HomeCountry & FarmingColumnists

Gwyn Howells

Time to visit your local butcher’s

HOW long is it since you visited your local butcher? Read

Liz Shankland

Getting ready again to play the wild and woolly role of midwife

AS SOME of you know, I’m not the most patient of people when it comes to making small-talk with doting parents or grandparents about their offspring. Read

Jill Evans MEP

Act urgently on climate change

THIS week I was privileged to meet and listen to the scientist and Nobel Prize-winner Sir John Houghton who previously worked with the International Panel on Climate Change. Read

Moc Morgan

Grey brigade find their perfect old folks’ home

RECENTLY I was invited to join in the celebrations as Mountain Ash Angling Club reached its 50th birthday. What a milestone for an angling club – and what a wonderful occasion it turned out to be! Read

Chance to save our farmland birds

FARMLAND bird populations have seen alarming declines over many years, so its fantastic news that the Wales Rural Development Plan has been approved. This is a vital step to securing agri-environment schemes, such as Tir Gofal, which offer the best hope for the future of farmland birds in Wales. Read

Brian Lee

Rhys celebrates birth of his daughter with a hat-trick of winners at Tivyside

RHYS HUGHES, 26, celebrated the birth of his daughter Anaira last Tuesday by riding his first ever hat-trick at the rain-soaked Tivyside Hunt Steeplechases with Hume Theatre (members), Little Ed (confined) and Bob Bites Back (maiden division three). Read

Maureen Lloyd

Trotting season’s early start

IT IS that time of year again. Even though Easter is as early as it can be, the Llangadog Wales and Border Counties Harness Racing committee will be hosting trotting races at the refurbished all-weather track at Tairgwaith near Ammanford on Easter Monday. Read

Paddy Rooney

Wake-up call over our food production

ONE of the original objectives of the European Common Agricultural Policy was to provide stability for the farming industry. Wild fluctuations in market prices made it virtually impossible for farmers to plan ahead, and in the aftermath of World War II stability was essential if the industry was to recover. Read

Jane Davidson

New energy policies

WELCOME to the first of my new regular columns in Country and Farming in which I aim to share and prompt discussion with you on the big issues in environment, sustainability and housing which affect rural communities across Wales. Read

Dai Davies

What’s your worst red tape moment?

NFU Cymru members are being urged to complete a survey designed to outline the impact of regulation and inspections on their farm businesses. Read

Simon Hart

Casting for Recovery proves a big winner

I WROTE about the wonderful Casting for Recovery project at the beginning of last autumn; an initiative that seeks to help women who are suffering from, or who have suffered with, breast cancer using the technique of fly-fishing to aid their recovery and offer a tranquil setting to learn the necessary skills. Read

Moc Morgan

Why fishing can’t fly in the face of global warming

AS SOMEONE who has been somewhat confined to the house over the winter months, it was really wonderful to be out in the country last week. Not only was it a pleasurable experience – it was a massive tonic boost too. Read

Brian Lee

Miss takes teen Ceri to the winning post in her very first point-to-point

CERI EVANS, of Cwmgwyddau, Talgarreg, came in for plenty of praise after landing the ladies’ open race on her nine-year-old bay mare, Miss Sallyfield, at the Carmarthenshire Hunt point-to-point steeplechases at Erw Lon where there were just three bookmakers in attendance. Read

Anwen Francis

Sparkling night gets air service funding

GLITZ and glamour are not words normally associated with equine-related sports but when members of the Amman Valley Pony Club took to the catwalk in aid of Air Ambulance Wales there were sequins and sparkles aplenty. Read

Gareth Vaughan

Food vision for Wales

THE Farmers’ Union of Wales has always been a strong supporter of the Welsh language and culture as we regard them as the mainstay of our rural communities and traditional way of life. Read

Liz Shankland

My special birthday treat – a trip to top dog heaven

Our smallholder columnist found herself an animal sitter and finally realised her life-long ambition Read

Gwyn Howells

Online calculator helps producers compare costs

FARM costs seem to be constantly rising at present and so it is really important that a close check is kept on outgoings and returns and how they compare with those of other local producers. Read

Getting a clearer picture of cow culls

AFTER feed and forage, the cost of maintaining the herd is the second highest variable cost of milk production. Read

Brian Lee

Iris’s Prince romps home for 16-year-old Rhys

RHYS FLINT, 16, riding his nine-year-old chestnut gelding Iris’s Prince, clocked the fastest time of the day when winning the men’s open race at the Curre & Llangibby Point-To-Point Steeplechases on Sunday. Read

Anwen Francis

Trail skills win prizes for top riders

THE top riders in the sport of BHS TREC and their partners attended the South Essex Insurance Brokers League Awards Dinner on February 16 at The Village Hotel, Coventry. Read

Quick Links

Country and Farming

Your icWales

Get involved...

We want your local stories, videos & pics.

Compare Prices

Images of house keys

Compare Prices

Compares over 8,500 mortgages and remortgage products. Read