Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales: Yorkshire farmer returns to Channel 5 series alongside his mother Amanda Owen and buys new 22-tonne digger

Our Yorkshire Farm star Reuben Owen turns 21 in the new series of Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales as he continues to build his emerging heavy plant machinery business in the remote Yorkshire Dales with family and friends.

This new series follows the challenges of his third year in business as the young entrepreneur blazes a trail for his like-minded mates, who all choose to live and work in the wild and rugged hills they grew up on.

Reuben and his vintage tractor-driving friends may be passionate about preserving their traditional rural way of life, but they also make time for adrenaline-filled fun from skydives, helicopter rescues to trials biking across the Dales.

They face tribulations of working in one of the most remote places in the UK together, whilst navigating the universal rites of passage all young people encounter as they transition into adulthood.

Reuben’s younger brothers Miles and Sidney are also by his side learning the ropes of the business, as well as his shepherding parents Amanda and Clive supporting him every step of the way.

In the first episode of series two, summer takes over the Dales and Reuben prepares land around a stone barn in the neighbouring region of Cumbria so that homeowner John can start major renovation works.

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However, while excavating soil piled against the house, Reuben uncovers the building’s crumbling foundations and enlists the aid of his dad Clive to help stop the gable end from collapsing.

At a farmer’s quarry Reuben attempts to crush 10,000 tonnes of stone and building waste so the spoil can be used to make tracks around the farm. Reuben’s bought a new 22-tonne digger to help him with the mountain of work, and when mum Amanda swings by to drop off a sweet treat for her hard-working son, she voices parental concerns about the size of his latest super-sized machine.

As it’s the school holidays Reuben takes time out to treat aspiring farmer Sidney to a trip to a friend’s farm. Aspiring stockperson 16-year-old Isaac has a flock of pygmy goats and Sid tries out his goat wrangling skills with some hands-on experience.

While newly qualified lorry driver Tommy is busy hauling a delivery of straw back home from Hull, new recruit Capper deals with the headache of Reuben’s newly found passion for splitting rocks.

In-between jobs this summer Reuben and 12-year-old brother Sidney fix up a vintage tractor to enter into a local village show. And when Reuben and Sidney finally get the tractor up and running, 18-year-old brother Miles joins them at the fair, where the siblings hope to bag a prize in the showering with their fixer upper.

The first episode of Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales series two will air on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 8pm on Channel 5.