Meet our new Farmer Focus writers: Matt and Pip Smith

We asked our new writers to answer a few quick-fire questions to give you a taster of what they will be talking about before they put pen to paper.

Name and location

Matt and Pip Smith, Trefranck Farm on the edge of Bodmin Moor in north Cornwall

What type of farm do you run?

We breed and finish sheep, and rent roughly 121ha from Pip’s parents, Jimmy and Sheila. Jimmy has kept some land back to graze his cattle.

We have 1,085 breeding Romneys and Romney cross Lleyn ewes and are putting 300 home-bred Romney cross Lleyn ewe lambs to the ram. So we will be lambing just shy of 1,400.

See also: Read Matt’s first Farmer Focus column here

Pip also has 24 rare-breed Balwen ewes that she breeds from, although I think they are rare for a reason.

We also have off-farm enterprises. I am a shearing contractor and teach shearing. I also train sheepdogs. Pip and Sheila run a small business, Wicked Woolly Ways, and use wool from Pip’s Balwens and the commercial flock to make blankets and scarves. We also have two holiday cottages on the farm.

Describe yourself in four words

Matt: Enthusiastic, determined, hard-working, and open-minded.

What are your hobbies off the farm?

Matt: Shearing competitions, deerstalking and travelling.

If you could change one thing about the agricultural industry, what would it be and why?

Farmers’ ability to stick together, especially in tough times. We must unite in order to get our voices heard and make a better more sustainable future for British farming.

Tell us about the funniest moment you have had on the farm

We haven’t had any really memorable ones yet. Taking on the farm and moving has been challenging, with visa difficulties (I am originally from New Zealand). Hopefully there are many better times to come.

What gadget couldn’t you live without and why?

We have a few (Racewell, Ezi weigh, iPad), but the top gadget would be my mobile phone for safety, communicating with buyers and farmers, and for the calculator and making notes.

What are you aspirations for the future?

Matt: I am planning to attempt a shearing full wool ewe world record next year, to be held on our farm. The current record is 721.

We intend to expand our farming business. It has been in Pip’s family since 1703 and as a family we very proud of that. We are expecting our first child in September and it’s a little boy, so it’s nice to think there could be a future here at Trefranck.