reindeers, lamas and business

peakdistrictfarming.co.uk spent mothers' day morning meeting up with rachel mycock, a local farmer's wife.

She has taken her interest in livestock to another level after buying a couple of young reindeer and, by chance, becoming involved in christmas seasonal promotions in the north west.  After buying a couple more she has four reindeer and plans to breed some more.  She regularly leads them about the village as part of their training.

More recently she acquired a young male lama, picked up on her husband's return trip from perth bull sales. 

In addition to the more exotic stock, she has traditional tamworth piglets, calves, lambs, kids, chicks, rabbits and guinea pigs.  She's currently expanded her plans and is supplying the market for kids parties and general promotions with the able assistance of her crowd-drawing, irresistible selection of stock..large and small.

She's now planning ahead to check out further diversification for the future and we discussed the muddle of paperwork and funding.  After discussing options she's likely to :
1.  check out the special fund 'guru' at bakewell market (mondays) to get impartial advice
2.  look at 'leader' funding available in the peak park's Rural Action Zone (as she's in the peak park)
3.  make the most of her involvement in farming - she will be treated favorably because the funds support farm diversification
4.  look at leader funding because of the benefits of grants to buy secondhand equipment.

We wish her great success build up her existing interests and continue her entrepreneurial approach.

Check out these images of the animals we saw today:









More information about rachel's existing business check out www.reindeer-events.co.uk