Rare Breed: Everything you need to know about episode one, plus how to watch outside of NI

Throughout the series, 14 families from across Northern Ireland will give an insight into the highs and lows of their year on the farm.

And, viewers outside Northern Ireland will be able to catch up on the action by visiting www.itv.com/utvprogrammes, where episodes are usually available to watch half an hour after transmission on UTV and will be available to view for one month.

Tonight, six of the farming families will make their series debut.

Áine Devlin is a 23-year-old shepherdess who looks after over 400 sheep on her family’s farm in the Mournes.

Áine also has her own flock of pedigree Texel sheep which she tends to alongside her boyfriend John.

Richard Orr runs Meadow Farm near Downpatrick in County Down.

The family have been working the land for three generations and, while the farm started with livestock, Richard now grows potatoes and cereals like oats for porridge.

Also in County Down, Libby Clarke will make a welcome return to Rare Breed for the 10th series.

Libby, and her daughter Lucy, live near Magheralin where they rear award-winning Beef Shorthorn and Charolais cattle.

Another familiar face will be James Alexander who farms a large enterprise of cattle and sheep with his family near Randalstown, County Antrim.

In this episode, James gets to grips with online videos ahead of his inaugural New Year’s sale.

In Fivemiletown, County Tyrone, Chris Johnston and his fiancée Kendall Glenn are balancing farm work with planning for their wedding, which is no easy feat in the midst of a pandemic!

Finally, Stephen Gibson gives an insight into life on Hollowbridge Farm, Hillsborough, where he runs a dairy farm and ice cream business with his parents, wife Amanda and two children.

All of these farmers will share their stories tonight in the first episode of this series of Rare Breed – A Farming Year, on UTV at 7.30pm.