#STUDENTFARMER - April 2013

THE SCHOOL’S (NEARLY) OUT FOR SUMMER EDITION

APRIL 2013

FIRST TIME FARMERS Behind the scenes gossip from three stars of the show

SEE THE WORLD THE #SF WAY Our top 30 places to visit

look inside for...

FLOCKABLE LASSES THE BEST APPS REVISION TIPS BOVINE TB

April 2013

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The best thing about this magazine is you. I could write about why farming is brilliant until the cows come home, but the best tool we have to encourage more young people into the industry is the young people already in it. Your passion, your achievements, your businesses and your opinions – that’s the best thing about #studentfarmer. Whether it’s bovine TB, CAP, the media or politics – you lot know your stuff and this edition proves it. And I’m not the only one that thinks so – the media and the general public are waking up to how talented and special the next generation of farmers is – and about time too. This edition celebrates the impact young farmers are having on mainstream media, from First Time Farmers and Countryfile to The Sun, which recently ran a feature on the dynamic duo Flockable Lasses (find them on pages 14-15). You’re all doing the industry proud – keep up the good work.

Emily Cole Editor of #studentfarmer studentfarmer@nfu.org.uk

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CONTENTS

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06 25 Published by: NFU, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ Designed by: John Cottle

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To advertise contact: Alan Brown 02476 858955 alan.brown@nfu.org.uk

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#studentfarmer

Farming’s black cloud

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arming is tough because so much of your success is determined by factors outside of your control. There’s very little you can do about the weather, for instance, but that’s life. Where life, and farming, get frustrating is when you have the answer to something, but your hands are tied.

Bovine TB is one such problem. We know that badgers carry bTB. We know that the disease is spread backwards and forwards between cattle and badgers. Currently the only practical way to control and ultimately prevent badgers spreading TB to cattle is to decrease their numbers and therefore two badger control pilots are due to start this summer in areas of Gloucestershire and Somerset where TB is particularly bad. Make no mistake about it – if there was a way to rid our countryside of TB without controlling badgers, farmers would do it in a heartbeat. But the unavoidable fact is that there isn’t.

Bovine TB destroys farms, businesses and lives. The culling of tens of thousands of cattle every year cannot continue. Something needs to be done to stop this disease spreading and destroying more farming communities – the very communities you, as student farmers, hope to be part of.

MYTHBUSTER THIS IS ABOUT ERADICATING TB. Culling badgers is unpalatable to some but no one has arrived at this decision lightly and everyone involved takes the issue extremely seriously.

THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT VACCINATION. But the sad truth is that a cattle vaccine simply doesn’t exist. It could be ten years before one is available. In the meantime, the spread of TB is doubling every nine years.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT VACCINATING BADGERS IS THE ANSWER. There is a vaccine available for badgers – but it would be impractical to vaccinate enough to have an impact on controlling TB. In Wales, where there has been a policy of vaccinating badgers, it has cost over £600 to vaccinate each badger each year. Given that a badger would need a booster injection every year for four years, this idea is unaffordable, not to

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

mention impractical on a large scale. And remember – a vaccine will not cure an infected badger.

CATTLE AND BADGER VACCINATION SHOULD PLAY A ROLE – but in the future, once TB is under control in curent hotspots.

NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS EVER GOT RID OF TB WITHOUT TACKLING THE DISEASE IN WILDLIFE. COWS ARE KILLED TO STOP THEM SPREADING THE DISEASE. Badgers aren’t. Why should the welfare of one animal be prioritised over another?

THE CULL IS BASED ON SCIENTIFIC FACT. Everyone is entitled to their opinion – but forming an opinion before you have all the facts, or ignoring them entirely, is irresponsible. We all wish there was another answer, but there isn’t. TB isn’t going to go away on its own – we have to stop it, before it’s too late.

To show your support for the cull, visit tbfreeengland.co.uk to see how. From tweeting to sharing posters, there are lots of things you can do to show farmers struggling because of TB that they’re not on their own. The NFU is passionate about ensuring that the pilot badger controls proceed in order to safeguard your future.

We want you to enter farming without the black cloud of TB looming over you.

BOVINE TB THE FACTS MORE THAN 38,000 CATTLE WERE CULLED LAST YEAR. IN 1998 IT WAS LESS THAN 6,000 THERE WERE 3,941 NEW OUTBREAKS IN ENGLAND IN 2012 COSTS WILL ROCKET TO £1B IN THE NEXT DECADE IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN 105,078 CATTLE HAVE BEEN CULLED SINCE THE START OF 2010 THE DISEASE HAS COST TAXPAYERS £500M IN THE PAST DECADE

April 2013

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“Introducing the cull is extremely important, due to the disease being so out of control”

Meet Charlotte Barton. She grew up on a farm that has been badly hit by bovine TB and knows first-hand the catastrophic effect it can have on farming businesses and families. Her dad, David, appeared on Panorama earlier this year, and gave an emotional account of how devastating losing cattle to TB is.

Here’s Charlotte’s account Since 2001 my family farm in Gloucestershire has been badly affected by TB. In the past 12 months we have lost 51 cows to the disease, from a herd of approximately 160. Our small family business has been hit hard financially due to the high quality stock we keep and breed, together with a valuation system that offers very little in comparison to their true value.

Also lost are potential breeding heifers that would stay on our farm for many years. More upsetting to see are those that have been on the farm for 12 to 15 years, as a relationship is established, especially between the cattle and my father, who spends a lot of time with them, and each has their own personality so it is very hard to see them being culled unnecessarily.

Introducing the cull is extremely important, due to the disease being so out of control. Leaving infected species in the wild will never resolve the issue; if left I see other animals being affected in the same way as cattle. I am pleased to hear two badger control pilots will now go

ahead in the summer; they will allow progress to be made, especially in the South West livestock industry. In the years to come I hope my brother, Ben, will be able to take over the farm, including the cattle. However I fear if the infected badgers are left on the farm it will not be financially viable or logical to keep cattle on the farm.

With our farm encouraging all wildlife, through the Higher Level Stewardship scheme, badgers would be very welcome if they didn’t carry TB. The location of the farm and its steeped banks, and the environmental scheme’s restrictions about flora and fauna, mean that the land is only suitable for grazing.

When my father was approached to appear on Panorama, my family had mixed thoughts on whether to go ahead with the programme, after hearing horrendous stories about what other farmers have been through with anti-cull activists. Ben was leaving for Australia and I was going to university, so my father would be alone and this was a concern as the response to the program was unknown. We weighed all the issues up and due to the extent of the problems the farm and the family have faced due to TB we felt it was important that the farmer’s point of view was told. Fortunately the feedback we all received was positive and my father received no backlash.

Although it was a little embarrassing watching the program with friends, I am glad we did it as those I have spoken to are glad the farmer’s point of view was put forward in the way that it was.

Another factor that influenced our decision to go ahead was the stereotypical comments that are made, such as ‘the cows are going to get culled anyway’ and ‘farmers don’t care about their animals, they only care about money’.

Many of the cattle we have lost over the years have been cattle that have been on the farm for up to 15 years that are kept for breeding and would not just be culled for meat purposes. And to say farmers are only in the industry for the money and they don’t care about their animals is ridiculous; it’s a way of life and you have to enjoy it to do it.

Seeing a cow culled with a calf at foot or heavily in calf, only to later realise they were clear of the disease, is extremely distressing.

I can only hope the cull is a success for all beef farmers, that the legacy of our herd can continue for generations to come and that one day badgers can be part of the wildlife farmers encourage onto their farms.

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#studentfarmer

FIRST TIME� FARMERS

It’s been the unexpected TV hit of 2013 so far. Farming was already edging towards

being fashionable – this pushed it over the edge. But what was it like being part of it?

ED Ed Godsall was in the very first episode of First Time Farmers. His story revolved around his decision to move back to his dad’s arable farm and his long distance relationship with his girlfriend, Tash, who lived in London.

THERE WAS A GROUP OF US IN HEREFORDSHIRE. The production team said they’d like to meet us in a pub – and they’d pay. Sold!

THEY STARTED FILMING IN APRIL 2012 AND FINISHED IN SEPTEMBER. They picked the worst time to film, from a farming point of view, as they left just as we were getting really busy at the end of harvest and planting again. So they filmed us, a lot of the time, sat twiddling our thumbs.

