In Your Field – Helen Stanier: "We were asked if we would take a cow to the crematorium to lead a funeral cortege"

Helen is a fifth-generation farmer who farms with her parents, David and Anne Shaw, husband, Craig, and their children, Alfred and Hattie, at Grey Leys Farm in the Vale of York. The farm comprises 162 hectares (400 acres) of grass, maize and wholecrop for the herd of 240 pedigree Jersey cows and more than 200 followers

clock • 3 min read
Helen Stanier
Image:

Helen Stanier

The September rain has greened up the grass and put better grazing back in front of the cows. This is welcome as we have been mindful of the small amount of last year's maize we had left in the clamp,...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

Login

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

 

More on In your field

In your field: James Robinson – "A generational farming baton has been passed down to me: Dad has retired from mole catching"

In your field: James Robinson – "A generational farming baton has been passed down to me: Dad has retired from mole catching"

James farms Dairy Shorthorns east of Kendal, Cumbria, with his parents Kathleen and Henry, wife Michelle and sons Robert and Chris. The fifth generation to farm at Strickley, he is also vice-chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network

James Robinson
clock 01 March 2026 • 3 min read
In your field: Nicola Wordie – "That's farming in 2026 so far: constant adaptation, measured risks and working with whatever the weather throws at us"

In your field: Nicola Wordie – "That's farming in 2026 so far: constant adaptation, measured risks and working with whatever the weather throws at us"

Nicola is a third-generation farmer from Aberdeenshire. Alongside her dad, George, she farms 560 hectares (1,400 acres) with 240 Simmental-cross suckler cows and 1,000 Scotch Mule ewes and a small acreage of spring barley, forage rape and neeps to feed the livestock. She is also known as @livestock_farmher on social media where she gives her view of farming life

Nicola Wordie
clock 23 February 2026 • 2 min read
In your field: Roger Nicholson – "I believe that the industrialisation of farming has removed a lot of the joy"

In your field: Roger Nicholson – "I believe that the industrialisation of farming has removed a lot of the joy"

Roger Nicholson farms with his family at the heavily diversified Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which has sparked various Channel 5 series including Springtime on the Farm. Roger, 81, farms with his sons Dave, Robert and Richard and says he has no plans to retire just yet

Roger Nicholson
clock 22 February 2026 • 3 min read