Meet the farmers starring in ‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ as hit TV series returns to UTV
The hugely popular and successful ‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ returns to UTV this month.
By Joanne Knox
Published 12th Jan 2023, 16:34 BST
It’s all change again with new families, new farms and businesses, and new challenges – with some familiar faces thrown in!
‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ is the ground-breaking year-in-the-life observational documentary series charting the reality of farming in Northern Ireland.
For more than a decade, the series has taken viewers into the farming world through the lives of farmers across the country.
Now in its 11th year, this series follows 12 families as they deal with one of the most unpredictable periods in living memory.
The 12 families featured reflect the diversity and innovation in Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector. Be it traditional beef, sheep, dairy and produce enterprises, or social farming, breeding alpacas and sport horses, we see how they face daily challenges and constantly work in all weathers against a backdrop of Brexit, climate change and the War in Ukraine.
Sponsored by Dromona, ‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ starts next Thursday (19 January) at 8.30pm on UTV.
For more than a decade, the series has taken viewers into the farming world through the lives of farmers across the country.
9. Richard and William Gilpin from Loughgall, Armagh
In Armagh William Gilpin manages the family vegetable business. The family have been growing vegetables for 50 years. The family supply supermarkets across the country. In January, they’re busy harvesting savoy cabbages, some of which will be making their way to Spain. It takes teamwork to get the job done and William is joined by his cousin Richard who oversees the field work. Photo: Freelance
10. Georgia and Lucca Stubington from Templepatrick
In Templepatrick in Antrim, we get an insight into the equestrian world with rider and sports horse breeder, Lucca Stubington, who runs the family business with her mum Georgia. Photo: Freelance
Joining the line-up at Churchview Farm in Katesbridge, Co. Down, is a former Rare Breed participant, Geoffrey Ringland, who produces and rears award-winning goats. In January, it’s all about the day-to-day routine on the farm as Geoffrey feeds and keeps an eye on his livestock. Recently, Geoffrey cut the goat numbers and turned his attention to starting a small beef suckler herd. Photo: Freelance
We’re also off to Streamvale Farm on the outskirts of Belfast where Tim Morrow runs a dairy herd of more than 200 cattle. In January, Tim is preparing for their busiest time of year - calving season. Streamvale is one of the longest running open farms – it’s been welcoming the public since 1989. It’s very much a family enterprise and, later in the series, we meet an in-law to the Morrow family, Chris Wilson who runs the open farm business. Photo: Freelance