WE DID A HELL OF A LOT OF FILMING. I was on screen for 12 minutes, but they were with us for six months – they must have filmed two or three times a week.

TO BEGIN WITH I WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING. It was an observational documentary, but there were times when you had to redo something. Sometimes you’d just be walking somewhere, and they’d ask you to do it again – to begin with I was so conscious I used to walk in the funniest way!

WE WERE QUITE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT THEY FILMED, WHERE THEY FILMED AND WHEN THEY FILMED. We were all about filming on nice sunny days when the place looked nice, so we were quite selective, which annoyed the director quite a lot.

THE DIRECTOR NEEDED A STORY THAT TIED IT ALL TOGETHER. Of course the thing he picked up on was my relationship with my girlfriend, Tash. So my story was probably more about that than it was about actual farming. I would have preferred it to be more about working on the farm.

ALL LAD CREDIBILITY WENT OUT THE WINDOW STRAIGHTAWAY! I got a lot of stick for that. It was done well – I just would have preferred it to be more about farming. And the director was right – it was the only thing that was consistent, otherwise it would have been all about nice, sunny days. We should have got him down on days when we were just paddling around in mud. If we did it a second time, I’d give them a bit more freedom about when they filmed.

THEM FILMING ME IN LONDON WAS THE CLOSEST I HAVE EVER FELT TO BEING SOME KIND OF WEIRD MINOR CELEBRITY. We filmed a bit on the tube, so all the people were asking who I was! It was quite strange.

I SAW IT BEFOREHAND WITH ROBBIE AND NICK (THE OTHER TWO FEATURED IN MY EPISODE) SO WE KNEW WHAT WAS IN IT – WHICH I THINK WAS SLIGHTLY WORSE. Tash hadn’t seen it, and on the first viewing she wasn’t happy with the way she came across. But then she watched it again and thought it was fine.

TASH HAS MOVED UP HERE NOW. We live together and she’s got a job up here too. She’s really happy, which is brilliant. It’s a happy ending I suppose!

I ONLY SIGNED UP TO TWITTER ABOUT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE SHOW WENT OUT. It was the best way of measuring instant feedback. Seeing what people were saying was phenomenal.

I WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME – I thought every programme was good and showed UK agriculture through young people in a positive way – which is what they set out to do.

I WILL GIVE THEM CREDIT THAT IT WAS ACCURATE. You look at some of the stuff Channel 4 does, and you worry that it was going to be My Big Fat Gypsy Farm or something – it could have been horrendous. It was always going to be fluffy agriculture – but the general public seemed to really like it and the agricultural community didn’t hate it. Most of the farming community I spoke to about it said ‘great effort, well done’. And that’s the biggest accolade you could take from it.

April 2013

“I will give them credit that it was accurate. You look at some of the stuff Channel 4 does, and you worry that it was going to be My Big Fat Gypsy Farm or something – it could have been horrendous”

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#studentfarmer

“I think farming is becoming more fashionable. People like the idea of it, even if they don’t know the ins and outs”

April 2013

HENRY

Henry Crudge was in the last episode – his family stole the show. He works alongside his dad Peter on their arable farm in the Cotswolds and his story showed him trying to maintain a work/play balance.

THEY STARTED FILMING IN MAY 2012. But because the summer was so broken up with the weather all they got for the first couple of months was me and dad in the workshop with oily hands.

THEY CAME AROUND WHEN WE WERE DOING THINGS – we’d know roughly when we would be cutting the grass because we’d need a five-day window with the weather.

THEY’D OCCASIONALLY ASK YOU TO DO THINGS AGAIN, WHICH WE DIDN’T REALLY LIKE DOING TOO MUCH! For instance, dad was spreading out the grass and I went to go take over from him. The engine was still going while we were talking about what we were going to do, because the field didn’t look too great, and we were going to make it into big bales rather than the smaller bales we usually do for racehorses. After we had finished the cameraman asked us to switch the tractor off and do it again.

My dad said ‘no’.

MY EPISODE WAS SHOWN IN THE VILLAGE PUB. It’s a closeknit community and everyone knows everyone. My housemate manages it and we all watched it on the big TV. We couldn’t really hear much!

THE OLD BOYS WERE GREAT – I think they made it. And my mum stole the show!

LUCKILY THEY DIDN’T MAKE US LOOK LIKE IDIOTS. It was slightly annoying that they dropped in things I had said in my casting videos from October 2011 – I was doing Movember, so I had a fat ‘tache and at that time I was potentially going to work elsewhere. I changed my mind – when the real filming started I didn’t say anything about it as it wasn’t relevant, so it didn’t really work in the show.

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THE PARTY IN THE EPISODE WAS AT MY GIRLFRIEND’S HOUSE – they got there at five o’clock and left at midnight. And the party didn’t really start until they left. In the end I asked them when they would be leaving because I was getting so much earache off everyone. You don’t want to dance or relax at all knowing you might end up on TV. No one wants to dance on TV! I THINK IT HAD ON AVERAGE 1.2 MILLION VIEWS EACH PROGRAMME. Initially it was going to be shown on Sunday evening, in what they call ‘the golden hour’ from 8-9pm. But Top Gear was back on, so they changed it.

I’M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL DO A SECOND SERIES. It depends on whether Channel 4 wants it.

I think the production team would like to follow five or six farmers, feature them all on every episode, and go through all the seasons. What the programme showed was good, but it wasn’t very in-depth.

ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME WAS TO GET IT OUT OF THE PUBLIC’S HEAD THAT IT’S ALL GRUMPY OLD MEN WITH RED CHEEKS AND TWEED. I’d like to think it would have changed some peoples’ minds.

I THINK FARMING IS BECOMING MORE FASHIONABLE. People like the idea of it, even if they don’t know the ins and outs.

I’VE STILL GOT A LOT TO LEARN. It’s the same with all farmers – my dad still learns today. The younger generation is keen and there are a lot of bright people out there.

ALL FARMING REALLY IS IS CUTTING COSTS. Costs are so high, the more you can cut, the more profit you will see at the end of the day. And it’s key to get on when the weather is good.

IT’S SUCH A VERSATILE JOB AND EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT. You have a busy summer and when you switch the tractors off in October you think ‘thank God’. But you do miss it – I had some days on the tractor recently and it was great.

YES IT’S HARD WORK IN THE SUMMER. From June to the end of October I’m pretty much working every day. But I wouldn’t change being a farmer for anything.

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BUNNY Remember Eleanor Sear, or Bunny, as she’s better known? She was in the episode about young people with no farming background attempting to break into the industry. Her episode saw her wrestling a sheep at a shearing class – not easy considering the sheep weighed almost twice as much as her.

THE SHOW WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE A MADE IN CHELSEA-ESQUE THING. Then it totally changed, and thank goodness – I’m not nearly interesting enough to be on anything like Made in Chelsea!

THEY FOLLOWED ME FOR AROUND SIX MONTHS, MAYBE NINE, ON AND OFF, FROM LAMBING TO HARVEST. It was very strange, especially when you’re elbow deep in a sheep and they ask you to do it again from a different angle.

BUT IT WAS REALLY GOOD FUN. I think I had as much fun as they did. Everyone that did the filming was very city based, so it was fun for me to say: “Look at this placenta!” They learned a lot!

I WAS A BIT WORRIED I WOULD BE THE ‘LOSER SHEEP GIRL’ – which I am, and I wear that badge with pride! I think I came across well – some bits were a bit cringey for me, but they were the right side of cringe. I’d rather be the girl that said ‘farming and boys’ than ‘check me out I’m in Kavos topless on a pole’.

My grandmother, my mother, my friends and family echo that sentiment!

I WATCHED IT AT MY FRIEND’S STUDENT HOUSE, WITH A LARGE DRINK. I was on Twitter for a lot of it, reading what people said, which was mostly nice. A lot of people were really sweet. A couple of boys from a rival agriculture university made some comments about my height and an activity I was the ideal height for. They didn’t tweet it at me, they just used the hashtag #firsttimefarmers, so they were quite apologetic when I replied saying: “Oh, great, thanks, what are you doing next Wednesday?”

