RB & MW Watkins
Tydu Farm, Monmouthshire
Tydu Farm is in two parts close to the beautiful Wye Valley in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. On one part, the Watkins family of Ruth & Malcolm started a Welsh Black suckler herd of cattle in January 1998 on some 50 acres which they were farming in a habitat scheme. This land they later found out was part of the Llantilio Park which was a Mediaeval deer park, although the Watkins have not seen any deer recently!
14 suckler cows and their calves graze the land, which was fully organic in June 2001, through the summer.
More Welsh Black beef cattle are kept on other land at Tydu Farm which has been in the family since 1920, and which also achieved organic status in June 2001.
In addition to the beef cattle, the Watkins lamb 150 Texel x Suffolk ewes, to produce about 170 lambs for sale through Graig Farm, and around 30-40 replacement ewe lambs, which are then used for breeding.
The environmental aspects of farming are important to the Watkins, who have been part of an environmental habitat scheme for some years. They hope to soon join the Tir Gofal scheme for maintaining and improving the environment on their farm. Already they have a number of breeding lapwings on the farm, producing youngsters every year.
The farm also has one of the largest, if not the largest traditional orchards in Wales, and boasts many rare varieties of apples.
