A woman who has spent her whole life farming in West Devon celebrated her 100th birthday at the weekend with a party surrounded by family and friends.

Eva Medland, of Peter Tavy, turned 100 last Friday.

Ena Medland blows out the candles on her 100th birthday cake, with daughter-in-law Jayne and one of her great-grandchildren. Picture: Carol Beavis.
Ena Medland blows out the candles on her 100th birthday cake, with daughter-in-law Jayne and one of her great-grandchildren (Carol Beavis)

She marked the occasion at Peter Tavy Village Hall on Saturday with a party organised by her daughter-in-law Jayne Medland, grandchildren Tom, Phil and Jess, their partners and many great-grandchildren.

Eva, was one of the founder members of Tavistock Young Farmers Club back in 1942 – two other founder members also made it to their 100th birthday.

As daugher-in-law Jayne notes, they made them tough in those days and Ena has been blessed with good health. She still does not take any medication.

Ena and her two sisters, Jess and Flo, were brought up at Lake Farm, Dousland. She spent her life as a livestock farmer alongside her late husband George and son James.

Ena is extremely proud of her two grandsons, Tom and Phil, and granddaughter Jess, all of whom have followed on the family tradition as livestock farmers. She has eight wonderful great-grandchildren.

Ena was a keen flower arranger and gardener and belonged to both Tavistock Flower Club and Tavistock Gardening Club for many years.

A staunch royalist, she was delighted to receive her birthday card from King Charles and Camilla.

She will add it to her scrapbook about the royal family which she has kept since 1936. “She would have been ten when she started it and she has gone on adding to it until 2026,” said Jayne

It was brought along to the party, where it was placed alongside Ena as all her great-grandchildren came to give her a hug.

She enjoyed a glass of sherry to mark the occasion and blew the candles out on a marvellous cake.

As Ena recalls, when she was growing up before the Second World War, all the farm work was done by horses.

As a little girl, she remembers going with her dad from Dousland to get the horses shod in Meavy. “I went to school in Meavy and Dad would take the horses to be shod at the same time as I went to school.”

Later, working for her sister, she drove a tractor, despite some opposition. “I was allowed to drive the tractor, but they didn’t really like me doing that!” said Ena.

Grandson Phil, who farms at Wilminstone near Tavistock, recalled: “When I was this lots’ age I would spend a hell of a lot of time with Gran. Mum and Dad were busy out on the farm and she used to do the school runs. She would get me flower arranging and making her momentous pasties. Gran went from farm to farm with Grandad. They moved around, and added to the empire, farming cattle and sheep, lots on the moor as well.”

Ena’s daughter-in-law Jayne, who farms in Peter Tavy, is currently president of the TavistockYoung Farmers’ Club. “Gran is quite chuffed to think that one of the family is president!” she said.

“Gran has had a busy life, a very busy hardworking life. She has been a hands-on farmer all her life and even now, she’s upset because she can’t be out on the farm.”