I GOT A COUPLE OF PROPOSALS ON TWITTER TOO. I’m still thinking about it. One guy has a Deere, one has a Massi, so we’ll see.

#studentfarmer

THE DAY THEY FILMED ME CRYING ABOUT MY GRANDPA’S FARM IN AUSTRALIA WAS MY FIRST DAY ON MY TRIAL JOB FOR HARVEST. Instead of actually doing harvest I had to haul hardcore to build a road – drive 20 miles, reverse, dump it – and I really wasn’t good. My parents actually separated during filming as well. The production team just asked me about my grandpa’s farm at a really bad time.

A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TWEETED ME ASKING HOW SHORT I AM. I would like to put it out there that I’m definitely not a dwarf!

THE SHEEP I WAS SHEARING WAS 70 KILOS AND I WEIGH 47. I called a rematch but I haven’t heard back from the sheep yet.

WE WERE LAUGHING ON THE DAY WE FILMED THE SHEARING BECAUSE I HAD FAKE NAILS ON, AS WE’D JUST HAD MAY BALL. They were stuck fast and I couldn’t get them off!

I TRIED SHEARING AND I GOT MY CERTIFICATE. So if anyone asks I can do it, but I think it’s probably wise to employ someone else to do it!

IT HAD THE TV GLOSS ON IT, BUT THEY DID SHOW ME GOING AROUND PICKING UP DEAD LAMBS. That was a particularly horrid day but it was good that they showed it and that everyone saw the gritty bits of farming.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK WITH ANIMALS IN SOME CAPACITY. From ages three to 12 I was convinced I would be one of the people that works at Sea World commanding the killer whales because I loved the Free Willy films (Free Willy 1, 2, 3 and Free Willy Escape from Pirate’s Cove). Then one of the whales ate its trainer and I gave that up.

I’M NOT A MASSIVE FEMINIST. Everyone’s different, but on a personal level I wouldn’t get any fulfillment out of that kind of scenario [marrying into farming]. I prefer the fruits of my own labour. Everyone says ‘farmer’s wife’ but if a female farmer married a chef, everyone would call him a chef – not a farmer’s husband. That kind of equality gap bothers me a bit.

I AM GOING BACK TO AUSTRALIA IN THE SUMMER. I’m going to try and make the road trip to see grandpa’s farm.

MY ULTIMATE AMBITION IS TO BUY BACK GRANDPA’S FARM. It’s a bit like asking Santa for a pony though. I’m not really interested in money, I’d just like a farm that I can open up all year round.

April 2013

“I got a couple of proposals on Twitter too. I’m still thinking about it. One guy has a Deere, one has a Massi, so we’ll see”

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April 2013

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Words: Gareth Barlow

“There’s a serious side to agriculture being in the media” follow to get into the industry. Since then Adam Henson has visited and we’ve bought new breeding stock, selected fat lambs for slaughter and visited a Michelin-starred restaurant to taste my lamb – a bearable hardship all in the name of making television you’ll understand!

Throughout the entire process the most evident feature of recording for a television programme is the length of time it takes to make. The filming with Adam Henson in November 2012 yielded a six-minute piece, the result of seven and a half hours of recording over two days. During the elapsed seven and a half hours you’ll say everything at least three times, be filmed getting into your car twice and be stood there feeling daft just once as they record you nodding. I don’t think the nodding ever made it in. Shame really.

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inding yourself stood in a field alongside Adam Henson, the UK’s top celebrity farmer, in front of a film crew discussing fat lambs isn’t such a surreal experience assuming you’ve done it before. On the first occasion it’s truly alien.

Over the past three years I’ve been incredibly fortunate to spend time with various film and radio crews from the BBC. From snippets on Radio York and Radio 1 to long segments on Countryfile it’s been impossible not to love the experiences I’ve had.

My first foray with the media was at the beginning of 2010 when Radio 4’s Farming Today began following me for a year.

The months leading up to the recording date were very similar to the winter we’ve just experienced…wet.

Any visions of the grandeur that must surely envelop recordings were rapidly dashed when Martin the producer, Charlotte Smith and myself found ourselves clinging to a gate to escape a primeval ooze that had replaced the field.

Somewhat audible in the final episode are the chuckles of the assembled onlookers as the three of us narrowly avoided sinking over our wellies and instead perched above our claggy nemesis. It didn’t take me long to appreciate the beauties of the edit suite for removing words unsuitable for broadcast!

The Farming Today production team passed my details to the crew from Countryfile who have subsequently visited on four occasions. The first saw John Craven and I travel around the country looking at possible avenues for new entrants to

But there’s a serious side to agriculture being in the media and featured on the television. During a period of global belt tightening, increasing populations and ever-greater uncertainty one thing is certain – like it or not, agriculture will become more important than ever. However, the flip side is that, as an industry, the external pressures to deliver more for less are becoming stronger and stronger.

Media, PR, television, radio – all give the capacity for the farming world to communicate with our customers and consumers. To tell the stories behind the product, to educate and inform the public so we can help them and they in turn can help agriculture.

In the days when the dairy crisis is ongoing, the media can help make connections and gain understanding. In the days when the industry is crying out for new entrants farming programmes such as First Time Farmers can help to ignite the interest and passion of a potential new worker in agriculture.

In the days when the horsemeat scandal erupts, the agricultural industry can use the media to extol the virtues of UK produce, UK farms and UK meat.

So if you’re approached and asked to give an opinion on a news segment, feature in a programme or advise a production team, then do it. It’s a truly incredible experience; if done right you’ll be supporting your industry and you never know where it might lead you.

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#studentfarmer

Have you heard of the Flockable Lasses? If you haven’t, then brace yourselves – you’re sure to hear a lot more from this pair, who are on a two-woman mission to make sheep cool again

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Annabelle Story, 23 I FIRST GOT INTO FARMING WHEN I WAS 13. My late grandad would take me to work alongside him on his sheep farm. I have fond memories of helping muck out sheep pens, feeding pet lambs and packing wool bags.

I DIDN’T TRULY REALISE I WANTED TO BE A SHEEP FARMER UNTIL I STARTED THE JOB I HAVE HAD FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. I am living in the Scottish Borders and working with sheep every single day. This is the first time I’ve lived the life of a true shepherd. It’s not a work experience stint or a weekend of helping out – this is my job and my life now, and I love it.

I GOT MY JOB AFTER WORKING THERE FOR SIX MONTHS DURING MY PLACEMENT YEAR. I loved the farm, so I asked my boss if I could have the job once I finished my course. I enjoy the responsibility I have; I choose what stock gets kept for breeding or culled, which tups go out and I do the sheep records.

IN THE WINTER I START WORK AT 8AM AND I FINISH AT 4/5PM, BUT AT BUSY TIMES OF YEAR DAYS OFF AREN’T AN OPTION. In the morning I check all the sheep. If there are no problems I will do some stone walling, general maintenance or put mineral buckets out before lunch. The afternoons are for working on the sheep, so I may do some feet, treat a batch for worms or dag their backends out. This all may sound quick and easy but when you have 1,600 breeding ewes and 500 hoggs a job can take a good few days before it’s complete.

I STUDIED AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL SCIENCE AT HARPER ADAMS UNIVERSITY. Sheep farming is more than just being a good stockman, which is something I didn’t learn at university – you learn that from working alongside ‘oldboys’ – my grandad’s farming generation. But university prepares you for the bigger picture, for farming outside the box, for questioning and doing things differently.

WE ARE A BIT OVERWHELMED WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE COME OUR WAY. It hasn’t quite sunk in that we have touched people and that they want to help us succeed. We are both very determined so watch this space.

NEVER GIVE UP – SHY BAIRNES GET NOUT! Opportunities won’t get handed to you on a plate – you have to get out there and ask for them.

Show your passion and no question is ever a stupid one. Word of mouth is the best way to get into agriculture – your reputation is everything.

Photos courtesy of The Sun

April 2013

TROUBLE Sophie Barnes, 21 I STUDIED ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AT COLLEGE AND WAS OFFERED THE CHANCE TO WORK ON THE FARM AT LAMBING TIME. I had a life changing moment lambing a ewe and since that day my life has changed so much and all for the better. That early morning would have had dramatic music and sparkly lights if it were in a film!

