Sales, competitions and new arrivals keep the Rare Breed farmers busy

It’s September as Rare Breed - A Farming Year returns to UTV on Thursday at 8.30pm and despite some bad weather, the farmers are keeping busy with sales, competitions and new arrivals.

Storm Ali charges across Northern Ireland disrupting the harvest at the McKeever family’s apple farm near Portadown. The strong winds blow the apples from the trees and damage them.

The McGilligans make their annual trip to the sheep sales in Armoy. There’s a significant role for 10-year-old Cahir (pictured). As well as helping Dad Sean and Grand-dad Harry, he’s showing the sheep in the sales ring and hoping the buyers will bid on the sheep.

In Co Tyrone, a team of vets is working with Richard Beattie’s prized Vallais Blacknose sheep. They’re extracting embryos. If successful, the lambs will be born in the new year.

In Co Armagh, Caron McGeough is busy working on the family pig farm. They’ve 600 sows and there are piglets arriving every week.

In Co Down, Gary Hanna and Iain Colville are in Ballymena selling cattle.

And Tony Johnston has selected two of his best trees and travelled to Wicklow for the National Christmas Tree Championships.

UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series, sponsored by Dale Farm, Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday 21st March 2019 at 8.30pm on UTV.