Meirionnydd farming couple Aled and Shana Rees’s recent decision to give the running of their flourishing farm business to their two young sons ensures it remains in the hands of a fourth generation of the family.
“I will be forever grateful to my late father for giving me the opportunity to run the business at a very young age and Shana and I are absolutely determined for our two sons to be given the same chance in life,” said Aled Rees, of Penmaendyfi, Pennal, near Machynlleth.
Both sons, 22-year-old Richard Evan and Huw Llyr, 19, are keen stockmen and will relish the opportunity to expand the farming business and retain the family’s high standard of stockmanship at the neighbouring Penmaenbach farm which Aled’s grandfather rented when the family moved to the area in 1937.
“Shana and I passionately believe that by giving responsibility to our sons at a very young age, it will greatly enhance their chances of succeeding in business in later life,” Aled Rees added.
His father, the well known bass singer Richard Rees, bought the farm in the 1950s and purchased neighbouring land when the opportunities arose. A new house was built at Penmaenbach in 1962 under the “Small Farm Scheme” which helped many farmers in similar circumstances.
Aled Rees and his father were pioneers in the tourism business when they established Penmaenbach Caravan Park in 1972. This became an important source of additional income for the farm.
Then in 1990, Aled and Shana began the self-catering side of the tourism business, first by renovating the old dilapidated farmhouse at Penmaenbach and then the farm buildings and today the new farmhouse built in 1962 is also let as self-catering accommodation.
In 1999 they bought Penmaendyfi, the nearby 16th century Welsh country mansion, to run it as a restaurant and bar together with 27 caravans and chalets. The mansion was completely renovated and is now run as a hotel. Full details can be viewed on www.penmaendyfi.co.uk
The farming enterprise at Penmaenbach extends to approx 300 acres. It was the 10th farm to enter the Tir Cymen scheme in Meirionnydd back in 1992 and is currently in the Tir Gofal scheme.
The 10-year agreement comes to an end next year but, as with the majority of similar agreements, a transitional agreement has been signed extending the scheme to the end of 2013.
Clearly there is interest in the Glastir scheme following Tir Gofal although, at current predictions, it will be less than 50% of the money under the All-Wales element.
The sheep enterprise involves a total of 450 mainly Beulah and Welsh mules with a small flock of Texels. All lambs are fattened on farm and sold to local butcher William Lloyd Williams at Machynlleth or sent to Dunbia abattoir at Llanybydder, near Lampeter.
Welcoming Aled and Shana’s decision to hand over the farming businesses to their sons, Farmers’ Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan said the industry desperately needed young people like Richard Evan and Huw Llyr to ensure that Welsh farming can look to the future with confidence.
“The FUW welcomes all measures, including the Assembly’s innovative Young Entrants Support Scheme, that can contribute towards a successful and sustainable future for our industry and the success of enterprises such as Penmaenbach are the key in achieving these goals.”