WE MET ON FARMERS APPRENTICE, A COMPETITION RUN BY FARMERS WEEKLY. We were regularly told that we should become the ‘Ant and Dec’ of the farming world.

With such a great bond it seemed silly not to go into business together. So, two weeks after the competition finished, Flockable Lasses was born.

OUR SHARED DREAM IS TO USE EVERY PART OF THE SHEEP, FROM ITS MEAT TO ITS WOOL AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. We want people to follow our journey in learning how to make the most of our woolly friends. We’re about real farming – nothing bubble wrapped. We’re going to be filming our progress as well as writing about it and also appearing at local shows across the country.

FLOCKABLE LASSES IS A WAY OF BRANDING OURSELVES AND GRABBING PEOPLE’S ATTENTION. We have created a website to share our ‘EweTube’ clips showing what happens on Annabelle’s farm. We hope to inspire people into agriculture and sheep farming by showing how passionate we are about it. People in America are showing our Ewetubes to school kids!

WE COULDN’T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN HOW IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA IS FOR THE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW. #AgrichatUK, #AgGen and #Clubhectare are just the tip of the iceberg of the revolution that’s occurring through Twitter. Joining the website was the best thing we ever did and we’ve gotten so much through it.

SHEEP ARE MORE FASCINATING THAN PEOPLE REALISE. They have the capability to rear two, if not more, lambs for the freezer, produce a natural, insulating fire retardant fibre and manage grass better than most animals.

YES, THEY ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO DIE IF THE SITUATION ARISES. And they have less get-up-and-go once they’re ill than other livestock but it’s what you tolerate for the love of them.

I COULD ONLY AFFORD A FEW SHEEP AS I’M FUNDING MY DIPLOMA SO THE BANK OF DAD AND STEP-MUM CAME INTO ACTION. They wanted the sheep for their futures too so we agreed we’d purchase as a family. I’m so glad they’ve fallen in love with it too!

MY ADVICE FOR YOUNG FARMERS? You can do it. Join Twitter, now! Go to the old guys at shows and ask them questions you think are stupid, because they’re not. The farming industry is one of the friendliest places I know and we’re very proud of our own new stock. We hope one day we can support people wanting to come into the industry the way people have supported us.

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Find out more about the Flockable Lasses at flockablelasses.com, by liking ‘Flockable Lasses’ on Facebook or by following @FlockableLasses on Twitter

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#studentfarmer

Tell it how it is...

We can’t all get our faces on national TV. But there is one form of media that you can have complete control over and use to publicise yourself. Blogging What makes a good blog?

Done right, a blog can facilitate conversations in a way that sites such as Facebook can’t. You can put a little bit more of yourself into them – which means you can get a little bit more back.

However ‘doing it right’ is harder than it looks. Here are some tips on writing a blog people will actually want to read: • The best blogs have a theme. Don’t treat your blog as a diary – we hate to break it to you, but most people’s lives just aren’t that interesting to read about. Special events, funny stories – yes. What you had for breakfast – no. Your theme needs to be large enough to provide frequent content, but specific enough so that readers interested in that particular topic will find you. Some people blog about food and cooking, others about travel: your theme could be an ambition you have, your life at college or how you are going about entering the farming industry.

• Blogs need to be well written, honest and entertaining. You don’t need to write reams of text – sometimes the best blogs are only a couple of sentences long.

• As important as words are, pictures are just as important. They break up the text and will provide an insight into your subject that readers wouldn’t otherwise get.

• Don’t worry if you’re not the next Dickens – just make sure you get the tone right. It’s best to be chatty and conversational; anything too wordy, corporate or complicated risks losing people’s attention.

But why do it?

The scope for interaction is huge. You won’t have thousands of comments on your blog straightaway – but once you have attracted an audience, you will find that conversation flows freely. A good blog

is addictive; there is something compelling about following someone’s journey, and it is equally addictive writing a blog and receiving positive feedback. Always respond to comments and encourage conversation by asking questions.

Blogging platforms such as Wordpress will help you publicise your blog. You can tag keywords, so that people searching for blogs on your subject will find you. The site will show you how many people read your blog each day, how they found you and whereabouts in the world they live. And you can directly link your blog to Facebook and Twitter, so that every time you blog a link is immediately posted on both sites.

Get started • Find a site to host your blog on such as wordpress.com.

• Don’t worry if you are a technophobe – the site you choose will do everything for you. Simply sign up (for free – never pay), think of a name, register your blog, choose a design and get blogging!

• Read other blogs and comment on them.

This is a great way to start – seeing what works and what doesn’t will help you shape your first blogs.

• Blog regularly. There is no need to blog every day; just try and set a limit and stick to it. Even if you think you will only have time to blog once a week – try and stick to that goal. If you blog as infrequently as once a month, you risk people forgetting about you.

Writing tips • Write in your natural voice. Keep it light – no one wants to read a blog and not understand half the words.

• Edit. Don’t just write your blog and click ‘publish’. Take a five-minute break, then go back to it – there will be words you can cut, sentences you suddenly hate, spelling mistakes and phrases that were

supposed to be funny but don’t actually make any sense. Never underestimate the power of the edit.

• If you’re funny, be funny. If you’re opinioned, be opinionated. Play to your strengths. But don’t try to be funny if you’re not – forced humour is not something that will have readers rolling around in the aisles.

Initial ideas • Introduce yourself and let people know what the blog will be about.

• Why do you want to go into farming?

You know, they don’t – so tell them.

• How farming actually works. There are lots of misconceptions out there – this is your chance to have your say. Are you passionate about animal welfare, the environment or renewable energy?

Blog about it.

Just remember...

• Make it personal. If you want to blog about a serious issue or news story, then go for it. But always bring it back to you.

• Don’t try to be something you’re not – the best blogs are honest. You are your blog’s unique selling point – so go and sell yourself.

Here are a few blogs we recommend: The Barker Boys: cousins Patrick and Brian blog about farming in an environmentally friendly way: http:// lodgefarmwesthorpe.blogspot.co.uk Flockable Lasses: where you can find Annabelle and Sophie (featured on pages 14-15): flockablelasses.com Bunny Sear: Bunny (from pages 10-11) has started a blog at: bunnysearsblog.blogspot.co.uk

April 2013

17

farming is very much in fashion at the moment and in my position that’s strikingly apparent. An overwhelming majority of people are happy to help, anything from a retweet to having me over for a couple of days’ work experience.

As I approach graduation, finding agricultural work has become my imperative and I think this is the most important step in establishing myself in farming (aside from somehow acquiring about £30,000). But crucially, I feel confident and it is because of my blog ultimately that I feel that way. I only began to write my blog six months ago and already it has led to exciting opportunities. It is exclusively down to my blog that I was accepted for the Farmers Weekly’s Farmers Apprentice competition, which has proved to be one of the most inspirational events in my journey into farming thus far. Realistically, the sheer amount of people I have met as a consequence of blogging and the inspiration they offer is a list far too long to write.

Joshua Metcalfe iwanttobeafarmer.wordpress.com Coming from a non-farming background and attempting to break into the industry I initially assumed that writing a blog would serve little purpose in the grand scheme of starting from scratch in agriculture. After all, the depth of knowledge required (let alone the work ethic) to become a successful farmer is so vast that one can be forgiven for not recognising the practical and prudent purpose that blogging serves.

As I frequently say; every worldly-wise person knows that it’s not about what you know, but who you know and this old proverb is proven most obviously in the undeniable importance of networking. The first lesson I learnt is that Twitter is totally invaluable; all you have to do is find the right readers and never be afraid to ask for help – the worst thing anyone can say is ‘no’. Having said that, it’d be foolish to assume that the majority of people wouldn’t be interested in helping.

Thanks to mainstream media,

It has to be said, it is not necessarily easy to find the time to periodically sit down and commit your week to words. Just like writing an essay or sitting an exam, the hardest part is starting it off. As I have written more I have adopted a pretty simplistic technique; think through your fingers and you’ll come up with something sincere and honest. Now I have reached that stage I find myself almost addicted to writing my blog and I feel that I couldn’t actually farm without blogging about it in future.

Farming is undeniably a lifelong labour of love and writing about something you love is simple, honest and sincere. But the true beauty of blogging is that everyone can do it, and I would encourage anyone interested to do so wholeheartedly.

