Great Tre Rhew Farm Facts
Host Farmers
- Great Tre-rhew Farm is a traditional mixed farm with three generations of the Beavan family living on it.
- Great Tre-rhew is farmed in a family partnership with Skirrid Farm.
- It is a family run farm, with no additional labour.
- Jim and Kate farm at Great Tre-rhew and run Kate’s Country School on the farm. Son Sam has recently left school and is on an agricultural apprentice scheme, daughter Celyn still at school. Huw and Jan farm at Skirrid Farm with sons Dan and Gareth and run Beavan Family Butchers. Trevor and Anne (parents) are partners in the family farm business.
Land
- Great Tre-rhew Farm is a 300 acre holding, with a further 200 acres of rented land.
- Together the holdings at Great Tre-rhew and Skirrid Farm comprise 500 acres.
- The farm is in the Glastir Advanced scheme
Livestock
Beef
- The herd consists of bucket reared cattle, mainly British Blue-cross Friesian; Aberdeen Angus-cross Friesian; Welsh Black cross and Charolais cross, aged from 10 to 24 months old.
- Cattle are finished at Skirrid farm and sold as dual purpose cows for breeding or beef. Store cattle are bought in and finished on farm.
Sheep
- 1,200 breeding ewes are kept over both farms, plus 60 ewe lambs.
- The flock consists of mainly mules crossed with Texel, Charollais and Suffolk rams.
Pigs
- Four sows are kept on the farm, producing pork for Beavan Family Butchers.
Cropping
- 25 acres spring corn
- 30 acres green crop
- 10 acres maize
- Cereal is grown for animal feed – milled and mixed on farm.
Horticulture
- The family has diversified into cider making and is re-instating orchards on the farm.
- 100 apple trees were planted on the farm last year.
- One of the historic buildings on the farm site is a cider house.
Additional information
- Kate and Jim Beavan run Kate’s Country School, offering courses in rural skills and animal husbandry.
- Huw and Jan Beavan, who live at Skirrid Farm run Beavan Family Butchers in Abergavenny. The farms produce pork, lamb and beef for the shop.