Journeys of discovery – Farming Connect’s ‘Women in Agriculture’ celebrate 10th anniversary by hitting the road/Teithiau darganfod – ‘Merched mewn Amaeth’ Cyswllt Ffermio’n dathlu 10 mlynedd gyda sioe deithiol

Women working in agriculture throughout Wales are being invited to take a road trip  for a unique ‘journey of discovery’ when they will be given an insider’s view of some of Wales’ most successful rural businesses, hearing at first hand from the entrepreneurs and farming families who each have their own, inspirational stories to tell.

On Thursday, June 20, Farming Connect’s highly successful ‘Women in Agriculture’ concept, which this year celebrates its 10^thanniversary, will be on the move. Six buses starting out from different locations across Wales, will pick up women representing different areas of agriculture and rural life for an action-packed, experiential study tour, stopping off at various locations throughout Wales, before returning to their final destination in Aberystwyth. Scheduled to arrive for tea at the town’s seafront Marine Hotel in the afternoon, they will then hear from some of New Zealand’s award-winning top shearers – all females!

Each tour bus will have its own tailor-made timetable, stopping off at a series of destinations for a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of some of Wales’ most inspirational rural businesses and diversified farms along the way.

Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes with Menter a Busnes, says that this year’s ‘Women in Agriculture’ roadshow event will provide an unrivalled opportunity for delegates to meet some of Wales’ most successful rural entrepreneurs and business people who have all found their own, sometimes unusual, routes to turn their dreams and hopes for more profitable ways of farming or diversified enterprises into reality.

“Delegates will hear at first hand from farmers and business owners who have all had to dig deep to discover their entrepreneurial flair and find that essential inner confidence.

“Every tour is going to give them a unique insight into how these business people discovered their true potential.”

Award-winning, innovative livestock farms; a gin distillery and vineyard; lavender farm; ice-cream makers; paté producers; spring water processors, holiday accommodation including a zen-like retreat and yurts – this is just a snapshot of some of the businesses which will be visited, each demonstrating the wealth of diversified success stories in Wales.  Visit the Farming Connect website at www.gov.wales/farmingconnect to see exactly what’s planned for each itinerary before you decide which tour bus you want to take.

Each coach load of delegates will enjoy refreshments ‘en route’, a picnic-style provision of Welsh food and drink, before disembarking at their seafront destination for afternoon tea.

Mrs Williams said that a committed audience of women have been loyal attendees at Farming Connect’s hugely successful annual ‘women in farming’ conferences since the first one was held, also in Aberystwyth, ten years ago.

“Being inspired and encouraged by dynamic, ambitious yet seemingly ‘ordinary’ women who are often juggling family and work commitments yet succeeding in what is still a male-dominated industry, has proved enormously motivating.

“For many women, it has proved the catalyst, the external influence which has helped them ‘aim high’ and make their goals for themselves and their businesses a reality,” said Mrs Williams.

The day will provide all the ladies with an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, catch up with old friends and meet new, and hear from a line-up of inspirational female speakers from New Zealand – part of the ‘she’s shearing’ brigade – who have blown away stereotypes and sexism in the traditionally male world of sheep shearing.

For shearing legends Jills Angus Burney and Emily Welch, personal bests have been world shearing records!  Encouraged to quit shearing in her 50s by her orthopaedic consultant, Jills found a second career as a High Court barrister and solicitor, but she still can’t keep away from ‘Golden Shears’, the world’s premier shearing and wool handling championship.

Emily Welch is the current world record holder for shearing 648 lambs in nine hours (overtaking Jills’ 2007 record). It’s going to make interesting listening hearing how this mother of three small children also finds time to compete and run her own shearing contracting company.    The trio will be joined by central Otago shearer and wool handler Pagan Karauria. Pagan returned to ‘Golden Shears’ last year following a horrific car accident that tragically killed two of her friends and left her with severe injuries.  Now shearing again and a mentor to other hopeful young female shearers, her message will be one of overcoming adversity through sheer determination!

