Southern Belle

filling labour gaps to supporting the creation of our farm’s diversification Roan’s Dairy in 2015 which we set up to sell milk produced on farm direct to the consumer.

I also co-created with my sister-in-law the Udder Bar, a milkshake bar that attends festivals, agricultural shows, weddings, events etc throughout the year.

Why did you get involved with WiAS? I get a lot of enjoyment out of training and have, over the years, found myself at various meetings and events. I attended a couple of WiAS meetings and felt at the time I wasn’t getting as much out of it as I could, so I joined the committee.

One of my favourite sayings is: “You can’t affect change from the side-line”. And I believe that by joining committees and participating in different organisations, you can make positive changes in our industry.

In your own words, what is WIAS aiming to achieve? Simply put, WiAS aims for the inclusion of all. I believe that agriculture should be inclusive, and if you can do the job, you should, regardless of gender.

WiAS looks to support anyone – male or female – in signposting opportunities, networking and be a community of support and encouragement.

We would love to see more men join up as members and attend events. By welcoming a diverse range of people into WiAS we hope that it opens up a wealth of experience for members to benefit from.

What are you hoping to achieve as Chair? One of my main ambitions as Chair is to reinvigorate the network through regional events and break down barriers for people attending. Unfortunately, there is still a perception that these events are only for professionals in the ag industry, but whether you’re milking cows, driving a tractor, or doing farm accounts, everyone is welcome. Each one of us – regardless of if you’re on the farm each day or working from an office - every one of us makes an important contribution to the industry and we balance each other out.

How can we encourage more women to put themselves forward for leadership positions in the ag industry? I’m a big believer that it should always be the best person for the job but, ultimately, we need to encourage more women to put themselves forward to leadership positions and that all comes down to confidence and feeling like they are welcome and can contribute to organisations.

How can businesses/ organisations support WiAS? We can’t continue to do what we do without the fantastic support of businesses and organisations. Support can be as simple as helping source speakers for events, sponsoring events, providing in-kind support, training, and more formal sponsorships. Any business who would be interested in supporting WiAS, please contact me directly via email: womeninagriculturescot@gmail. com

What’s coming up for WiAS? We’re excited that our first face-to-face regional event will take place in late March in the Highlands. It will include a farm walk and talk as well as an opportunity to network over refreshments. Be sure to subscribe to the WiAS newsletter and social media channels for more information.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out May 2022 Southern Belle

Life is Good

The eternal optimists will tell you that we are nearly halfway through the winter and that spring is just around the corner.

The snowdrops are nearly past and the daffodils are nearly out and I saw my first lambs in the field yesterday. The only snow we’ve seen, so far, in the balmy South West is on my daily fix of the Winter Olympics. No expectations therefore no stress!

Scotland beat England in the Calcutta Cup (rugby for the uninitiated) and I am looking forward to the rest of the Six Nations.

Dumfries Saints rugby have regained their form and are back to their winning ways and Motherwell FC are through to the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup. Once gain no expectations…etc

My husband has now been living with me, thanks to lock down, for nearly two years and to his credit he hasn’t killed me yet. The collie puppies born ten weeks ago have all gone to their new homes, much to the relief of their mother and me.

A very early wake up on Sunday after a fair “village kick at the baw” the night before, allowed us to see thousands of geese leave their estuary roost for their daily flight inland to feed. What a sight! One less positive, is that a third of our rare Barnacle geese have been lost to bird flu but according to the RSPB the farmers here are doing such a great job of growing grass, the rest are doing really well!

The world is opening up and my first overseas tour in two years is set to go in May. Yippee! Overseas customers have come out of hibernation and are taking tentative first steps into the wide world again.

And I’ve saved a fortune on lipstick thanks to face masks!

Life is good!