“The first lesson I learnt is that Twitter is totally invaluable, all you have to do is find the right readers and never be afraid to ask for help”

20

#studentfarmer

THE THICK OF IT

Five young people tell the Farming Minister what the industry needs

I

n a bid to get more young people into food and farming, Farming Minister David Heath launched a Twitter competition in order to hear their views.

The #meetfm competition asked young people to tweet @Defragovuk about the key barriers facing their future in farming and then five winners were selected to meet Mr Heath and discuss the issues.

The competition was part of the government’s Future of Farming review, which is looking at how to improve access for talented, entrepreneurial young people into the industry and how to make it a more attractive career choice.

We attended the meeting to ask the Farming Minister what he is doing to help the

next generation into farming and chat to the winners about their futures, their opinion of the government and their views on the industry.

@alexpstevens: “Thinking that you have to be a landowner! Farm manager, head shepherd, arable manager, herdsperson all ace careers” Alex Stevens is a county adviser for the NFU in the South West It’s not all about owning a farm and having to secure land for yourself. There are all sorts of other opportunities out there. You can aspire to own land – but they’re not making any more.

You’ve got to earn your right to do it. It’s not about having an agricultural degree and expecting to get something straight away.

Be prepared to work hard and find the right business that is willing to invest in you and your expertise.

In the meeting we talked about the other

jobs that are available. Farming underpins a big food sector, and the fact it underpins it means that it is the bit that needs to be invested in.

It’s a massive industry; whether we’re talking about a tomato grower in a glasshouse or a livestock farmer on the top of Dartmoor, what they all have in common is that they are all producing good, quality, sustainable food.

None of them wants to be living on handouts, they want a good market rate for what they are producing and they all offer good jobs. They’re all part of something – they’re part of feeding the nation.

I’m confident that #meetfm will lead to some recommendations to improve the industry; I’m less confident that CAP will be fully used to help fund some of the things we talked about today, such as simple interest-free loan schemes for new entrants.

David Heath, Farming Minister It was a terrific meeting – they had lots of ideas that I think we need to see if we can take forward.

Farming and food is the biggest manufacturing industry in our country. It’s one with enormous potential and there is never going to not be a need to feed our population.

And it’s one where there are huge areas of innovation and entrepreneurial input at the moment, which would be a very attractive career for anybody. The trouble is, that’s not the way kids at school, or sometimes the teacher who teaches them, sees it. That’s the difficulty we have to overcome - the perception they get is that it is still about someone standing in a field in the early hours of the morning, being paid very little, going nowhere, and that’s not the reality.

April 2013

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22

@ehwscott: “Govt-backed financing scheme with advice and matching service to help access for young people from non-farming backgrounds” Emily Scott is studying for a Masters in environmental policy at Cambridge University The response I gave was that the government could provide a loan service to young farmers who want to get into the industry and that the repayment terms of the loan could be linked to the environmental services on farm.

We talked about grants against loans, and decided that grants would be good for one-off projects but that loans would be better for people taking on tenancies and more longterm commitments. I thought that was really positive. If I were to have my way, that’s what I’d do as well.

I’m hoping to move into the agricultural sector. Although I’m from a farm in Shropshire I don’t necessarily want to work on a farm. The industry has the most unbelievable number of positions at different levels – working in agriculture doesn’t just mean working on a farm.

What I’m learning on my course is that you shouldn’t do something for the environment just for the sake of it; it needs to be a viable part of your business plan. But they can work together and they need to work together.

#studentfarmer

@phillsteadman: “A scheme like #IndustrialCadets would give people a foot on the ag job ladder and would help people to save our sector!”

Phillipp Steadman is studying at the Royal Agricultural College My question was about setting up a scheme for school children to get them into agriculture. There’s a similar scheme called Industrial Cadets, which aims to get kids into the workplace to show them what it is like, with the aim of getting them back into a career when they finish school.

That’s a similar way to how I got into agriculture – I’m not from a farming background. I spent holidays on a farm and was invited to go watch cows being milked and I remember standing there, thinking it was unbelievable. Riding in the cab of a tractor was exciting, which I think a lot of young boys find, and that’s what really spurred me on to go back year after year to learn even more.

I’ve always supported this government and I see in the work I learn that Defra are there to help, which is something not everyone gets all the time. I’m looking forward to going back to my college and saying: “They’re behind us; let’s go for it.”

There’s a lot of apathy, especially in the younger farming population – that’s a wider problem to do with politics. Not having a farming background allows me to step back and see it for what it is – it’s very easy to get into a routine of grumbling at the government.

@SPTJ1: “No grant schemes for new entrants exist. Have a competition each year, with business plan and interview to obtain funding” Stephen Jones is a crop science Phd student at Nottingham University. His dad has an arable farm in Shropshire My question was about giving competitive grants to people because that’s the situation I was in. I had a business idea and although I had the support of my dad, for me to take my business idea forward I had to put a lot of money into research.

The business I started is about growing quinoa; trying to find varieties that will grow in the UK to service a requirement within the industry. A lot of the food companies want British produce, so I want to provide a crop that is very much up and coming and in growing demand and be able to provide it from Britain.

Nothing is confirmed but we have been speaking to Sainsbury’s, who are really interested in taking the product. The problem is that we can’t supply them with as much as they want straightaway; there’s just too much risk. But hopefully next year I will grow 50ha and the year after that 100ha. To have interest from such a large company is great.

I want to grow something no one else can provide. I want to be the farmer who can go to the customer and say: “I’m grow this, it is British” – I think that will score a lot of brownie points. Hopefully they will choose it, even if it is a little more expensive.

@becca_watkins1: “Key barrier is poor communication; future farmers must be innovative with science and engage with a more discerning public” Becca Watkins is studying biological sciences at Oxford University.

Her dad farms a pedigree flock of Texels in Herefordshire I think we’re at a time of real change in farming. There is huge potential for technology in plant breeding, animal science, IT and machinery that will give huge benefits in productivity on farm. Therefore it’s a huge issue that really needs discussing right now.

I want to stay within agriculture; I think it’s really important that young people who know the industry and have a vested interest in it are involved at all levels. I don’t think I will be a hands-on farmer, but I’d like to be within the consumer end of the spectrum, working to promote the image of farming.

There are a huge number of very talented students who do something quite broad like biology and find themselves researching something related to agriculture; it’s important that information is fed back into the agricultural community, and isn’t just a journal article, archived away.

So much is stuck in a rut, which is where young people have a huge advantage; they are much more open-minded and keen to try new things.

April 2013

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Words: Matt Sharp

I

ts 2.01am, -9 C and I’m straddling a dyke. Just what every young man should be doing. It’s not as good as it sounds though; a cow’s down and it’s rolled into the icefilled dyke. It’s times like this I contemplate how much better off I’d be farming bananas in warmer climes. Or if the single farm payment landed in my bank account each year.

It’s a bit of a contentious and quite often tedious issue (that’s if you are still reading) but you can’t get away from anything CAP, Europe or payment related at the moment.

You’d think we were going through a reform.

I suspect some farmers don’t really care, as long as their direct support doesn’t go, they’re probably not bothered what happens.

Some farmers will take a big interest in the goings-on in Europe, especially those who might get their payments capped or those who will have to put some oilseed rape in among their continuous wheat.

YFC are lobbying for some support in the CAP negotiations too. But I don’t really agree with that. As a young farmer, I’d like to be recognised in the negotiations. Not me personally of course but some funding in pillar two where we can benefit from training such as AI courses which I’m taking advantage of, or diversification to add additional streams of income. But the worst thing the government could do would be to put support in pillar one for direct payments.

It would be chaos. We’d have farming partnerships springing up all over the place with established farmers going into partnership with young Jimmy, who gets his £30 per hectare top up payment for not having a completely-receded hair line yet.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not adverse to subsidy, but it should reflect the year and challenges set of farms. The UK government it seems, wants shot of the payments as they’re such as big cost, whereas Europe seems to want payments to stay, to add stability and, surprisingly, less volatility in prices.

My decision to out-winter most of my suckler cows wasn’t based on the fact I like to get soaking wet trying to rotationally graze them or that I relish the idea of getting battered by snow and wind taking silage out on a cab-less, 50-year-old tractor. It was based on cost.