Detailed timetables/itineraries for each of the six ‘Women in Agriculture’ study tours, which will all take place on Thursday, June 20, can be found at www.gov.wales/farmingconnect.  Places will be limited and must be booked in advance as soon as possible by either visiting the website or contacting Delyth Evans by e-mail: delyth.evans@menterabusnes.co.uk or by calling 01970 600176.

Alternatively call the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813.

Farming Connect, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra, is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Welsh Government.

Teithiau darganfod – ‘Merched mewn Amaeth’ Cyswllt Ffermio’n dathlu 10 mlynedd gyda sioe deithiol

Gwahoddir merched mewn amaeth drwy Gymru i sioe deithiol i brofi ‘teithiau darganfod’ unigryw lle byddant yn cael golwg o’r tu mewn ar rai o fusnesau gwledig mwyaf llwyddiannus Cymru, gan glywed drostynt eu hunain hanes ysbrydoledig unigryw bob un o’r entrepreneuriaid a’r teuluoedd ffermio.

Ddydd Iau, 20 Mehefin, bydd cysyniad hynod o lwyddiannus Cyswllt Ffermio, ‘Merched mewn Amaeth’, sy’n dathlu 10 mlynedd, yn cynnal sioe deithiol. Bydd chwe bws yn cychwyn o wahanol leoliadau drwy Gymru ac yn codi merched sy’n cynrychioli gwahanol feysydd o amaethyddiaeth a bywyd gwledig i fynd ar daith astudio arbrofol. Byddant yn stopio mewn gwahanol lefydd drwy Gymru, cyn cyrraedd y lleoliad olaf, sef Aberystwyth.  Byddant yn cyrraedd Gwesty’r Marine yn y prynhawn erbyn amser te, a bydd cyfle i glywed hanes rhai o brif gneifwyr llwyddiannus Seland newydd – merched bob un!

Bydd amserlen benodol ar gyfer bob bws, ac ar y ffordd bydd yn stopio mewn cyfres o lefydd i weld beth sy’n digwydd ‘y tu ôl i’r llenni’ mewn ffermydd sydd wedi arallgyfeirio a rhai o fusnesau gwledig mwyaf ysbrydoledig Cymru.

Yn ôl Eirwen Williams, cyfarwyddwr rhaglenni gwledig gyda Menter a Busnes, bydd sioe deithiol ‘Merched mewn Amaeth’ eleni’n gyfle heb ei ail i gynrychiolwyr gyfarfod rhai o entrepreneuriaid gwledig a phobl fusnes mwyaf llwyddiannus Cymru sydd wedi dod o hyd i’w llwybrau eu hunain, boed yn anarferol weithiau, i droi eu breuddwydion a’u gobeithion o arallgyfeirio eu busnesau neu newid i ddulliau ffermio mwy proffidiol, yn realiti.

“Bydd cynrychiolwyr yn clywed drostynt eu hunain hanes ffermwyr a pherchnogion busnes sydd oll wedi tyrchu’n ddwfn i ddarganfod eu dawn entrepreneuraidd a chael hyd i’r hyder mewnol hanfodol hwnnw.

“Bydd pob taith yn rhoi cipolwg unigryw ar y ffordd y mae’r bobl fusnes yma wedi darganfod eu gwir botensial.”

Ffermydd arloesol, sydd wedi ennill gwobrau; distyllfa gin a gwinllan; fferm lafant; gwneuthurwyr hufen iâ; cynhyrchwyr paté; proseswyr dŵr ffynnon; llety gwyliau yn cynnwys encil a iyrtiau – dyma giplun o rai o’r busnesau y byddwn yn ymweld â nhw, gyda phob un yn dangos cyfoeth y gweithgaredd arallgyfeirio llwyddiannus yng Nghymru. Ewch i wefan Cyswllt Ffermio ar https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/cy i weld yn union beth yw cynnwys pob taith cyn penderfynu pa fws yr ydych eisiau mynd arno.

