Why Sophia would be an effective mentor
- First-generation tenant farmer Sophia completed an organic dairy apprenticeship in Norway eight years ago, before moving back home to Wales to set up her own dairy at a tenanted smallholding.
- Her route into farming is somewhat unconventional for an English graduate brought up in Swansea, but a series of volunteering posts overseas gave her a passion for organic, sustainable farming and food production. If you plan to diversify or start a new venture for artisan cheese, yoghurt or fudge production, she could be the inspirational mentor you need!
- Over the last eight years, she has built up her own farm business on an extremely limited budget. Expanding the acreage of the land managed from six to 30, then to 50, she will shortly take over a tenancy of 117 acres. She is proud of the fact that she has never received government subsidies, bank loans or financial support or any kind.
- Sophia currently keeps around 50 goats and 13 Jersey cows on a pasture-based rotational grazing system. Calf and kid are at foot, milked once a day. The milk is processed on-farm into small batch products she sells direct. She operates a low-tech, portable milking machine in a purpose built shed.
- Ambitious to expand the herd and grow her market, Sophia’s ultimate aim is to process and successfully market a speciality aged cheese which showcases the herd health and biodiversity of her farm. She is optimistic that at a bigger farm, she can invest in newer, more efficient equipment. Sophia believes that encouraging Welsh dairies to convert to calf/kid at foot will not only help inspire customer loyalty but create a better working environment for farmer and stock.
- Knowledgeable, enthusiastic and a great communicator, Sophia is keen to help mentees create step by step plans to achieve their goals!
Current farm business
- Dyfi Dairy (www.dyfidairy.com) is a direct sale goat and jersey cow micro dairy operating in mid Wales. Established eight years ago it is the original Welsh calf and kid at foot dairy. Sophia uses a regenerative, grass-based system to produce a range of cheeses, yogurt, raw and pasteurised milk and fudge.
- Most marketing is done via Facebook and Instagram with the fudge sold to shops nationally. You’ll find Dyfi Dairy produce in many health food shops in Wales and Sophia also operates a post out/subscription service where customers sign up for three months at a time.
- Hygiene markers – the parlour and processing rooms have been created from scratch and achieved a 5 rating for food hygiene as well as consistently low bacta count and SCC (Somatic Cell Counts) for milk tests.
- The business now provides Sophia’s primary source of income and she employs a part-time administrator and farm worker.
Qualifications/achievements/ experience
- Sophia completed a two-year organic dairy apprenticeship in Norway, specialising in goat dairy. She also has experience of organic certification, building processing rooms and catering management.
- She was formerly a project manager at the Pasture Fed Livestock Association - establishing the standards for and running the dairy from a grass pilot project.
- She informally helps a number of local farmers looking to establish a calf at foot or kid at foot dairy and also mentors a local beef and arable farmer on regenerative grazing and direct selling.
- Sophia has completed numerous courses on social media, video editing, website creation and copywriting and has been employed by various art and food-based projects to curate, create and advise on marketing and promotion. She also arranges study visits, gives talks and recently visited Ireland as part of Farming Connect’s ‘Management Exchange’ project. See the results of her visit here.
Top tips for business success
“Ensure your business reflects your own values. If customers like what you stand for, they are more likely to remain loyal.”
“Determination and resilience are essential!”
“Do your research, identify what the market requires and match that with what you supply.”