At £50 a tonne for straw and the labour and machinery costs associated with housing cattle and spreading the muck, I left them all out, aside from two calvers and four fattening cattle. They’ve done fine on a straw, silage and minerals.

I’m probably somewhat more weathered, but they’ve held condition well.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not adverse to subsidy, but it should reflect the year and challenges set of farms”

I don’t claim a single farm payment on any of my land and I’m not too bothered either. I know my gross margin and my net margin and everything’s pretty well costed.

It has to be.

If I housed cattle things would be bleaker. If I ran a feeder wagon, fed a TMR diet and topped the market with cattle whose backsides were as big as Dawn French’s, things would also be bleaker.

Undoubtedly, some farms need their single payment. They may farm poor ground or have a genuine reason, but I’d safely put money on many of them running an inefficient system. We don’t want to promote this to the next generation. How many know their gross margin per head and per hectare? More importantly, how many actually need a SFP? I’ve just returned from a study tour to Belgium and it was surprising to learn that a 100-cow dairy I visited could run its whole business without the single payment. The milk price was 32 cents (28 ppl) and they just claimed the SFP because they could but they didn’t actually need it.

My youthful aspirations to run a Claas Lexion 600, have 100 Continental sucker cows and buy and sell the most expensive cattle in the mart have somewhat changed.

Keep your kit and barley beef, I’ll stick with my Aberdeen Angus and getting up to the eyes in clarts trying to feed them.

26

#studentfarmer

The food and farming industry is bigger than you think – it’s not all mud, early mornings and flat caps

I

f you haven’t got a family farm or don’t have access to land, there are lots of jobs to consider which would still enable you to work in the UK’s largest, and growing, manufacturing industry.

Hate getting muddy, despise early mornings and think flat caps give you hat hair? There’s much more to the food and farming industry than that.

David Winters, spokesman for the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink, says the diversity of jobs on offer in the food production sector - which employs some 3.7m people in the UK, has not been fully understood.

“You can work in many different areas in food and technology manufacturing there are jobs in finance, marketing, HR and food science.

“It’s an industry which has stood up well in the recession, jobs are relatively secure and many of the posts are well-paid.

“Yet for a lot of young people it’s not on the radar - they want to be farmers and don’t think about the careers outside the farm before food gets to the supermarket.”

In a bid to try to bring new people into

the food production industry to replace its aging workforce, the National Skills Academy and food industry organisations - from the farming to manufacture and retail sectors - made a commitment to increase apprenticeship numbers and promote the roles available.

As part of the commitment, the National Skills Academy set up TastyCareers.org.uk, a website to provide information on the kinds of jobs available, as well as the study choices young people should make to get jobs in the sector.

The website also has information on jobs and courses which have been devised to train people in specific areas of high demand, such as food scientists and technologists and engineers.

“Automation and technology is becoming an increasingly important part of the industry, but because few people are doing the stem subjects at A level (science, technology, engineering and maths) we aren’t getting enough people with the right skills,” said Mr Winters.

“To address that we have worked with the Food and Drink Federation and Sheffield Hallam University to develop a

food engineering degree.

“Companies will have a direct input in how the course progresses, and as part of the degree programme students will go out and work with manufacturers.

“By the time they graduate they will not only have a degree, but the knowledge on the latest automation and engineering requirements, as well as the experience of working in the right environments.”

Other courses the academy is working on include a foundation degree in dairy technology, devised alongside the industry and Reaseheath College to give practical, hands-on skills and science and supply chain knowledge.

“The industry is working hard to make this happen, we just need to make sure this career path is on young people’s radar so they realise the opportunities it can bring and how rewarding and challenging it can be.”

For more information and job ideas: www.lantra.co.uk/careers www.tastycareers.org.uk www.foodanddrink.nsacademy.co.uk www.careersinfarming.co.uk

April 2013

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Other jobs to consider Farm vet

Agronomy

Land agent

communications

Working in a veterinary practice that specialises in food-producing animals can offer plenty of opportunity to work on farms. Beyond everyday vet work, roles can move into teaching, research, government service (such as positions in Defra), pharmaceutical companies, or into organisations such as the RSPCA.

Studying crops and soil to improve their quality and efficiency and working with farmers, manufacturers and scientists to develop new ways for planting and harvesting crops means being an agronomist can be a varied and rewarding career for those with a passion for all things arable.

Looking after farmland, leasing and selling land, access rights, boundary disputes and commercial leases are all covered by land agents. Roles are available in the private sector as well as for public bodies such as the Forestry Commission.

From working as a journalist on a farming industry newspaper to a role as a press officer in an agriculture-related business, for those who have an interest in farming and a flair for communication, there are a host of careers to consider.

Qualifications needed: Universities vary, but most require A-levels in biology, plus chemistry, physics or maths. Most degree courses are five years in length. Visit www.rcvs.org.uk/education.

Qualifications needed: While degrees are not a must, most trainee agronomists tend to have degrees in agriculture or agricultural science.

FACTS and BASIS certificates are necessary for careers as an agronomist.

Qualifications needed: A degree in estate management or a similar subject is then usually followed by two years of in-work assessment to achieve a professional qualification in surveying.

Qualifications needed: While a demonstrable interest in agriculture and an ability to write are often more important than qualifications gained, degrees or post-graduate diplomas in journalism or English can be beneficial.

28

#studentfarmer

U

don’t suffer in silence

niversity can be like a bubble; what’s happening in the outside world seems really far away. However, sometimes reality can burst your bubble in a spectacular fashion.

Whether it’s outside events, or coping with the demands of your course, there is nothing wrong with seeking help should you need it. One in four people have problems with their mental health at some point in their lives – needing advice or support is nothing to be ashamed of. University, as great as it is, is a funny time – you’re in-between childhood and adulthood, learning to cope with intense demands, and you’re often away from home for the first time.

If you’re worried about a friend, or yourself, here is some advice on how to recognise the symptoms. But the most important advice we can offer is to speak to someone – there will be support available within your college or university, or go and see your GP.

Depression It’s completely normal to experience ups and downs. Everyone feels unhappy, stressed or anxious at some point in their lives. When it becomes a problem is when you feel down, persistently, without there being an obvious reason why. Feeling low will improve over time; a low mood that refuses to budge can be a sign of something more serious – depression.

Here are some of the most common symptoms: -

c ontinuous low mood f eeling hopeless or helpless l ow self-esteem feeling tearful feeling guilty feeling irritable and intolerant of others having

no motivation or interest in things finding it difficult to make decisions n ot getting enjoyment out of life feeling anxious or worried h aving suicidal thoughts

If negative feelings don’t go away, are too much to cope with or stop you from carrying on with your normal life, you may need to make some changes or seek extra support. There are lots of small changes you can make to your lifestyle that could make a difference (see the box on the next page).

However, if this doesn’t make a difference, don’t be afraid to speak to your GP – that’s what they’re there for.

April 2013

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STRESS

eating disorders

Many people make the mistake of thinking that stress isn’t serious. But it can have massive implications on your health, so if it is something you are prone to, you need to figure out how to manage it.

Pressure turns to stress when you feel unable to cope. Common symptoms include loss of appetite, sweating, sleeping problems and difficulty concentrating.

Stress is not an illness. But it can cause illness if it isn’t addressed.

Recognise the symptoms early and do something about it – figure out ways of coping that work for you. Find out ways to minimise it; for some people exercise or going on a walk work, others find that regular planning helps them to remain calm. Simply talking things through with a friend can work wonders.

There are three main types of eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa is when someone tries to keep their weight as low as possible, either by exercising excessively or starving themselves. Bulimia is when people binge eat and then deliberately make themselves sick. Binge eating is when someone feels compelled to overeat.

I AM STRESSED

Addiction We’re not going to preach to you about drinking. You’re at university – chances are you will enjoy the social life and the drinking culture that goes with it. At some point you will probably learn your limits the hard way – so make sure you are with friends. Get ready to never look at one drink the same way again.

Addiction is different. If someone is addicted to something, it occupies their mind constantly and their behaviour will be geared up to finding the next dose of whatever it is they are addicted to.

Moderate use of alcohol will not cause you any harm – it’s regular binge drinking that will seriously affect your health. Not to mention the dangerous situations you could find yourself in if you drink excessive amounts.

