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Award-winning farmer hopes to inspire more women

Louise Parry
James Grant/BBC Milly leans on a metal farming gate and smiles at the camera. She has shoulder length blonde hair and wears a grey t-shirt with pink and yellow flowers. In the background, blurred, is a combine harvester and brown fiel.James Grant/BBC
Milly Fyfe runs a farm in Yelvertoft as well as several initiatives to help people connect with food

A farmer and influencer who scooped two prestigious awards said she hoped to "inspire other young girls and women to think about a career in agriculture".

Milly Fyfe runs a farm with her husband Andrew in Yelvertoft, Northamptonshire, and also manages several initiatives to help people connect with food.

On Tuesday she was named "Farming Woman of the Year" at the National Women in Agriculture Awards, while on Wednesday she won in the food waste category at the Women in Food and Drink Awards.

"I'm over the moon," she said. "The phone hasn't stopped buzzing with positivity."

Mark Allen Group Milly poses with comedian Lucy Porter and an award sponsor, and holds her award. It is circular and purple/pink, with two ears of golden corn. Milly wears a black dress with a large red flower on one side.Mark Allen Group
Milly Fyfe scooped two awards in one week for her work in agriculture

As well as a blog and podcast, Fyfe founded the Countryside Kitchen which welcomes school and community groups for free.

"It's about providing more confidence in cooking from scratch: knowing what to look for when you are buying food, and navigating the cost of living crisis," she said.

"It's also an appreciation of how hard farmers work, and what goes into making high-quality food.

"[The awards] just highlight the achievement of establishing the Countryside Kitchen as a credible educational hub," she added.

Martin Heath/BBC A woman with long blonde hair wearing a blue T-shirt is kneeling next to a bucket of soil with three children in yellow hi-vis vests. Two are wearing red caps and one has a white cap. There is a green growing tunnel behind them. Martin Heath/BBC
Hundreds of people have visited the Countryside Kitchen since it opened in July

Her "food waste and circular economy" award also recognised their honesty shop, which sells surplus supermarket food.

"Not only are we ensuring that food isn't being skipped, it's providing meals for people and raising a small amount of income for our educational work," she said.

Fyfe said it was "scary" to think how much food was wasted in the UK due to "best before" dates.

"What shocks me most, is I know how hard my fellow farmers work to produce that food, for it to not be sold and then skipped or incinerated, when there are lots of people that go hungry.

"The whole food system is broken and thankfully we're able to play a small part in helping to fix that," she added.

Fyfe thanked her family and the volunteer team who supported the workshops.

"Without them, we couldn't achieve what we achieve.

"As a woman in agriculture, and someone not originally from a farming background, I've really carved my way in the farming industry and I've broken quite a few barriers.

"I hope that I inspire other young girls and women to think about a career in agriculture or the allied industries," she added.

Martin Heath/BBC The interior of the classroom showing pictures on walls, a TV screen and a table, on which various objects are placed.Martin Heath/BBC
The classroom, based in Yelvertoft, is at the heart of the farm

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