The new series of Our Farm Next Door, featuring Amanda, Clive and their nine kids, is well underway. And we are loving being transported back up to the Dales and seeing how they’re getting on with the transformation of Anty John’s.
Speaking on Lorraine on Tuesday, October 6, Amanda discussed how shows like this, along with her books, have been a ‘lifeline’ for the family and how, without them, they may not have been able to carry on.
Revealing the financial realities of life on a farm, Amanda spoke honestly about how television and writing have helped the family pay the bills, describing them as a lifeline.
Amanda said: “If it wasn’t for the television, the writing and all the other spin-offs and other things, we couldn’t have carried on. It’s been a lifeline. There are costs to pay. You have to put yourself out there. You have to be strong. You have to be tough. But that’s how I want my children to be.
“I want people to watch the programme, read the book and say, ‘Well, you know what? If she can, I might as well give it a go.’”
Originally starting out on Channel 5 with Our Yorkshire Farm, the Yorkshire Shepherdess and her family drew in millions of viewers, allowing cameras to offer a glimpse of what it was like to raise nine children while running a sheep farm in one of the most remote parts of the Dales: Ravenseat Farm.
Series four of their More4 show, Our Farm Next Door, is in full flow and follows the restoration of a derelict farmhouse into a family home. Working with local tradespeople and getting stuck in as a family, it’s been incredible to watch the slow and arduous transformation of the building.
Restoring the farmhouse using traditional techniques wherever possible highlights Amanda and her family’s dedication. The revelations about the history of the previous occupant have also been part of the new show’s charm.