As for drugs, its just not worth the risk – you don’t know what’s in them and you don’t know how they will affect you or what long-term problems they could cause. This also applies to legal highs – just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe. Don’t be a cautionary tale.

I HAVE AN STD

STDs This section is very simple: use protection. If you use condoms, you won’t catch an STD. We could tell you all the unpleasant side effects and preach to you about the dangers, but there’s no need – you’re not stupid and by now you will have heard all the warnings a thousand times.

Use protection. If you were stupid and didn’t use protection, go to the doctor. Why? Well, if you catch certain STDs the reasons why will be pretty obvious, but others are silent, and could cause damage without your knowledge. Better safe than sorry.

Warning signs to look out for include: - m issing meals - c omplaining about being fat, when they’re clearly not - repeatedly

weighing themselves or looking at themselves in the mirror - making

repeated claims that they have already eaten, or will shortly be eating somewhere else - c ooking big meals for other people, but then eating little of the food themselves - only eating low-calorie foods in your presence - refusing

to eat in public places - the use of pro-anorexia websites Approaching a friend if you’re concerned isn’t easy.

Someone with an eating disorder is likely to be secretive and defensive. You can talk in confidence to an adviser from the eating disorder charity ‘beat’ by calling 08456 341414, or by calling their designated youth helpline on 08456 347650.

Steps you can take Don’t underestimate the power of sleep.

Get regular exercise – endorphins can boost your mood, and being active will help you feel healthier and relaxed. Even if it’s just a walk – fresh air will help.

If you’re depressed or stressed alcohol or drugs won’t help. If anything, they will probably make you feel worse.

Have a routine. When people feel low, they can drift into poor sleep patterns. Try to get up at your normal time and stick to a regular routine as much as possible.

Feeling depressed can make you eat very little, or comfort eat. Try and stick to a healthy diet.

But most importantly – go and see your GP. They will be able to talk you through methods to manage whatever it is that is making you unhappy.

April 2013

Words: M illy Wastie

I

’ve been working for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) for five years now and I find it such a rewarding and worthy cause to be a part of. Not only because I can see the difference it makes to peoples’ lives but because I can relate to them and think ‘thank God we are here to help as this could be me, my friends or my neighbours’.

I first saw the job advert in Farmers Weekly and thought ‘this is for me!’ I had previously worked for another charity managing volunteers and with my YFC experience and fundraising background I bagged the job.

RABI has been supporting the farming community for over 150 years, providing practical and financial support to farmers, farm workers and their families during times of need, hardship and distress. However do you really know what the charity is all about and how to access help when you need it the most?

RABI is currently receiving a huge volume of calls asking for help following a bad harvest, poor weather, the threat of animal disease, ill health and debt. If you or somebody you know, works or has worked in agriculture and is in financial difficulty, please call our freephone helpline number on 0300 3037373.

As a young person, you can feel so isolated when you have a problem and my advice would be not to suffer in silence. We are here to help and things will start to improve as soon as you pick up the phone. And if we can’t directly help, we will know somebody who can.

The truth is that RABI can support farming people of all ages and in most circumstances, except business costs. The help is tailored to individual needs and is always confidential – not every person will fit into the same box so the team of welfare officers are great at understanding individual’s needs.

The help can take the form of a one-off grant for somebody facing short term difficulties such as Jo, a farmer’s daughter who has a degenerative tissue condition which means that her mobility had been deteriorating since she was young. A determination to succeed ensured she achieved a good degree at York University, despite having to cope on crutches and rely on a wheelchair. She was overjoyed when she received a scholarship to return to university to study a Masters degree

and PhD but it would not have been possible without a specialised wheelchair, which, for Jo, was unaffordable.

Searching for possible funding, her parents approached RABI. “We didn’t have to source the various funding, RABI did it for us and provided the bulk of the funding towards my new chair,” Jo said. “It took a huge weight off mum and dad’s shoulders – not having to scrabble around trying to find the money.”

And with more practical grant funding, RABI can pay for training courses through its Gateway scheme, helping farming people to gain the qualifications they need to earn off-farm income.

When David successfully applied for a tenancy of a 310-acre county council holding 12 years ago he took over a rundown fenland farm. “It was a struggle for the first three years,” he explained.

David was offered off-farm chainsaw work but to be able to carry out aerial tree work he needed qualifications to comply with health and safety regulations. It was then that he learned about the RABI Gateway scheme and applied for funding for a training grant. As a result he has been able to diversify into arboriculture and secured not only the future of the farm, but has also expanded and created employment for six people. “Without the funding at the initial stages I would not be where I am today,” said David. “It has given me opportunities – it got me on the ladder.”

Each year RABI helps people like Jo and David and thousands of others by giving them the opportunities to live a comfortable life and the future they have worked hard for. Help is just a phone call away and the message we give is to just ask. We do more than you think.

FUNDRAISE RABI is a charity and relies on public donations to fund its work. Therefore help from the wider farming networks is vital. If you would like to get involved with fundraising for RABI then visit www.rabi.org.uk or contact one of the RABI regional managers who help to organise fundraising challenges and events.

You could: - R un the London 10k for RABI - Support a campaign such as Welly Week or Great British Beef week - Follow

us on Twitter (@rabicharity) - Sign up to receive the quarterly newsletter - Take part in a sponsored charity challenge such as a sky dive or mountain hike

April 2013

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REVISE Like a ninja 1

Resist the urge to procrastinate. Turn the radio off, unplug the TV and don’t kid yourself that vacuuming is a necessary distraction

2 3

That being said, take breaks.

Five minutes every hour should do the trick

4 5 6 7 8

There is no right way to revise – find the right way for you. Techniques include: writing notes/reading notes repeatedly/simplifying information as much as possible/creating diagrams/ putting post-its in every conceivable place/getting a friend to test you/working through past exam papers Mix it up. Try different methods. Keep your brain guessing You won’t remember something if you don’t understand it. Go back to basics. Get the facts right C reate a revision plan and stick to it. Don’t focus on the subjects you like and leave the ones you hate until the night before Go public. Stick your plan up somewhere everyone can see it. You’re more likely to keep to it that way Plan treats. Set yourself targets and, if you meet them, give yourself a reward

Ignore everyone else.

Revision can become a competition – who stayed up the latest, who’s worrying the most. Fact: people lie. Quality over quantity

9 10

Pace yourself. Don’t peak too early, but don’t put yourself in the position where you will have to cram

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Don’t panic. Panic takes up all the room in your brain – there won’t any left for revision and your hard work will be useless Get enough sleep.

You won’t be able to function properly if you’re tired. Get eight hours every night and embrace the power nap if necessary

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Eat sensibly. You will need brain food such as fish and bananas. Don’t rely on sugar and make sure you have lots of snacks

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n the day: take a watch O that isn’t on your phone – funnily enough, they’re not keen on letting you in with those

Take the correct equipment with you – and more than one pen

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16 17 18 19 20

llow yourself plenty A of time to get there.

Running late = new levels of stress

Check how many questions there are before you start!

Don’t compare answers afterwards. Nothing good ever comes of this. It’s done – onto the next When they’re all done, enjoy your post-exam glow. Best. Feeling. Ever And remember: even if the worst happens and you don’t get the mark you want, it’s not the end of the world. As mums all over the world say: ‘Just try your best’. Winston Churchill was rubbish at exams, and he turned out alright

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#studentfarmer

GET H-APP-Y Summer means one thing – harvest. Many of you will be getting ready for a few (hopefully hot) weeks behind the wheel of a combine. Or lots of waiting around for the word ‘go’. Or, maybe

you’re planning to spend your summer lazing around, doing nothing? Either way, here are our favourite apps, sure to provide you with answers to questions you didn’t even know you had.

Beat Bang In the mood for some

Platter If our experience of uni

Summly Keeping up with the news is

soothing music as you work? Or perhaps some hardcore trance? Beat Bang groups albums according to the music’s tempo, so you can match your tunes to your mood.

cupboards is anything to go by, yours will probably contain pasta, some Party Rings and a box of wine. Platter will help you make a meal from it. Maybe.

hard. Because it insists on changing all the time. Not to worry, Summly will provide snippets of news so you feel all informed and ready to take on the pub quiz.

