Chris and Steve Martin may not be quite as famous as their musical and Hollywood movie celebrity namesakes, but the brothers who (with Steve’s wife Beth) own and run Smeale Farm in Andreas are well-known in farming circles for rearing top quality lambs.
The Martins’ family history dates back over 500 years to when their ancestors first farmed on the same land. Today, Chris and Steve look after 300 sheep, mainly mule cross Texels that are bred with Charolais rams to produce prime lambs. They also grow cereals on the 240 acres they farm, milling wheat for Laxey Glen Mills, and growing barley, oats and peas for animal feed.
Wildlife conservation is a major consideration in everything the Martins do, and that commitment is illustrated by the fact that in 2006 and 2014 they won the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) Bronze Chough award for wildlife conservation alongside commercial farming.
Diversification is essential for all modern farms, so the Martins offer farm tours and two beautiful holiday cottages — Smeale Farm Cottage and Thie y Ribbeyder (Manx for ‘The Trapper’s House’) — which both provide self-catering accommodation that’s ideal for family staycations. They’ve won awards too, and over the years have attracted visitors from on and off-Island. The cottages are popular with walkers and cyclists, and with stargazers because Andreas is in one of the Isle of Man’s many ‘dark skies’ locations which provide the most spectacular views of the heavens anywhere in the British Isles.
As you would expect, the Martins are right behind the ‘buy local’ message, so visitors to the cottages receive a welcome pack filled with tasty treats from a range of Manx producers. In addition to looking after the cottages with her husband, Beth also runs the farm tours and organises various events in a converted outbuilding, such as the recent ‘Wonders of Wool’ event which demonstrated traditional woolmaking crafts and skills.
Take a look at www.manxfarmhols.com to find out more about Smeale Farm — it’s a great place to visit, and the Martins’ commitment to high standards is a perfect example of how our 220 fantastic Manx producers ensure quality from pasture to plate.
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