Rural women who have successfully carved out niche markets in food and farming passed on the benefits of their experiences at the Autumn Gathering of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Women In Farming Network.
Career journeys that have seen farmers Helen Stanier and Louise Day and The Yorkshire Pasta Company’s Kathryn Bumby make bold decisions to set their course served as inspiration for 125 rural women at the sell-out event held at the Barker family’s Lodge Farm in Cundall, North Yorkshire (Tuesday 14 October)
The Women In Farming Network is an initiative of the Yorkshire Rural Support Network, funded by farming charity, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. The Autumn Gathering is the Network’s flagship annual event and was this year kindly sponsored by Barclays, Savills and HECK Food.
Louise Day, who runs New Sheepfold Farm at Ingleby Greenhow in the North York Moors National Park told of how she farms traditional beef and native rare breed Soay sheep alongside her husband Mark. Having transitioned away from dairy farming, their business model also now includes luxury farm-stay shepherd huts and a vending shop selling home-reared beef and lamb.
Louise said marketing what they offer is one of her biggest challenges, saying: “Spreading the word is the hardest thing. It’s every day, it’s all the time. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I take a step back. I want to be on the farm. Spending time with the animals and being outside is so important and helps me focus.”
Farmer’s daughter Kathryn Bumby left her job at Nestlé to launch premium British pasta outfit, The Yorkshire Pasta Company, based near Malton. The mother-of-two visited farm shops and delis across Yorkshire and restaurants and factories in Italy to understand her market and learn the secrets of making quality pasta. She overcame major hurdles to source suitable British flour and fully recyclable packaging and has gone on to have her award-winning pasta featured in Harrod’s and on television with celebrity chef James Martin.
Kathryn hailed the importance of networking to get her business off the ground, saying: “Yorkshire is a destination for food businesses and there are fantastic networks where you quickly realise everyone is in the same boat and everyone makes mistakes. Deliciously Yorkshire, for example, is a fantastic network for everyone involved in food.”
Helen Stanier, a dairy farmer near York, manages 500 pedigree Jersey cows having returned to the family farm following a career in food retail. Helen admitted to having initially found the switch back to the farm a “shock” as she grappled with a myriad of administration, HR and animal husbandry responsibilities, but with husband Craig, she has gone on to process the herd’s milk on the farm.
Greyleys Jersey Milk is now stocked in their milk vending machines, in the local village of Elvington and at Balloon Tree Farm Shop at Gate Helmsley. They have also expanded into wholesale milk deliveries to high-end cafés and restaurants in York.
Helen, who is a member of the NFU Dairy Board, championed the value of peer support having taken the-then Prince’s Countryside Fund’s Fresh Start Dairy Academy for industry newcomers, a process she described as “helping me to process the business mind I had into dairy farming”.
Helen added: “We should be very proud of the produce we make in this country. It is the highest quality with the highest animal welfare and environmental standards and we need to get the word out there. We need to make sure we have sustainable businesses for the next generation.”
The Women In Farming Network brings together rural women from across the county in the spirit of personal and professional development and support. The Network was created in 2013 following requests from women living and working on farms and related industries.
The Network holds a rolling programme of events to bring the community together and hosts a private Yorkshire Women In Farming Facebook group of almost 800 members to keep conversations and support going all year round. For more details, visit yas.co.uk/womeninfarming
All are welcome at the next event supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, an Autumn Debate looking at the role of technology alongside traditional farming practices on the evening of Wednesday 29 October 2025. Speakers include farmers Stuart Mitchell and Andrew Manfield, and global food consultant Dr Louise Manning.
Held at The Pavilions at the Great Yorkshire Events Centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, the Autumn Debate is organised by the Society’s Future Farmers of Yorkshire and Farmer Scientist and is kindly sponsored by McClarrons insurance brokers and supported by Barclays. To register a free place, visit yas.co.uk/futurefarmers
