FOR CWMBRAN woman Tracey Morris, running a farm is not just about breeding animals - it’s about producing beauty products too.
Mrs Morris, 45, of Springvale, decided to take on the challenge of running her own farm full-time after being made redundant from her 10-year job as a chartered surveyor more than two years ago.
Although she took on a few temporary roles, she was determined to make good use of the eight acres of farm land at Henylls which she had owned and kept horses on for six years.
This led to her investing more than £60,000 of her own savings to buy more than 100 animals including pigs, chickens and goats in order to set up Mountain View Produce.
As well as selling products including eggs, meat and breeding stock, the animal lover also established a goat dairy three years ago producing unpasteurised goats’ milk.
But last summer Mrs Morris decided she wanted to add to the business and decided to go down the beauty product route.
She said: “After doing some investigating I found that goat’s milk is very good for skin conditions such as eczema.”
After trying and testing recipes, she now produces her own goat’s milk soap and bath bombs.
She is also currently working on producing a body lotion.
The products are sold through word of mouth and through her website.
She added: “I really enjoy doing it and it is something nice and clean after all the dirty work on the farm. People seem to really like the products too.”
Mrs Morris, who is married to Paul and has a 15-year-old daughter Terri, has also now been awarded a grant of £3,320 through the Torfaen Rural Development Plan.
She has used the money to buy materials and ingredients for the beauty products as well as a new van, stall and to set up the website.
She said: “I was delighted to receive the funding as it helped us expand and turn our business dream into reality. I am so glad I made this move. This is me set for life now.”
For more information about the products visit www.mountainviewproduce.com.
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