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Beloved Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has been managing Bemborough Farm for over 25 years - housing its collection of 350 commercial ewes alongside countless rare breeds of livestock. So it comes as little shock that he's become a passionate advocate for rare breed wool. In his recent column championing wool within the BBC Countryfile magazine, Adam has suggested he might eventually utilise a British firm that creates entirely wool-based coffins, featuring hand-stitched nameplates. "I can't help thinking that would provide the perfect farewell for any self-respecting, wool-loving, rare-breeds shepherd," he writes. That represents just one of the countless applications for wool, he explains. Detailing wool's various benefits; from socks to soundproofing, Adam notes: "The natural crimp in a sheep's fleece gives an elasticity and robustness, which makes wool carpet fibres bounce back after they've been walked over." Adam reveals it's been nearly 15 years since he recorded a Countryfile segment demonstrating how a custom tweed suit develops from shearing and spinning through to weaving and finishing. He mentions that the climax of that piece, when he herded a mixed group of British rare-breed sheep down the streets of Stow-on-the-Wold, remains a talking point in the town to this day. The sole drawback of his television fame, Adam acknowledges, is that it has created some separation from his agricultural background. "I grew up on a farm and still love it," Adam said. However, he confessed: "The telly world has taken me slightly away from that, though I do get to tour the country meeting farmers and picking up ideas. If one day my face doesn't fit and the BBC drops me, I'll go back to being a proper farmer." Despite inheriting the farm and his passion for rare breeds from his father, Adam is unsure if his children will continue the family business. "My dad was ahead of his time by opening a farm for people to come and visit, bottle-feed a lamb or hold a chick," he shared. "Whilst I was pulling on my wellies and chasing my dad out of the door to join him on the farm, my own children aren't interested in a career in farming . "Sure, they can lamb a sheep and drive a tractor, but my daughter lives in Perth as an events organiser and my son is a financial advisor in Leeds." He continued: "So when the tenancy runs out in 12 years' time, Charlie and I are moving to a bungalow close by in Winchcombe, where we have a few acres and will keep a few sheep and the dogs . "It will be the end of an era, but I will still be able to enjoy the lovely countryside." Catch Countryfile this evening (Sunday, November 2) at 5.15pm on BBC One.
