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to unlock the stalemate that happens between families sometimes.” Eleven years ago, Brian gave up farming to
concentrate on running the on-site holiday cottages and converted barns – which sleep up to around 50 guests. “When I met Brian, he was farming about 1,000 acres – our farm is 300 acres and he was renting another 700. “He had a beef and sheep business and arable and
was running about the place working crazy hours. “In 2000 we started doing self-catering holiday lets and then in 2009 we got planning permission for quite a big conversion for our long-barn that sleeps 18 people, and then for the hay barn. “Brian was running all that and the farm and 10 years ago said he was ready to rent the farm out. “I am proud that we rent it to a young farmer, Stuart, who I had helped with a couple of tenancy applications. “He was only 22 at the time and he didn’t have the capital resources behind him – for a lot of tenancy farms you have to have £200,000 to buy into the tenancy or infrastructure and he didn’t have that kind of assets, but he had the drive and he’s a really, really good farmer and he’s milking 300 cows!” When she’s not working, one of Amanda’s favourite pastimes is anything horse related – from real life equines to the life-sized one she created from scrap metal, called Rusty, and which now stands proudly in her garden. Her love of horses began as far back as she can
remember; she has a photograph of herself sat on a hunting horse at the tender age of 18-months. “I was brought up riding all my life. I love horses, horse
racing and horse events. “I also love arty stuff and making things. “I’m not particularly refined so learning to weld was ideal because it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit messy, it still looks cool. “Every year we go to the Delamore Arts and Sculpture
Exhibiton at Cornwood and one year they had beautiful driftwood horse, and a metal sculpture of a hare. “I just loved it, but it was several thousand pounds, so I thought I can do that. “My longstanding young farmers’ friend, Malcolm
Patey, taught me to weld so I made it in his workshop. “We had a New Year’s Eve party and people asked
what they could bring. I asked them to bring a bit of scrap metal representing what they do. “A couple of farmers brought mole boards off their ploughs, which look like the neck of a horse; I was given an old push along lawnmower; weighing scales; a dentist gave me some awful looking pliers; a catering friend gave me ladles and an old massive frying pan; and a naval friend gave me two helicopter exhaust pipes which became Rusty’s backside. “One of our good friends gave me the old horn from his Land Rover. It’s a spiral thing with a little knobby bit. “They said: “We got you this for your male horse – we thought it might be useful!”” Amanda chuckled.•
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