A Co. Antrim dairy farmer is behind Cultshe, an award-winning new clothing and lifestyle brand for women in agriculture.

Louise Adams grew up on a beef cattle and sheep farm outside Ahoghill and now farms alongside her husband, John, near Glarryford in Antrim.

Having worked as an occupational therapist, the arrival of her fourth son saw her decide to switch to being a farmer and entrepreneur.

Her Cultshe brand of clothing includes sweatshirts and gilets from sizes XXS to 2XL, with some pieces in 3XL.

“I wanted to be very inclusive with regard to sizing,” said Adams.

“The clothes are designed in Northern Ireland, with all screen print and embroidery done within Antrim.

“The garments are not manufactured here but use very high ethical standards and the range of ladies of hoodies, sweatshirts and tees are all sustainable organic cotton,” she said.

Farming has always been a big part of Adam’s life: “The farm I grew up on was quite different from the one I’m on now.

“My dad’s main business was running his car dealership in Antrim which was established in 1953 by his late father Adam H Erwin and is still trading today. So, in many ways, you could say he was a part-time farmer.

“I helped out quite a bit, especially with feeding the cattle and sheep, and I absolutely loved lambing time. It was one of my favourite parts of farm life. The farm was sold when I was in my late teens as we were moving slightly out of the area,” she said.

“I really enjoyed my childhood growing up on the farm. It gave me a strong connection to rural life, but I have to admit it was still a big adjustment when I got married and moved to a larger dairy farm.”

Adams studied OT at the University of Ulster and went on to work as a paediatric occupational therapist within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust for eight years.

“During that time, I worked with children who had both physical and learning difficulties. My role involved helping with housing adaptations, and I worked closely with children on their wheelchair and posture seating needs,” she said.

“Interestingly, my experience as a paediatric OT has helped me in my current role as a farmer and entrepreneur. It taught me how to think outside the box and come up with solutions, which is something I use every day now, whether I’m tackling a farm task or growing my business.”

Before taking a career break, Adams, who has four sons ranging in age from 22 down to 9, was more involved in the behind-the-scenes aspects of the farm, but during the break, she started getting out on the farm and being more hands-on.

“So, after my four-year break, I decided not to return to OT and took on more of the farm work alongside my husband,” she added.

It has been a successful move, but Adams admitted that it was not without its challenges. Coming from a very close-knit team of women in my previous job, I was used to that support and camaraderie.

Moving to the farm, Adams “didn’t have that same kind of team around me, which was a big adjustment”.

“On top of that, working with my husband has its own unique challenges. You definitely need to develop thick skin when you’re working with your other half day in, day out,” she laughed.

“I think many women in farming can relate to that. At the same time, there was so much I had to learn about dairy cow management, calf rearing etc and everything that comes with running a farm. The learning curve was steep, but I’ve grown to love it.”

The idea for Cultshe came about when she was out working on the farm one day, “To be exact I was cleaning and bedding cubicles at the time.

“Women do so much on farms, often juggling a million different roles, yet they don’t always get the acknowledgment they deserve.

“Women have been involved in agriculture for generations, but their contributions have often gone unnoticed. I felt it was time to change that,” said Adams.

“However, when it came to setting up the business, I really didn’t know where to start. The first step I took was to trademark the name Cultshe, in both the UK and Ireland because I felt that was an important foundation.

“From there, I sought business support and joined Women in Business Northern Ireland. I was accepted onto their ‘Yes You Can’ bootcamp, which was an amazing experience,” she recalled.

“Through that, I went on to pitch at the Women in Business All-Island Entrepreneurs’ Conference and was thrilled to win their pitching competition. All of this culminated in the launch of the Cultshe online store on December 1, 2023, marking nearly a year of trading.

“I also entered the Institute of Directors’ ‘Pitch Perfect’ competition, which I won as well, and then, just this past March, I was awarded best new start business at the Women in Business Northern Ireland’s gala awards. These wins really helped push the business forward,” Adams added.

The Antrim woman received grants through the Go Succeed programme: “They were incredibly helpful for getting me out to trade shows like Balmoral and the National Ploughing Championships.

“Another big step for Cultshe, was being accepted onto the Invest NI Women Ambition to Grow programme, which I’m still part of. Each of these opportunities has helped me grow the business, and I’m excited to keep moving forward.”

One of the biggest obstacles she faced was lack of confidence, dealing with imposter syndrome and feeling unsure if she was capable of making it work.

“But I’ve learned that the key is to keep showing up, even when you don’t feel ready. You really have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, pushing yourself to put your ideas out there.

“If you keep taking steps forward, you’ll eventually break through those barriers,” she stressed.

“They also loved the quality of the products, which was fantastic to hear. I met loads of new followers and connected with existing ones.

“It’s been brilliant seeing items people bought from Cultshe now popping up on social media, on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. I love seeing how people are wearing the pieces and sharing their own stories.

“Of course, attending events like this is a risk for every business because of the costs involved, and for me, it also meant time away from the farm and family.

“But I can honestly say it was so worth it. The support was amazing, and I’d love to be back again next year.”

Adams has exciting growth plans for Cultshe: “My main focus is to continue building the Cultshe community and growing our follower base across social media, on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

“I also plan to attend more shows across Ireland, which have been great for connecting with the amazing women who support the brand. Behind the scenes, I’m working on new products to expand our offerings,” she said.

Adams said that a dream of hers is to “bring out a Cultshe range of workwear specifically designed for women. I believe there’s a real need for high quality, functional workwear that fits women properly, and that’s a long-term goal I’m passionate about achieving.

“This is being designed from scratch and I’m currently looking for manufacturers. The dream would be to have it as local as possible but this is not looking possible as manufacturing costs are very high.”

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