A Scottish farming family has spoken about how a sudden death pushed them to their limits and forced them to make major changes. On This Farming Life, which returns to BBC Two this afternoon (October 11), the Barclay family of South Ayrshire were shown starting lambing season early.
John Barclay and his family were preparing for their busiest time of year. As pedigree sheep farmers, they are among the first to lamb, beginning with their small flock of Suffolks. John's wife, Heather, and their twin boys, Cameron and Finlay, shared how much they loved the job, but after the sudden death of John's father, Robert, it all became too much.
Family at breaking point
Heather explained: "There is something about it, you are busy at times, it's hectic. But there is always something that creates a wee bit of fun or a wee bit of hassle and a wee bit of stress, but all hands on deck are the famous words that we were always told."
In the winter months, it is very much a family affair, with twins Cameron and Finlay, who were 12 at the time, helping out whenever they can. A week into lambing, there were already plenty of newborns in need of attention. Lambs orphaned or rejected by their mothers are known as 'pet lambs' and require regular feeding. It is a job for the boys when they are not at school, and while they enjoyed their roles for the most part, it used to be their grandfather's job.
The repeat episode, which first aired in October 2023, explained how John's father, Robert, died suddenly 18 months before filming, spurring the family to change the way they operated. Heather said: "Robert loved lambing, so we always brought in about 400 commercial ewes to lamb, in March/April time. We just had to take it on board, come that lambing time, we just had to go for it and do it all, and the time it took was the time it took. The boys took on a massive part."
Cutting the flock
John interjected to say how it had "pushed them too far", sharing how "Cameron had a meltdown one night". The narrator of the series added: "With his family at breaking point, John cut down the 600-strong breeding flock to around 140."
Heather admitted everybody had a "reality check" that there was "more to life than just farming", but the boys were still determined to keep their grandad's legacy alive with the smaller flock of Suffolk sheep. Finlay shared in a tribute: "Every time I see them I think back to my grandpa."
Elsewhere in the episode, farmers Carianne and her brother-in-law Alexander take Faillish the bull to the Oban Highland Show, hoping to bag a rosette and sell him for a good price. In Inverkip, Rachel and Camy scan their ewes to see how many are pregnant in a big moment of truth for their fledgling breeding programme.
This Farming Life airs on BBC Two on Sunday, October 11 at 4.35pm.
