HE is one of a rapidly shrinking number of workers in the once prevalent hill farming industry. Anthony Price has farmed in the enchanting hilly terrain overshadowing Blaina for an impressive 30 years this year. He spoke to Journalist Tomos Povey at his farm of his fears surrounding the industry.

SETTLERS have been recorded residing in the hills of Blaina since the Neolithic times—to put that into context, that was 12,000 years ago during the last stage of the Stone Age.

Fast forward to the 1900s and still civilisation can be – although more sparsely – recorded.

Hill farmer Anthony Price, who runs both Ty-Bryn-Maen and Tyr Andrew farms, moved to the vicinity more than 50 years ago.

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Ian Fleming and Anthony Price (right). Picture: Christinsleyphotography.co.uk

He is now one of only seven hill farmers left in Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.

But that was not always the case; in a not-so-distant past, there were ubiquitous sights of farming outlets spread across the vast range of Gwent hills.

Farming has run in Mr Price’s blood for at least the last two generations.

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And it was this reason that his father moved the family to the area.

“Originally I come from a small hamlet between Blaenavon and Brynmawr called Waenavon,” said the 68-year-old.

“My father and grandfather were both miners and farmers. I have been involved with animals all my life.

"It was my father's ambition to have a bigger place.”

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The hill farmer recalls his life spent at the farm – which did not have any electricity or running water until 1992 – exuberantly.

He regaled: “We generated electricity by tilley lamps and we collected water out of a stream.

“Gradually my father added pipes.

"I loved being here since a young age."

But the fortunes were turned upside down when Mr Price’s father – the family’s sole breadwinner – suffered a horrific accident down the pits.

Mr Price was then catapulted to alpha male and needed to urgently generate an income.

“A large stone fell on him and he almost died,” he sadly recalled.

“Luckily several men were able to get this lump of stone off his back. He could not go back to work so he told me that he would have to find me a job.

"In 1966 I worked in the milk industry. I worked as a van boy. I held other positions as well. I was able to support the family with my job.”

And come 1989, he took over the family’s farming business.

“I had always wanted to become a hill farmer so was thrilled when I took over,” he said.

"Before this I had moved to our second farm called Tyr-Andrew, which is down the road from the other called Ty-Bryn-Maen.”

Maintaining his traditional way of life, as well as performing conservation work is what this hill farmer has dedicated the last three decades of his life to.

He said: "Hill farmers and farmers differ because of the breed of sheep. You have a mountain-type ewe which are suited to different terrain.

“There are many roles to being a hill farmer.

“There is a lot of ground movements in this area. A lot of livestock can fall down these holes and are never seen again. You can drop a stone down some and you do not hear it hit the bottom. Some of this is natural but also there was mining activity from years ago. I always have to be on the lookout.

"Hill farmers also carry out very important conservation work. We keep the vegetation down with our livestock. This helps to stop fires.

“But over the years there has been a reduction in sheep and other farming animals, and with that areas get overgrown. With no animals to graze there is more vegetation and fires can last for weeks. We had one fire last year that burnt for two weeks – it destroyed a part of the area.”

Overlooking the vast mountainous terrain that comes under his boundary, evoked a sense of nostalgia and concern for Mr Price.

He sighed and warned of a series of dangerous repercussions should hill farmers fade away completely.

"There were loads more hill farmers once,” he admitted.

"The decline is for lots of reasons: one is the the children of hill farmers are choosing other industries to go into.

"Another is the problem with the price of land - hence it is difficult for people to come into the industry.

“If hill farmers go it will be dreadful.

"Without us and other farmers there would be no local produce. Many people haven’t a clue where their meat comes from. When did you last check?

"The wildlife would also be damaged if hill farmers disappeared. Some insects are dependent on our animals. It all goes hand-in-hand and any changes will have major impacts."

And the recent Brexit negotiation shambles has exasperated already large pressures on the hill farming industry, according to the farmer.

"We are in a changing time at the moment with Brexit looming over us,” he said.

“The system we have at the moment - the Single Farm Payment - is coming from Europe and could change. Many farmers will struggle without this.

"There is a great deal of confusion at the moment.

"I export lambs to Europe and if we lose the market it will cause major disruption. If we have no market for our lambs what will we do with the ones we have produced?

"I voted to remain in the EU. One of the reasons I voted to remain is economic - but also for the peace we have had with Britain at the heart of the EU.

“With all these problems I do not know what the future holds.”

But the hill farmer has gained some relief in knowing he has an eager descendant – a daughter - to pass on his family heritage to.

Other than farming, Mr Price has inherited another trait from his ancestors: tenacity.

“I do not want to retire,” he said.

“I will remain a hill farmer until I no longer have breath in my body.”