SNEAK PEEK: Local faces from Garvagh and Limavady to feature in latest episode of Rare Breed

‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ is the ground-breaking year-in-the-life documentary series charting the agricultural year. Filmed during 2023, each episode captures the highs and lows of each month of the year, as the families deal with economic and environmental challenges.

All the families featured reflect the diversity and innovation in Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector. Be they big or small, traditional beef, sheep, dairy, pig or arable, farm shops or even tourism, the passion and commitment shines through in every episode.

In this the fourth episode, it’s April and the episode begins in Limavady, where arable farmer Jonny Kelly is watching the weather and the clock. He needs the ground to dry up

so the machinery can get to work. It’s been a tricky month and he has to be patient.

He is conscious of deepening tram lines with the tractor, which then gather more water when it rains. He says: “Every track you make, when the rain comes it gets wetter and wetter.

The episode also features Garvagh where the Diamonds breed pedigree cattle and sheep. They have a select herd that they’ve worked hard to establish. Their prize cow is Jewel, and one of her sons, Pointhouse Paul, sold for £42,000 in 2021.

“She’s just a big pet,” says 18-year-old Kile, who’s already thinking of the bull sales in October. It’s a long road, from the planning of the breeding of each calf, the training, the

showing of the animals to market them, and then the actual sale ring. It’s an aspect of farming he really enjoys.

‘Rare Breed’ – A Farming Year continues on Thursday, February 15 at 8.30pm on UTV.