Empty Wellies When people think of farming, what springs to mind is a romanticised notion of rural life, nestled within idyllic landscapes and insulated from the pressures of the city. What is often overlooked, or unseen are the impacts policy makers impose upon this industry, the outcomes of which are often slow and hard to visualise, yet have significant consequences for families, communities and environments. Between January 2024 and May 2024 I undertook a residency with two farming families along the Welsh borders. During this time, the Welsh Government proposed the ‘Sustainable Farming Scheme’ policy, whereby all Welsh farmers would dedicate 10% of their farming land to tree planting and 10% should be left for rewilding resulting in an overall land reduction of 20%. This book a documentation of the farming family life and their dedication and commitment to continue protecting generational farming. What follows is a visual record of everyday farm life in Wales and the less documented struggle within the agricultural industry. Being welcomed into their homes, allowing me to create a working relationship as well as a friendship, giving me open access to their lives and daily routines. Over shared lunches, anecdotes, and personal tales of life on the farm were shared; it became clear the emotional connection they have with the land, their home, culture, and community that’s been passed down through multiple generations, which they hope to share with their children in the future. These relationships became intrinsic to me capturing authentic moments. The family shared their concerns about the impact the sustainable farming scheme will have on the future of Welsh farming Farming isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life - it’s their home, community, income, their family’s future security, and their passion. To lose this is to lose everything, nobody wants to be the generation who failed. Farmers typically work alone and for long hours, so for them to come together in the form of protests should be a statement in itself. To leave their farms and stock unattended for the day to attend protests is significant. Many were unable to attend for this very reason. Farmers gathered together in Cardiff to show their solidarity, share their experiences, raise awareness, and capture the interest of the media. The stories shared were emotional and exposed a harsh reality. At the time of writing, the Sustainable Farming Scheme’ policy is still under review however plans have been put into place to go ahead with the policy in 2025. Due to the nature of farming currently no protests will be taking place as it is lambing season and one of the busiest times within farming. There is still hope as it is an election year the sustainable farming scheme could be scrapped. This project is dedicated to all farmers within Wales. I am indebted to Donna, and Alan Jones and Robbie Alman-Wilson for the help and support they have given me.