Welsh couple win Eryri farm on Channel 4's Our Dream Farm

North Wales Chronicle

03-05-2025

Ioan Jones and Sara Jenkins, both 28, secured a 15-year tenancy for the 613-acre (248-hectare) hill farm, Llyndy Isaf, in the foothills of Wales' highest mountain Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in the final of National Trust: Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker on Saturday, May 3.
Llyndy Isaf is a nature rich farm comprising lowland fields, woodland and mountain pasture and a four-bedroom farmhouse on the shores of Llyn Dinas. A two-bedroom annex and two bothies for welcoming tourists also form part of the tenancy.
Finalists Ryan and Lowri, from Conwy, withdrew from the process in the business plan discussion stage.
Ryan said to Trystan Edwards, National Trust General Manager, and Giles Hunt, the National Trust's Land and Trystan, that their goals had "shifted".
Ryan said: "We probably at the start saw it as a forever farm but now, with the light of the stocking rates, it would have to be like a stepping stone for our forever farm if that makes sense."
He added: "Living this for the last three weeks has been fantastic. We are very grateful for the opportunity but we believe we're not the right people to carry it on the way.. long term, as a sustainable business for everybody involved."
The couple were praised by Trystan and Giles for showing "real maturity."
They admitted to presenter Matt even if Ryan and Lowri hadn't said what they had said, they still would have chosen Ioan and Sara as their winners.
Speaking about the winners, Trystan said: 'Ioan and Sara were put through their paces over a three-week period and demonstrated to us how well they understood the role of farming and nature in an environment as special as this.
"The farm is certain to go from strength-to-strength under their careful custodianship, and I wish them the very best.'
Ioan and Sara both come from Welsh farming backgrounds and entered the process together.
Sara Jenkins and Ioan Jones, winners of Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker with the farmhouse behind them (Image: Iolo Penri) Ioan grew up on his parent's beef and sheep farm in Boduan, Gwynedd, on the Llŷn Peninsula, while Sara was raised on a family farm at Tal-y-Bont, Ceredigion.
The couple moved into Llyndy Isaf just before Christmas.
Ioan said it had been his dream to one day have his own family farm and he was 'very glad' they had won. He beamed as they were handed the keys to the farmhouse by Giles Hunt, the National Trust's Land and Trystan.
Ioan said: 'We're so glad to have been chosen and can't wait to build a life here together in this beautiful location. Farm tenancies are hard to come by and opportunities like this don't come up very often and so you have to seize the opportunity when it comes up and go for it like we did.'
He added: 'We have been busy over the past few months getting to know the farm and landscape, settling in and tending to our flock of 65 sheep. We are currently in the middle of our first lambing season. Fortunately, it's been great weather which is a massive help for lambing.
A view of the farm from across the Llyn Dinas, Eryri (Snowdonia) (Image: National Trust Images Iolo Penri) 'We are also looking for Welsh black heifers to buy so we can start our own herd.
'The bothy has also been very busy with guests so far and we hope to open a second bothy by the start of the summer. Hopefully they will be successful and get busier and busier as word spreads on social media.'
The pair have opted to live in the annex for now and instead let the four-bedroom farmhouse as a holiday home.
'The farmhouse is fully booked this month so it's going well', said Sara.
'We are also tidying up the other bothy, keeping all of its natural features and just adding in some beds and other comforts.'
This is was the second series of National Trust: Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker.
The programme followed seven applicants on their journey to try and secure the 15-year National Trust tenancy.
The eight-part series, produced by Big Circus Media, is available to stream on Channel 4.
The series aims to showcase the realities of a career as a tenant farmer, the vital role farmers play in helping nature thrive while running a sustainable business, Welsh culture and language, as well as highlighting how important farming is for rural communities in Wales.
Ryan and Lowri sadly withdrew from the contest at the business plan discussion stage (Image: National Trust Images) During the eight-part television series, the seven hopeful applicants discussed their vision for the farm and experienced life on the National Trust Cymru estate by taking part in real-life farming tasks and experiences. Challenges included handling livestock, going to auction, selling produce at a market in Portmeirion, welcoming tourists to the farm's holiday lets and more.
They were observed over a three-week filming period by Giles and Trystan who together selected the successful applicant.
Trystan said: "We hope viewers of this series will value finding out more about tenant farming and the vital role farmers play in helping nature thrive in the countryside, while running sustainable businesses producing good food.
"We are also incredibly proud to be showcasing Wales' unique culture, language and how integral farming is for rural communities here in Wales."
Presenter Matt Baker said: 'I'm so delighted that Sara and Ioan were awarded the tenancy by the National Trust. Over the three weeks they proved to be very at home in the challenging landscape of Eryri and I have no doubt that they'll be brilliant tenants. Not only are they a wonderful couple, they're passionate farmers and talented land managers who I'm sure will be an asset to the farm and the Trust. I can't wait to go and stay in their B&B.
He added: 'It's been a privilege to produce another series of Our Dream Farm, which hopefully has enlightened viewers to the world of tenant farming and the passion and hard work that goes into producing our food and looking after our landscape.'
As part of their business plan, Ioan and Sara have been working with the National Trust and Eryri National Park to discuss creating a small overflow car park for hikers and to open a small campsite on the land in the summer.
Since filming took place, the couple have also got engaged, with Ioan proposing at the farm and they hope to wed at Sara's family farm in Ceredigion in 2026.
They remain in touch with their fellow contestants through a group chat and recently went for Sunday lunch with Ryan and Lowri and Greg.
Giles said: 'We were delighted to work with Big Circus and Channel 4 to have made another series of Our Dream Farm. We hope the series increases understanding of the role farmers and land managers play in restoring nature, producing food and improving the climate for the whole of the UK.
'None of this would have been possible without the dedication, commitment and huge passion that all the applicants showed for farming.
'Getting into farming is incredibly difficult but every single one of the applicants gave their best to try and secure the tenancy. I very much hope that the unsuccessful applicants can take all the learning that they got from the process and apply it to the next tenancy they try to secure.
'Sara and Ioan were impressive throughout the three-week selection process, and I hope that they can now start to enjoy being tenants of their own farm and I look forward to working with them in the years to come.'
Ryan and Lowri warmly congratulated the couple, saying they "knew in their hearts" that this was Sara and Ioan's dream farm - and the right one for them.
The first series of Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker aired in 2024 and saw livestock auctioneer Adam Grieve and his wife Jenny secure a 10-year tenancy on a 340-acre farm on the Wallington Estate in Northumberland.
The couple have been sharing their own experience of life as tenant farmers with Ioan and Sara.
Stream series 1 and series 2 now on Channel 4.