Meet Your Tutors
Kate Beavan MBE ARAgS DL
Qualified lecturer and Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN), with a double honours degree in Natural Sciences & Biology and a Masters in Environmental Conservation Management, Kate has over 27 years’ experience lecturing in Animal Welfare and Conservation. She is a BrightCrop and STEM ambassador, Senior University Fellow, Mental Health First Aider and Woodland Creation Officer. Passionate about all things rural, farming and environmental, Kate was BBC’s The One Show’s Farmer, Channel 4’s Health & Welfare expert at Crufts, was awarded an MBE for services to farming and has recently been appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Gwent.
Jim Beavan
Born and bred here, just like his sheep. A graduate of Newton Rigg, Penrith with a College Diploma in Hill and Marginal Farming, Jim worked as a shepherd on the Raby Estate, which spreads across Teesdale and County Durham, before returning to the family farm. Since then he’s become a renowned sheep expert, skilled stockman, BWMB gold seal shearer and prize-winning stone waller. Jim is hugely passionate about the family farm, its wildlife and environment, merging traditional practices with modern techniques to run a successful operation. He’s very modest, but exceptionally capable, well-respected and caring… they say men can’t multi-task, but Jim takes it to a whole new level!
Sam Beavan
Do you like Land Rovers? Lots of Land Rovers? Because Sam does! And he loves farming, driving really big kit and shearing… he loves shearing. A BWMB bronze seal shearer by the time he was 17, Sam leads our shearing courses, with Jim; he is skilled in both hand and machine shearing and a prizewinning Under 21 Machine Shearer. Working alongside Jim and Kate to manage the family farm, whilst running his own contracting business too, Sam is the 4th generation of Beavans to farm at Great Tre-rhew; he’s always busy, always making plans and always on the go.
Celyn Beavan
You may not meet Celyn in person when you’re here, as she’s busy with her studies at the moment, but you’re sure to enjoy her delicious home cooking at some stage during the day. As Catering Manager, Cel is responsible for ensuring you’re fed and watered very well; she also has an amazing artistic eye and makes sure our venues look just right, whatever the occasion. With first-hand experience of providing for special dietary requirements, Cel is renowned for her baking… for your sake (and ours!) we hope she’s baked a batch of brownies!
Jimmy Coburn
Jimmy is our great friend, neighbour and highly accomplished cider maker; plus farmer, plant hire specialist and all round ‘good egg’. Passionate about creating wildlife ponds and landscaping wildlife habitats, Jimmy is a real people-person; he has an amazing collection of ‘diggers’, loves vintage machinery and is much in-demand locally for cider demonstrations. Jimmy is always working, whatever the time of day or night – it’s what makes him tick – and is so busy he usually forgets to button his shirt!
Passionate About
Where do we start?! Farming, food production, animal welfare, wildlife, the environment, rural communities. We try to make a difference.
Our Family Farm
We're lucky to live and work in such a special place and we love welcoming you here to share it for the day: come on in.
What People Say
We love what we do and believe we do it well, but we would say that wouldn't we?! So why not check out what students say about us too?
Kate's Blog
Making wildflower meadow hay while the sun shines …
An Irishman, a Welshman and an Englishman travelled to Scotland to shear sheep and this month the young shearers hit their goal, each shearing 400 plus sheep in a day, well done lads! Son Sam is the Welshman shearing in the Scotland Highlands and beyond, last weekend...
Spring has sprung…
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus / Happy Saint David’s Day and the first day of spring! After what is probably the warmest February on record, rain is returning…
Sheep farming crisis
We’ve just returned from our annual visit to the Royal Welsh Show where Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he is going to reduce…
Dates for your diary!
We’ll be out-and-about or hosting events throughout the year and would love to meet you at…
Local shows
Monmouthshire Show
Monmouth
Royal Welsh Show
July
Llanelwedd
Llanthony Village & District Show
First Saturday in August
Llanthony
Events here on the farm
Orchard Wassail
January 2024... details to follow
Open Farm Sunday
Sausages & Cider
Dates TBA... watch this space!