Hywel rounds up computer skills (From Western Telegraph)

Hywel rounds up computer skills

Training sheepdogs to round up ducks was child's play for farmer Hywel Davies, compared to mastering his new computer.

But thanks to mentoring from Link Wales, he is now harnessing the power of information and communication technology to better manage and market his versatile business.

Hywel, who lives at Greenway Farm, Rosebush, farms 700 sheep; breeds and sells point of lay hybrid pullets, waterfowl, wildfowl and pure breed poultry; makes poultry housing and trains sheepdogs and their handlers.

He has taken free computer training offered by the Managing Farms with IT project run by ELWa. With guidance from mentor Roger Griffiths, he is now using his computer for spreadsheets and marketing material and accessing the internet for information about rare breed poultry.

His next step is to computerise his farm accounts, VAT and animal records.

"Until a year ago, I had never switched on a computer," said Hywel, who is known countrywide for agricultural show demonstrations using sheepdogs to round up ducks.

"I now feel confident about using the computer. The main benefit of the mentoring is that you learn at your own pace on your own computer," he added.

For more information about the mentor programme, contact Link Wales on 0800 7831489.