youngsRPS Women In Agriculture - Flipbook - Page 7
EMMA
SKIDMORE
Flakebridge Farm, Cumbria
What is your current role within the agricultural
industry?
My current role within agriculture is I am a partner
within A&M Skidmore together with my husband and
my father in law. We are a hill sheep farm which
borders the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales &
Westmorland Dales. As well as being a sheep farm
we have also diversified into hospitality sector by
opening a small luxury glamping site called 'The Pods
by the Stream at Flakebridge Farm' and since opening
in 2021 have won two awards (Visit England Gold
Accolade Award & Pitchup 2021 review award)
together with being named in the Manchester
Evening Gazette as one of the "must stay" places in
the Lake District.
As a woman in agriculture, have you come across
any challenges or obstacles?
I was completely new to farming as I originate from
Teesside and only stepped foot on a farm for the first
time 8 years ago when I met my husband. There are
lots of obstacles and challenges in farming and one
that took me a while, to understand was the fact
that it was not a 9-5 job and you cannot just up and
go away like I used to. There is also trying to balance
the home life too as most women in agriculture have
children with their own activities/things going on as
well as, like myself, also holding down another job.
As well as working on the farm and running the
Glamping Site (which we do everything ourselves
from maintenance to cleaning) I also work 3 days a
week as a Medical Secretary for Memory & Late Life
Services based at Penrith Hospital.
What changes, if any, would you like to see within
the industry to ensure the success of women in
agriculture?
I think the role of women in agriculture has changed.
My idea of a farm wife was something like Ma off
'The Darling Buds of May' but there was no way I was
going to give up my own career to bake cakes in the
kitchen and feed the men. If anything sometimes I
think women, especially Farmer's wives and partners
wear so many different hats i.e. book keeping,
ordering, mother, farmer, cleaner etc that I think you
sometimes forget to take a step back, Agriculture is
full on and unlike other jobs its a lifestyle not a job.
One of the main issues that used to bother me when
we first bought Flakebridge was when reps would
turn up and ask 'is the farmer around?'. Luckily a lot
more women are becoming reps which is nice to see.
Financial support with childcare is also a pain for
farmers as due to being self-employed trying to get
any support with this even though most farmers
wages are below the minimum wage, is a mine field.
Knowing what you do now, and the experience you
have, what advice would you go back and give your
younger self before embarking on a career in
agriculture?
Don't marry a farmer.....just kidding. Just be realistic
when embarking on a career in agriculture. Remove
the rose tinted glasses - it's nothing like the TV or
how you envisage farming to be. Don't get me wrong
I love it but it's stressful, can play havoc on your
mental health and your social life, especially when
you see family and friends going out/away but you
can't as it lambing, hay time, no one to watch the
farm etc.
What do you believe is the measure of a successful
woman in agriculture?
If they are happy. I'm a big believer that life is too
short and if you are not happy what is the point. You
have to love what you do and it makes me so happy
to see women in agriculture do well i.e. showing
sheep/cattle/horses, diversification or being generally
recognised for what they are doing. Agriculture is
such a male dominated career and sometimes it feels
women just get overshadowed. I am lucky as I have a
supportive husband who helps me (where he can) in
what I want to achieve and will explain to me if this
is not achievable. I learn something new daily, like
the other day I learnt I really hate wrapping wool.
And finally, what is your favourite thing about
working within the agricultural industry
I love where I live. I grew up in an ex council house in
industrial Teesside where you hardly ever saw the
stars. Now I live on a farm in a beautiful part of the
country. This is why I love having a glamping site. I
love seeing the children's faces when they see the
sheep, or find out they can run freely around the
fields or tell me they've seen a shooting star. I know
exactly how they feel as this is how I felt first time I
walked around the farm. I also love lambing time.
There is no better time of the year and no better
feeling than bringing a new life into the world.