Blue calves this year too.

How did you become involved in farming?

I don’t come from a farming background. I grew up in the countryside outside Ballyclare and when I was quite young, Dad kept a dozen chickens in an old pig sty. He used to keep pigs when he was younger but that was it. My major introduction to agriculture was working in the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster. That was a steep learning curve and I have never looked back. As part of my role, I was secretary of the agri and rural affairs committee and thanks to a lot of help from the members, my knowledge of the industry grew as did my interest in farming.

Many years later I moved in with my partner on his beef and sheep farm and now you can’t get me away from the yard. This has also given me the opportunity to build my pedigree Kerry Hill flock. I bought five Kerry Hills ewes to start with three years ago and this year, I hope to lamb 16 with some of my own bred ewes entering the breeding flock.

As someone from a non-farming background, this is something I am very proud of. This year I came third in the UK in the 0-10 ewe category and in Northern Ireland, I received second place for best small flock, second for best ram lamb and fourth for best ewe lamb in the small flock category. As a breed society the Kerry Hill Flock Book Society have been very welcoming, and many have been incredibly helpful to this newbie.

Earliest farming memory:

We had a small paddock at the back of the house which we rented to a local farmer and one of our chores as children was to take turns filling the water bath for the cattle. This wasn’t my favourite job as I had quite a fear of cattle then, but things are changing on that front.

My other early memory was my older brothers trying to convince me that the hens had teeth. I’m sad to say I believed them for a while!

What personal characteristics did you develop from agriculture?

I have definitely become more relaxed about time. I have learned that it’s not possible to run everything by the clock on a farm, and there is always another job or five to be done.

Also, a realisation that you can’t control everything. You can try your absolute best with livestock (particularly breeding stock), and yet, what you get in return can be totally out of your hands. That an elusive, perfectly healthy, well-shaped lamb with flawless markings will forever be the ultimate just out of reach goal.

Growing up as the only girl with two older brothers gave me a thick skin to start with, and working with livestock with my partner is helping that to thicken!

Life lesson you learnt from farming:

I will never know everything about agriculture and that’s the beauty of it all.

What do you enjoy most about the farming lifestyle?

I always say on the farm that there is an order to my love of farming - sheep come first. If you let me, I would work with sheep all day, every day. Then comes the store cattle. I enjoy working with any livestock, seeing them grow and having pride in how they are looked after is enjoyable. Then lastly comes machinery. I would happily not work with machinery, but needs must and I’m learning (reluctantly) on the job in that area.

Most of all I love being outside, being surrounded by livestock and the countryside. I never doubt how lucky I am to be a part of this lifestyle.

Describe a farmer in three words:

Hard-working, resilient and proud

What would you like the public to know about Northern Ireland farming?

I would like them to know about the amount of work that goes into producing some of the highest quality produce in the world. It’s not just the number of hours put into it, which are vast, but it’s genuinely the farmers blood, sweat and tears that goes into caring for their livestock and the environment all year through.

That it’s a way of life beyond any other career.

I’d also like them to know that the agricultural community is one of the best to be a part of. I have never known so much kindness between people, from helping each other out with time and advice, to lending machinery and just general support.

If you could give farmers/farming families/farming community one piece of advice, what would it be?

I am in no way part of the community long enough to be giving anyone else advice other than when someone is new to the industry, don’t judge them or assume they know something, just keep answering those silly questions and take time to get to know them.

What would you say to others who are considering a career in the agriculture industry?

Without a shadow of a doubt, go for it! Life is far too short to be looking from the outside in, at something you want to be involved in and worrying about what others will say.

Take the chance where you can, get involved, ask the questions that sound silly and learn from those around you.

What are your hopes for the future of Northern Ireland’s agriculture industry?

That the industry will continue to be world leading in what we produce and the way we produce it, and that it continues to develop working with the environment. Most of all, I hope to see more public support for the industry and a deeper understanding of where the food on everyone’s table comes from. Projects within the UFU such as Open Farm Weekend are a great way for the public to see real life working farms. There are many individuals that support this and open their farm, but we are always looking for more people to be involved and be proud to show the public what they do.