Ben and I met through some friends I used to babysit for many moons ago.  He is a man of many talents, which I’m very grateful for, as he can solve most problems whatever it may be. He is a very hard worker and strives for perfection in everything he does!

Ben has some amazing ideas which I (usually!) fully support him with, especially with his Regenben concept.  Using nature to help agriculture and the whole world become a better, healthier place for humans, animals and the environment.

My eldest daughter Tegan, who has a passion for horses like me, which I adore as we can do it together.  Then there’s Erin who is the most caring person, who helps me so much with her little brother Jobe, who Ben has written much about elsewhere. Jobe, love him, acquired a Brain injury back in 2012 which affected us all so much.  Though today this does not stop him doing the things he loves which is being out on the farm seeing the animals especially the chickens and most of all helping Daddy on the tractors and diggers in any weather! Ben is the person that puts everyone first.

From a personal point of view, I love all the animals, especially horses, which I enjoy riding and driving them.  I love to spend a day’s hunting on my horse spending time with different people and making new friends going across country that you normally wouldn’t be allowed and of course jumping which usually gives us some thrills and spills. One of my favourite times of the year on the farm is spring and that’s because lots of different babies are born where I become senior midwife! especially getting my hands dirty if they need a helping hand.  It’s great to see them grow up and either become part of the farm to produce more animals or to produce meat for the family to use and eventually sell.

I also spend time helping on the farm, I am the head gamekeeper (only one in fact!) looking after our shoot which involves me taking our 2 black Labrador gun dogs out every morning round the farm chasing the birds back. I love to see the dogs working and just being outside in the country, I also help prepare and cook the food for the shoot day, but all in all we work well together as a family.

The eldest of three is difficult, looking after Jobe, when necessary, is regular when mum and dad are busy doing jobs around the farm. Although, I’m especially lucky to own my own horse Val, commonly competing on weekends or hunting allows me to socialise with others around me and express our passion for these animals.  Travelling far and wide to compete for school (Malvern St James, MSJ)  qualifying for great championships is what gives me the adrenaline and the love for riding.  Hunting allows me to be with all ages as well as seeing the welsh countryside including some of the most walked mountains in wales. From the Skirrid to sugarloaf we have hunted them all.

Alongside my passion for horse riding, I use seasonal ingredients to cook and make up dishes for our close family and friends. Last year I competed in a competition called Taste of Game and came runner up.  Here I used my love of experimenting and I used our home-grown ingredients.  For my chosen dish I used our own partridges wrapped in streaky bacon from our own pigs, along with homegrown parsnips, poached pears, steamed broccoli and spinach.  Commonly in the kitchen and a practical cook I love to be under the pressure of time, which is what makes me perform to my best. In addition to the Taste of Game competition, I have also competed twice in the MSJ master chef competition where I came runner up in 2018 and the winner in 2019.  Here I scored full marks on taste, texture, presentation and much more. For Both these dishes I used our local ingredients to decrease the carbon footprint in which many people may not have a real understanding of, it’s the amount of carbon released from the production, use and end-of-life product. As we all know the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere is rapidly increasing leading to climate change.

Since growing up around the country I’m strongly passionate about climate change and how it’s affecting mother nature.  I have always loved investigating and engaging with my dad’s topics of agriculture and regenerative farming and I’m always fascinated with his experiments, from soil sampling to talks around the dinner table, I’m always asking questions and want to learn more.  I believe that with the future of the planet we need to decrease our carbon footprint and use more local foods to not only help farmers and local shops but to decrease on the amount of carbon we are putting into the atmosphere.  In addition, putting more time into how the environment works and how we can help our planet.

Hi, I’m Erin also known, by the unfortunate nickname that has stuck, ‘Bums’!   Dad has asked me to write a bit about me and what I love to do.

I have my own sheep. I was inspired by a friendly man at a local show we went to, whilst on holiday in Pembrokeshire a few years ago, who allowed me to take his sheep into the young handlers class. I thought it was a fun and a rewarding hobby to try out so that year for my birthday I got three Ryeland sheep – one coloured and two white ones.  I name the black one Cocoa, one of the white ones Buttercup and the older one was already called Sweet Pea. I spent a year halter training them to tame them and returned to the show in Pembrokeshire to show them myself.  Being confident and believing in myself my first class was young handlers which I did well in.  I then did pairs and won that class with Buttercup and Sweet Pea.

I really do have a passion for sheep, even though it’s not as normal and as widely used it really is a fun thing to do and being part of the Ryeland society is a way to get to know each other and learn more about this fun hobby and the breed local to Herefordshire.

Spring time’s the best!  Waiting for the lambs to be born wondering how many they’ll have and what gender they’ll be!  My first lamb was born on the afternoon of Easter day and the two twins a couple of days after and I named these Prince, Honey and Hector.  Every day I would go out to the garden to check how they were doing and they became more confident until they would just come straight up to me. Their cute cuddly faces just remind me of a snow ball.

We have now gathered many more animals such as pigs, cows and sheep. I was lucky enough to have another 22 black Ryelands as I really liked the coloureds best. We also have other breeds including Leicester long wool Dorset Downs, Teeswater and Kerry Hill’s even though we now have about 5 different breeds, Ryelands will always be my favourite.

Whilst having a passion for these animals I also like chickens that live in the Regenben chicken tractor my dad built. I enjoy picking up the chickens and seeing how many eggs we have got of all colours and sizes.  When we have enough my best friend (Summer) and myself go around the village selling them in boxes for the villagers to enjoy and for us to earn our money.

If my Mum and Dad are ever busy I don’t mind giving them a helping hand watching my brother, as we get along quite well. I’ll try teach him things and we play games just like normal siblings but in a different way but as long as he’s happy we’re doing good.

For very obvious reasons Jobe cannot write his own biography so I will try! 

My name is Jobe and amongst other things I like banging and smashing things, bouncing, tractors, diggers and making lots of noise! I go to school at Blackmarston special needs school in Hereford where I try my best but my concentration level is fairly poor! I love music, playing musical instruments and singing too. I like helping my Mum and Dad feed the animals and playing with my sisters who are really good at looking after me if Mum and Dad are busy doing things on the farm that might put me in danger.

I also love swimming because it gives me freedom to play with the support of the water because I find it hard to walk very far.