UTV's 'Rare Breed - A Farming Year' takes viewers into the farming world through the lives of farmers across the country

The series takes viewers into the farming world through the lives of farmers across the country. Indeed, the popular UTV show has been charting a year-in-the-life of farming families from across Northern Ireland for the past 11 years.

The 12 farming families featured in this year's series will reflect the “diversity and innovation” within one of Northern Ireland's largest and oldest industries.

Tony Curry, Programmes Editor at UTV, commented: “Rare Breed – A Farming Year is a firm favourite amongst UTV viewers.

“Our agri-industry and the quality of its produce and output are outstanding. The fantastic ratings year-on-year for Rare Breed shows the support and pride that the Northern Ireland people have for the sector.

“Rare Breed is an education in itself and it’s great that our audience is not only enjoying a behind the scenes look at the day-to-day life of a farming family, but hopefully learning a thing or two they didn’t know before.”

The series is produced for UTV by Belfast’s Strident Media. Producer, Cara Dinsmore, said: “This series just like previous, was a joy to film. I and the crew certainly can’t complain about filming on the odd late night, early start or in bad weather when you realise that this is what our farmers and producers are doing 365 days of the year!

“We had great fun as always and met some great personalities!”

Strident Media Managing Director, Kelda Crawford-McCann, added: “We love making Rare Breed, getting to meet the farmers who produce the food that ends up on tables in Northern Ireland and further afield.

“This series has a fantastic mix of the traditional with the new – farming is a hi-tech, highly diversified business and the families’ activities this year are a true reflection of that.”

In the first episode we meet six of the families.

First, we’re off to Rosslea in Fermanagh where award winning farmer, John Egerton, farms with his three sons, William, Robert and Samuel.

The family have a suckler beef herd of 90 cattle and a flock of 250 ewes.

In January, John and his sons are looking forward to the arrival of new calves to the farm.

John says all three boys are “mad about farming” so he’s had to push the farm to make it a sustainable venture for the future for the whole family.

Near Limavady, we meet Richard and Leona Kane who have a 750 acre arable farm.

They grow a range of crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape. They also produce carrots and, in January, Richard is busy lifting them.

He’s learnt that “it’s a really tricky game to get a nice carrot”. Despite the challenges, harvesting carrots is still one of his favourite jobs.

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 and has 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.

Our next stop is in Armagh where William Gilpin manages the family vegetable business.

The family have been growing vegetables for 50 years and William remarks the business has continued “to grow depending on what the opportunity is and what the market needs.”

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.

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. It’s a steep learning curve but Geoffrey says, “I’m always looking for a bit of a challenge.”

Next door in Dromara, Co. Down, Michelle Dunniece keeps a more unusual herd of animals – alpacas!

Michelle’s been running Mourne Alpacas for 16 years with her husband Stephen and their four children.

Originally from Chile and Peru, alpacas are used to a different climate to that of Northern Ireland.

However, Michelle notes that their farm at the foot of Slieve Croob offers “five star pastures”. In January, Michelle and Stephen are making sure their herd is topped up with vitamins, especially through the darker winter months.

UTV’s Mark McFadden once again narrates the series.

Sponsored by Dromona, ‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ starts on Thursday 19 January at 8.30pm on UTV.