Reuben Owen, star of Our Yorkshire Farm, has found his perfect match in Jess Ellwood, a farmer who shares his passion for heavy machinery. The 21-year-old, who grew up on the remote Ravenseat farm with his shepherdess mother Amanda and eight siblings, says his ideal date involves his digger – and Jess is fully on board.
Jess, who works on her family's beef and dairy farm eight miles from Ravenseat, is described by Reuben as 'very good on the digger'. The couple met by chance at the night do of the Westmorland County Show, where they bonded over their shared interest in farming. 'We got talking about sheep and cows, I managed to pretend I knew something about cows,' Reuben said. 'We just got talking and never really stopped.'
Eight months on, the couple maximise their time together by helping each other on their respective farms. Reuben assists Jess with milking, while she helps him at the quarry. 'Jess is absolutely gorgeous and great to be with, I love spending time with her whatever we're doing,' he added. 'Her family are a lovely bunch, they're great and look after me so well.'
Viewers will see the couple on the new 5 series Reuben Owen: My Yorkshire Life, which focuses on his plant hire business. The show also features Reuben's team of pals and brothers tackling various jobs with heavy machinery, and a tug of war competition that left him feeling 'like I'd been run over'.
For his 21st birthday in November, Reuben opted for a three-day, 80-mile adventure driving seven vintage tractors from his house to Whitby for fish and chips, joined by Jess and his workmates. 'It was a really fun way to spend my 21st birthday,' he said.
