“We’ve always been innovative and found new ways to generate income”

Farmers Matt and Pip Smith are tough. Farming 850 feet above sea level on the edge of Bodmin Moor near Launceston in Cornwall, the 2017 Sheep Farmer of the Year is used to high rainfall and challenging conditions buffeting the 480-acre site with grazing rights, where the couple farm 1,000 Romney ewes and some 700 venison at any one time – including 238 breeding hinds.

Yet according to World Record sheep shearer Matt, their current location is more advantageous than New Zealand, where he is originally from. Matt grew up in the far north of New Zealand before moving to Napier.

He says: “It’s easier to farm in the UK because you don’t get the extremes of weather like you do in New Zealand, sometimes not seeing rain for up to seven months. The biggest issue here is managing the growth curves of pasture.”

None more so than in the current Covid-19 crisis, which is particularly affecting the venison side of the farm’s business to the tune of 50 per cent, as restaurants that would normally purchase the premium meat have been forced to close and are now struggling to reopen with all the rules and requirements.

Matt explains: “We decided to diversify the farm about three years ago and after carrying out our research we opted for venison, as it is niche product with a lot of health benefits, the stock management is environmentally-friendly and it is a premium product, so the market is not flooded.”

Matt and Pip have just finished building their own slaughterhouse on the farm, West Country Premium Venison, so the animals can now walk to it, rather than previous travel times of up to eight hours, which reduces their stress. It also means they can now supply a consistent product year round with low food miles.

Matt says: “It is difficult at the moment as our overheads are still there and the business has significantly reduced. But we have always been innovative and found new ways to generate additional income and this situation will be no different.”

They hosted 23 farm walks last year, although these are currently on hold, and they have been finishing projects that have been on the ‘to do’ list, such as the sheep handling shed.

When it comes to being tough, Matt and Pip apply the same rigorous expectations to the performance of their farm vehicles. They’ve recently invested in a new Can-Am Outlander 570, which joins their Can-Am Traxter 800, which they bought about 14 months ago.

Matt says: “We purchased Can-Am 570 ATVs in New Zealand, so we were aware of their robustness and reliability.  When we came back to the UK, we had them serviced by On a Hill garage in Ilfracombe and over the years we have expanded our fleet with their guidance and assistance. We realised if the Can-Ams could cope with the extremes that New Zealand throws at them, they could cope with anything.”

So, what’s next for the farmers? “We’re expecting the venison to pick up again as the restaurants start opening soon,” says Pip. “Then we’ll be making plans post-Covid for how we can continue to expand the farm walks and generate exciting new income streams.”