This Farming Life star John Barclay has revealed how the demands of lambing following the sudden death of his father, Robert, "pushed them too far", leaving the family at breaking point. After losing Robert, the Barclays struggled to manage the workload and eventually cut their breeding flock from 600 sheep to around 140.
The family's experience features in a repeat of the emotional series on BBC Two this afternoon (October 11). The series documents the trials and tribulations of farming.
Lambing season becomes overwhelming
As a new farming year begins in South Ayrshire, the Barclays are up at dawn to begin lambing, their most demanding period of the year. As pedigree sheep farmers, they are among the earliest to lamb, starting with their small flock of Suffolks.
John's wife, Heather, and their twin sons, Cameron and Finlay, discussed how much they loved the work, but after Robert's sudden death, it all became overwhelming. Heather said: "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."
Family restructures after tragic loss
During the winter months, it is very much a family operation, with twins Cameron and Finlay, who were 12 at the time, helping whenever they can. A week into lambing, there were already numerous newborns needing their care.
Lambs that have been orphaned or rejected by their mothers are known as 'pet lambs' and need regular feeding. This responsibility falls to the boys when they're not at school. While the lads largely embraced their duties, it was previously their grandfather's task.
The repeated episode, originally broadcast in October 2023, revealed that Robert died unexpectedly 18 months before filming, prompting the family to restructure their farming operations. Heather explained: "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."
John interjected, noting how it had "pushed them too far", revealing how "Cameron had a meltdown one night". The programme's narrator added: "With his family at breaking point, John cut down the 600-strong breeding flock to around 140."
Legacy preserved through reduced flock
Heather acknowledged everyone experienced a "reality check" that there was "more to life than just farming". The boys remained committed to preserving their grandfather's legacy through the reduced Suffolk sheep flock, with Finlay offering a touching tribute: "Every time I see them I think back to my grandpa."
Elsewhere in the episode, farmers Carianne and her brother-in-law Alexander escort Faillish the bull to the Oban Highland Show, hoping to secure a rosette and achieve a favourable sale price. Meanwhile, in Inverkip, Rachel and Camy prepare to scan their ewes to determine pregnancy numbers – a pivotal point for their emerging breeding programme.
This Farming Life airs on BBC Two on Sunday, October 11 at 4.35pm.
