Farming influencer kayaks on flooded land

Spring is the season of new beginnings and a fresh start.

But while we may see daffodils and hope for sunshine, the weather has remained often wet and dreary in Wales.

It has been challenging for farming influencer Natalie Davies, who found her field flooded by heavy overnight rain.

But after finding a kayak in the shed, she decided to have some fun with her followers.

The 28-year-old, from Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, gained thousands of online followers by sharing her experiences of working on a farm.

In a video shared on TikTok and Instagram, Natalie and her husband, Dafi, 29, are seen kayaking through an overflowed bank near Rose Dew Farm in Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan.

"We went outside and saw the field was completely flooded, which is not ideal for a farmer any time of the year," she said.

"We found the kayak in the shed and we came up with an idea to have a bit of fun with it. It was a joke and we decided to make light of a difficult situation farmers often face."

After posting the video, Natalie said she received positive reaction from her followers.

"I have a lot of farmers who follow my social media and they found it hilarious. They knew we were making light of the situation and they could empathise with us."

Before going into farming full time, Natalie worked in her parents' coffee shop in Cardiff. In 2020 she decided she needed a change.

"I looked at the job I was working in at the time and I thought, 'Am I really enjoying myself?' I think a lot people at that time did the same."

When she was growing up, Natalie's friends were mostly from farming backgrounds and it is where she spent most of her time.

"I always gravitated towards the farming setting. I had an understanding and appreciation for farming before I got into it so I knew what I was getting into.

"My husband comes from a farming background and I was lucky enough to take the plunge full time in 2020."

Using the part of the land at Rose Dew Farm, which is owned by Dafi's family, the couple bought 140 sheep and started their dream.

Natalie was excited to start her new adventure, and family and friends encouraged her to share her experience online.

"I started an Instagram initially so my family could keep up with my progress. I then started gaining followers, who were mostly farmers, which I wasn't expecting."

Her following has grown to more 6,000 followers on Instagram and at the beginning she learned a lot from them.

"At the start I was very open and vulnerable. I would ask my followers for help on things that I wasn't sure of and they would point me in the right direction.

"Now, when people are asking the same questions, I'm able to help them.

"It's like we've created a little farming community online."

Around spring is when she gains the most interaction with followers from posting pictures of new lambs.

But she wants to show the "real highs and real lows to farming".

"I want to show people it's not all cute and fluffy like you see on TV. We're up against the weather every day. Whether it's sunshine, rain or snow, we're out there.

"You see people online who are off for a few weeks or enjoying a bank holiday, and we don't get that.

"One morning, I woke up and found one of my lambs had been killed by a fox, and that's tough, especially first thing in the morning."

Along with the day-to-day challenges, she said she also receives negative comments online.

"I get some really horrible comments under my posts, and I try not to reply to them.

"But reading them just fuels me to keep sharing the high and lows, and educating people on the challenges that farmers face."

She said she has learnt a lot along the way and is proud of what she has achieved.

"My life is completely different to what it was a few years ago.

"I live a gorgeously beautiful life now, and that's because of the big highs but also the lows.

"But I wouldn't have it any other way."