Located on the north coast of West Falkland, Main Point Farm is over 17,000 acres and runs around 5000 sheep bred for wool, which provides the main income for the farm. Falkland Island wool is popular for the high quality and natural whiteness. Main Point Farm is certified organic. In 2014 I bought an additional 1633 acres, which was the remains of my parents property. I purchased it purely for sentimental reasons & run a few sheep on it for fat lambs at present. It has a lot of coast line with some very pretty beaches, including a long sandy bay.
I mostly live alone on the farm only hiring in help when necessary - mainly when it’s time to shear the sheep. I have lots of company: 21 sheep dogs, numerous cats, hens & ducks, geese and a large breeding establishment of miniature horses which I first imported in from England in 1997.
My son Matthew who was born in 1999 has been educated through our unique Camp Education system, then boarding school in Stanley and in September 2016, will go off to England to college.
Some farms on the Falklands are more isolated than others are - my nearest neighbours are half hour drive on all weather clay type roads - but distance is nothing in a community like ours where everyone pulls together. Like most people, I drive a 4x4 - essential in the winter months when roads are icy or waterlogged
Most of our supplies are shipped in from UK or Chile. I import animal feed from Dodson & Horrell in UK, for my own use as well as to sell. I have a substation flock of poultry and sell eggs and chickens. I have imported hatching eggs onto the Island and established several new breeds of poultry and introduced the first Guinea Fowl onto the Islands.
I spent the first 20 years of my life on Pebble Island, a lovely Island to the North of West Falkland. Pebble is a popular place for tourists to visit with an abundance of wild life, some very picturesque coastline and magnificent beaches.
I am mostly self employed but spent some time working in education with special needs, which I am very interested in. For 7 years I had the pleasure of working with a special pupil with severe learning difficulties & autism in our Camp Education system. This only ended when he moved to a specialist school in England which has more adequate facilities than was available in the Falklands. I retain my interest in special needs and visit the school in UK and my ex pupil when ever I get the opportunity.
In 1996 I visited Cornwall for the first time. The following year I imported my first miniature horses to the Falklands from Cornwall. Thus began my love of Cornwall & I have gone back to visit when ever I can. I like to travel when I can but location, cost & having a farm with so many animals makes it a bit difficult. I have dreams to explore other countries but so far I've only visited UK, Belgium, New Zealand & Santiago (on-route to New Zealand). I have relatives in New Zealand as in the 1960's several Falkland Islanders emigrated to New Zealand. My cousin has done a huge amount of work on my/his mother's side of the family so if you are a 'Paice' descendant originating from Basingstoke area in UK you may be a distant cousin! My maiden name was 'Betts' and quite a lot of research has also been done into the Betts side of the family, it was a common family name in the Falklands.