Bydd lluniaeth ar gael ‘en route’ ar bob bws – picnic o fwyd a diod o Gymru – cyn gadael y bws i fynd i’r gwesty ar lan y môr i gael te pnawn.

Dywed Mrs Williams fod cynulleidfa ymroddedig o ferched wedi bod yn gefnogwyr ffyddlon yng nghynadleddau blynyddol ‘merched mewn amaeth’ Cyswllt Ffermio ers i’r cyntaf un gael ei gynnal deng mlynedd yn ôl, hefyd yn Aberystwyth.

“Mae cael fy ysbrydoli a fy annog gan ferched dynamig, uchelgeisiol ond sydd eto i bob golwg yn ‘gyffredin’, ac sy’n aml yn ceisio cydbwyso ymrwymiadau teuluol a gwaith mewn diwydiant sy’n dal i gael ei reoli gan ddynion, wedi bod yn gymhelliant mawr.

“I nifer o ferched, mae wedi bod wedi yn gatalydd iddynt, yn ddylanwad allanol sydd wedi eu helpu i ‘anelu’n uchel’ a throi eu nod iddyn nhw eu hunain a’u busnesau’n realiti,’ meddai Mrs. Williams.

Yn ystod y dydd bydd cyfle i’r holl ferched rwydweithio ag unigolion o anian debyg, cyfarfod hen ffrindiau a rhai newydd, a chlywed hanes siaradwyr ysbrydoledig o Seland Newydd – rhan o’r criw ‘ she’s shearing’ – sydd wedi dileu stereoteipiau a rhagfarn rhyw ym myd cneifio sy’n draddodiadol wedi bod yn faes i ddynion.

Mae Jills Angus Burney ac Emily Welch, dwy gneifwraig o fri, wedi llwyddo i dorri record cneifio y byd! Ar  ôl cael ei hannog i roi’r gorau i gneifio yn ei 50au gan ei hymgynghorydd orthopaedig, daeth Jill o hyd i ail yrfa fel cyfreithwraig a bargyfreithwraig Uchel Lys ond mae’n dal i fethu â chadw draw o’r ‘Golden Shears’, prif bencampwriaeth cneifio a lapio gwlân y byd.

Emily Welch sy’n dal y record byd ar hyn o bryd am gneifio 648 o ŵyn mewn naw awr (gan dorri record Jills yn 2007). Bydd yn ddiddorol gwrando sut mae’r fam i dri o blant bach yn dod o hyd i’r amser i gystadlu a rhedeg ei chwmni contractio ei hun. Bydd Pagan Karauria o Ganolbarth Otago, sydd hefyd yn cneifio a lapio gwlân yn ymuno â’r tair. Dychwelodd Pagan i bencampwriaeth y ‘Golden Shears’ y llynedd ar ôl cael damwain car erchyll pan laddwyd dwy o’i ffrindiau a’i gadael ag anafiadau difrifol. Bellach mae wedi ailddechrau cneifio ac mae’n fentor i ferched ifanc eraill sy’n gobeithio bod yn gneifwyr. Bydd ei neges yn sôn am oresgyn helbulon drwy ddyfalbarhad!

Mae amserlenni/cynnwys y teithiau ar gyfer pob un o 6 daith astudio ‘Merched mewn Amaeth’, a gynhelir ddydd Iau, 20 Mehefin, ar gael ar https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/cy.  Mae nifer cyfyngedig o lefydd ar gael, felly dylech neilltuo lle ymlaen llaw cyn gynted â phosibl naill ai drwy fynd i’r wefan neu anfon neges e-bost at delyth.evans@menterabusnes.co.uk, neu ffonio’r rhif canlynol: 01970 600176. Fel arall gallwch ffonio Canolfan Wasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio ar 08456 000 813.

Mae Cyswllt Ffermio, sy’n cael ei ddarparu gan Menter a Busnes a Lantra, yn cael ei ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Chronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig.