COVID-19: Misery on UK farms
Wake up, New Zealand: that’s the message from a New Zealander trying to manage a large dairy farm in the UK amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Shephard and relief milker Ffion Hooson has been running her family farm in Denbighshire, North Wales since mid-2018, when her father suffered a major stroke.
Hooson says her father spent four months in hospital before being discharged and continues to be in recovery.
The heartbreak of her father’s health combined with bad weather and the responsibilities of running a farm proved too much earlier this month when the young farmer took to Twitter to express her pain.
“I’m 20 years old and farming alone and I am constantly putting a brave hard face on... yet deep down I’m pretty much breaking inside... it’s the most I’ve struggled and no one really understands but I have no choice but to carry on,” Hooson posted on Twitter.
I’m 20 years old and farming alone and I am constantly putting a brave hard face on... yet deep down I’m pretty much breaking inside... it’s the most I’ve struggled and no one really understands but I have no choice but to carry on?? pic.twitter.com/n8keHhWci5
— Ffion Hooson (@ffionhooson0) February 7, 2020
The tweet sparked an outpouring of support and other farmers sharing their experiences, with over 2,700 replies and 2,000 retweets.
A week on, things appeared to be looking up for Hooson, who shared that she was now being given support on-farm.
Well it’s a week on from the tweet that went viral and the main man is back home, doing what he does best #farming and spending the day helping me, move sheep and clean the sheds out!! What a man! #BobFronFelen @ElenGwen @nwilliamsff ❤️? pic.twitter.com/g7OVuEvvuy
— Ffion Hooson (@ffionhooson0) February 14, 2020
