Amanda Owen and her ex Clive have made it no secret that it’s all hands on deck at their family farm in Yorkshire, with their nine kids all pitching in to keep the smooth day-to-day running of Ravenseat.
One child who remains the first to “spring into action” is Reuben, their 21-year-old son who has expressed an interest in a farming career. However, the Yorkshire Shepherdess’ latest home footage of Reuben, who stands several feet above his mother, has left fans divided.
“Caught ewe. Reuben downs tools and springs into action. *Everyone lends a hand, there is no one exempt from lambing time tasks*,” she captioned the post, which showed Reuben in a high-vis orange vest, lobster print shorts and hiking boots as he lay next to a ewe and a lamb on the grass.
In the clip, the Our Farm Next Door star held onto the horns and pulled the animal away from her lamb, but many were left concerned about the movement.
“I didn’t like how you held the sheep! Absolutely disturbing! Animals are treated with respect and not like trash!” wrote one, and a second remarked: “Why are you treating the ewe like that?… I’m disappointed as I thought you were better than that.”
© InstagramMeanwhile, others pointed out that they’re the farming experts. Leaping to Amanda and her son’s defence, one commented: “And what are your sheep farming credentials?” while another questioned: “Could you explain what’s happening?”
Reuben’s career
© LORNA ROACHIn addition to getting stuck into farming responsibilities, Reuben has started his own groundwork and plant-hire business, which is featured in the TV show Life in the Dales.
“My two jobs work well together and by the time you have spent a week sitting on a digger, it is lovely to go home and chase some stock around. There is still a lot of sheep,” he told the Farmer’s Guardian.
© Instagram“I would not go anywhere else. I love it here,” added Reuben, who studied a land-based engineering course at Myerscough College and did an apprenticeship with Taylor and Braithwaite.
Looking ahead to his future plans, he said he still sees himself enjoying remote countryside life. “My ultimate goal, once I have enough diggers going, is to have my own farm around here,” he said.
“I definitely want to carry on farming and I appreciate it more since I have not been around the farm as much. It is lovely; it is the place I want to be.”
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