Young Farmer Focus: Matthew Ingram - 'Bee farming really puts you in tune with nature'

Matthew Ingram, 26, is from Tamworth, Staffordshire and a member of Coleshill YFC in Warwickshire.

My journey into agriculture is a little different, and the livestock I look after certainly is too.

I have always lived on my family farm just outside Tamworth in Staffordshire, and as a child all I wanted to do is farm no questions asked. But as I grew up, my interest in becoming a farmer subsided.

I have always been strongly drawn towards business, which I think comes from my parents who run a group of Garden Centres which they started themselves. I decided to go to university and study accounting.

However, while on my placement year, I randomly decided to take up beekeeping back on the farm when I was at home during the weekends. I still do not really know what drew me to beekeeping, but I am so glad it did.

My initial two hives became 16 hives then became 30 hives, and I could see the potential to have my own business selling honey and other hive products.

Fast-forward to today and Holt Hall Apiary was born. We now have about 180 hives producing approximately four tonnes of honey per year, which is set to increase over the next 12 months like all farming, weather-dependant of course.

We also process honey for other brands and pack about 50,000 jars of honey a year.

Bee farming is a fantastic vocation which really puts you in tune with nature and gives you the opportunity to work with lots of farmers.

Our hives are spread out over 10-15 different farms; from local arable farmers with Beans and OSR, to sheep farmers on the Peak District who give us access to fantastic heather moors in August.

Beekeeping also led me to Young Farmers. Moving back to the farm after university, it could be isolating working alone most days.

I already knew a few people in my local Young Farmers Club, Coleshill YFC, so I went along. I loved making new friends and being able to chat about beekeeping plus how it interacts with other more standard types of farming.

Many of the issues that impact normal farmers impact a bee farmer from rising input costs to red tape and, of course, the weather.

Going to a Young Farmers Club with a degree in accounting does also mean treasurer roles are soon offered up, so I became treasurer for Coleshill and then, about a year later, Warwickshire County Treasurer, which is a role I enjoy.

Young Farmers has opened up so many doors for me: making friends, learning valuable life skills, networking and just having a great time. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to be shortlisted and then win NFYFCs Entrepreneur of the Year Award, sponsored by KUHN, at the YFC Achiever Awards.

It is a huge honour and it is fantastic to see bee farming a tiny but important part of UK agriculture recognised nationally.