Amanda Owen opens up on 'very difficult' time in Yorkshire

Our Yorkshire Farm's Amanda Owen has opened up about the challenges faced during a renovation project, citing the "very difficult" weather as a significant obstacle. The 50 year old shepherdess, who became a household name through the Channel 5 series, revealed last year her separation from husband Clive Owen.

Despite this, the couple plans to continue working together on the farm and raising their children. Their story continues on the new Channel 4 show Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive And Kids, documenting their life with nine children while they refurbish an old farmhouse.

Joining BBC Breakfast with her kids Clemmy, Nancy, and Annas, Ms Owen said: "We’re getting there (with the renovation). We like a challenge, don’t we?

"Yeah, it’s been very difficult, what with Yorkshire’s weather coming at us. Things have gone far slower than we’d have ever wished for."

Discussing the historical significance of the project, she explained, "Because it’s a listed building, because it’s got a lot of history – we’ve got the diaries from the chap who used to live and farm there – it’s really important to us that we keep that heritage and that legacy that he left behind, and keep it true to what it really is, those roots.

"That is quite an undertaking, but it’s been fascinating learning about who lived there."

She reflected on the uncertainties of farming in 2024, commenting, "It’s difficult times, you don’t know what the future holds for you.

"You’re always mindful, particularly when you’re farming the land and very much in touch with the historical aspect. You’re very mindful of the passing of time."

"Although we’re looking backwards, at what was (on the show), we’re also looking forward, and it’s so interesting to find out and see that a lot of the ideas that we are championing now about the environment, sustainability and our sort of more holistic way of farming – it’s just a rebrand. We were doing it a long time before."

The Yorkshire Shepherdess, Ms Owen, appeared on the popular show Our Yorkshire Farm, launched in 2018, which documented her family's life on Ravenseat Farm. She also wrote a book, Celebrating The Seasons With The Yorkshire Shepherdess, featuring stories, pictures, and seasonal recipes from their rural life.

In her new five-part Channel 4 series, Ms Owen and her family collaborate with local tradespeople to renovate their home while managing their family sheep farm, all amidst one of the wettest years on record.