NEW WHEELS FOR 11-YEAR-OLD FARMER! FROM SELLING VEGETABLES TO TV STARDOM, JOE’S AGRICULTURAL CAREER CONTINUES “He’s a role model for all children. You can do anything in life, nothing can stop you or stand in your way if you’re determined"
An 11-year-old farmer who took television screens by storm has been given a set of ‘new wheels’ in the form of an Ifor Williams Trailers livestock trailer.
Joe Trofer-Cook, from Billinghay, Lincoln, has been loaned the trailer by an Ifor Williams Trailers Distributor, Scott Trailers, in Walcott, so he can move his animals around more efficiently.
Joe, who is from a non-farming family, wasn’t enjoying school and found learning a real battle when he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a farmer and has now built a thriving livestock enterprise from scratch.
Journey to Farmer Fame
Joe was diagnosed with autism, dyslexia, memory problems and severe anxiety and has found animal therapy has helped with his anxiety.
Joe’s mum, Clare said: “Not only is farming his hobby but it’s therapy and makes his tummy ache go away.”
When he was seven years old, he began growing fruit and vegetables from a raised bed his granddad had built and sold the produce from trolleys at the end of his driveway.
He then expanded and bought chickens to sell eggs from and later a few ewes, and within a few months had bought his own tup to breed his own flock.
Within three years, Joe had grown his flock to 37 pedigree, four horn Jacob and Ryeland sheep, two cows, 16 Lincolnshire buff chickens and three rescue ducks.
The young farmer became a regular on TV appearing on Country File, Spring Time On the Farm and Channel 5’s This Week on the Farm all while accumulating many ‘best in show’ awards.
Clare said: “We can’t express our gratitude enough, the Scotts are such a wonderful family to do this for us. It’s not just helping Joe to fulfil his dream, it’s helping us as a family too, so it’s a win/ win situation"
Work Ethic
“Joe got himself up at 4:00a.m and then told me his ewe Parsley was showing signs of lambing. Within 36 hours, we had seven lambs. He then fed the cows, had a wash, and went off on a school trip for the day!"
“He’s learned to spin his own sheep’s wool. I couldn’t show him how to sheer a sheep – I nearly lost the tip of my finger! Joe’s had to learn everything himself.”
She explained how as a family they have done their best to support Joe, and last year went to an event so that Joe could learn about lambing in case any issues arose, as well as rehoming a six-month-old collie called Spud.
“At the end of the day I’m a cleaner and Joe’s dad is a shot-blaster, this is Joe’s dream and he absolutely shines. We’re not in a position where we can buy Joe’s dream, he has to work for it himself,” Clare said.