8Tracks Radio Listen to music fans’

Hungryhouse For those times when

iReddit Endless fun this one, and best

playlists – it’s like having access to very trendy mixed tapes (ask your parents). Choose a genre, then save your favourite playlists.

only a takeaway will do. HungryHouse finds you a takeaway nearby and you can pay online too. Just when you thought takeaways couldn’t get more lazy.

of all it’s free! Shake your phone to find the most interesting content on the web.

Apparently if you have this app you will ‘never be bored again’.

Spotify Endless music. Link it to

NHS Direct A symptom checker

XE Currency A currency converter,

Facebook so your friends can see what you’re listening to. Unless you’re listening to Steps. No one needs to see that.

gives advice and links to the NHS Direct telephone service, so if more detailed assessment is necessary, a nurse adviser will call you back.

perfect for those summer holidays you’re daydreaming of. Now you can figure out exactly how much that barrel of Sangria is going to cost you.

Shazam Hear a song that takes your

Cake Days It’s pricy (£2.99), but that’s

iTorch When is a phone not a phone?

fancy? Shazam it and the app will tell you what it is. Clue: if it’s manic, irritating and makes you want to move your arms in a strange way, it’s probably Gangnam Style.

because it’s witchcraft. When you’re baking, you can clap your hands to move the pages, so you don’t get flour on your phone. That’s worth £2.99 alone.

When it’s a torch, that’s when. Perfect for those times you can’t find your actual torch. Careful though – it will drain your battery.

April 2013

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Dropbox You’re in the library and you

Whatsapp Messenger Whatsapp

Touchnote postcards This nifty

need to save a document to work on at home. Enter Dropbox. Exit memory stick.

replaces texts with instant messages that work across every smartphone.

app turns your pictures into postcards, which it sends to any address for £1.49.

Instagram You’ll have heard of this

St John Ambulance First Aid

Quidco Love a bargain? Get cashback

one by now. And if you haven’t, where have you been? Make sure you follow the best account on there – ‘Student Farmer’, of course.

Stay calm. Then click on this app, which will give you step-by-step instructions for all sorts of different ailments. This app could actually save someone’s life.

for things you were going to buy anyway.

No, we don’t know how it works either, but we’re fans of anything that involves free money.

Kinotopic Like Instagram ramped up

The Perfect Egg Timer One for

NHS Drink Tracker No idea what

a notch. This app allows you to keep one area of your photo animated. Stangely addictive. Practice 100 times on your dog and then turn your attention to humans.

all the fans of egg and soldiers out there.

Which is surely all of you. This app does what it says on the tin. And therefore it is magic.

alcoholic units are? Lose track the more you drink? Funny that. Tap on a picture of your drink and it will save the number of units you consume in a drink diary.

Sleep Cycle One for the dairy farmers

Foodspotting Craving lobster

Zite This clever little thing monitors

– this alarm clock will recognise when you’re in the right point in your sleep to be woken up. You need all the help you can get at that time in the morning…..

bisque? Coq au vin? Jammy Dodgers?

Type in the item you can’t stop thinking about and it will tell you where you can find it nearby.

which sites, blogs and newsfeeds you visit, then draws it altogether to create a daily magazine, completely personal to you.

Evernote Keep all your genius ideas

HSBC Bank Balance Can you

Amazon mobile When you’re out

in one place. Then look back at them and realise they were bonkers. Note: definitely record ideas you have in the pub. They’re nearly always great.

afford it? Probably not. But with this app you can check, right there and then, just in case a miracle has taken place.

and about buying textbooks, use this app’s barcode scanner and it will tell you instantly if you can buy them cheaper online.

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#studentfarmer

SEE THE WORLD Farmers in the past had a reputation for never leaving their village. Well, not anymore. There’s a big world out there – so go and explore it. Put holidays to good use, consider a gap year and get a taste of what the world has to offer. Opening your eyes to new experiences can only be a good thing. Here’s a #studentfarmer bucket list of amazing places – and most of them have been recommended by someone who has been there, done that. And, don’t worry, if you’re terrified of flying, or you don’t have much time/money, lots are in the glorious British Isles. So, even if you’re working all summer and only have a day to spare – put it to good use.

April 2013

1 2

Visit the Wallace Monument in Stirling, the creepiest building you will ever see

Ever seen a bulldog dressed up as Ariel from The Little Mermaid? Us neither.

If this is something you feel the need to witness, get yourself to the New York Halloween Dog Parade. Afterwards, go to the top of the Empire State Building and watch the city turn it’s lights on Take a cheesy picture of yourself propping up the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Then avoid the rest of the city entirely (no offence, Pisa)

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Go to a scarecrow festival, such as Lapworth’s in September. You haven’t lived until you’ve taken a picture of yourself next to a straw Bradley Wiggins

11

Got a dog? Well, grab them and take part in the Great North Dog Walk, the largest dog walk in the world. The record so far saw 23,201 dogs take part

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If ice and snow are your thing, head to the Harbin Ice Festival. Thought that snowman you made in the winter was impressive? Think again

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Go to Bakewell and buy a traditional Bakewell pudding. Then meander to the bridge and share your pudding with the trout (everyone’s doing it…..)

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Clear your head after a heavy night by climbing Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh

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If you feel the urge to throw yourself off something tall, you won’t find better than Switzerland’s Contra Dam. If it’s good enough for James Bond in GoldenEye, it’s good enough for us

8 9

Experience a Full Moon party on Thailand’s Koh Phangan Hire a VW Camper Van, grab a surf board and tour the South West

22 R ide a camel in the Sahara desert

Go to Borough Market in London – a gastronomic tour-de-force. Walk around with a wine spritzer, sample cheeses and buy freshly baked bread Reenact the tiger scene from Gladiator at the Colosseum. Loser of rock, paper, scissor, gets to be the tiger Overlook the fact that Romeo and Juliet is fiction for a second – in Verona a house claiming to be the Capulets’ (presumably because it has a balcony) is home to Juliet’s Wall, where people write the names of their loved ones or insert small love letters into the walls. Crazy, but sweet Visit Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland and stay in a glass igloo. Lie in bed and watch the Northern Lights

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Dip your toes in the permanently pink Lake Hillier in Western Australia.

If you go to Las Vegas (and why wouldn’t you? Have you not seen The Hangover?) stay at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas. Why? Because they’ve got a water slide that goes through a shark tank, that’s why Oktoberfest. A 16-day celebration of beer. Repeat: a 16-day celebration of beer

19 10 V isit Slovenia’s beautiful Lake Bled

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Take up sheep shearing, travel the world and get paid for the privilege

Visit the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, then drive to The Dark Hedges, for a jaw-dropping sight

23 S wim in Iceland’s blue lagoon

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Go to Cadbury World. We shouldn’t have to tell you why

Underneath Paris you will find the catacombs; a 200-mile network of caves and tunnels, much of it filled with the skulls and bones of six million Parisians. Not for the faint-hearted Love Vikings? Who doesn’t! Travel to Norway at the start of June for the Bjorgvin Marknad (their Viking and medieval festival)

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Be in your very own montage by visiting Philadelphia and running up the ‘Rocky steps’ to the Philadelphia Musuem of Art

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Climb up the Tor in Glastonbury.

Then go and buy some witchcraft supplies and a pasty in the village

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Celebrate May Day in Oxford. Listen to choir boys sing at 6am from the top of Magdalen Tower; a tradition that has taken place for 500 years. Don’t, however, jump in the river. It rarely ends well

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Travel to Philip Island in Australia to see the penguin parade. At dusk, hundreds of penguins return to shore from a day foraging in the sea. You can’t take pictures, but we have a feeling you wouldn’t forget this sight in a hurry.

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#studentfarmer

Words: Russell Carrington

Three years ago, Russell Carrington, a Herefordshire young farmer, took off on an around the world epic adventure. He tells us about his experiences and how his trip has influenced his career since

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here were many light-bulb moments while I was travelling. The things I saw, the things I did and the ideas I had during my trip have undoubtedly put me in a much stronger position as I now begin to embrace the future challenges of a career in agriculture.

From driving Tuk Tuks in India to partying hard with the Tasmanian young farmers; to peering into active volcanoes in New Zealand and travelling by ferry up the Mekong River, my life was changed forever. Furthermore I had a number of close shaves while travelling which were nothing short of character building – there was even a unique incident in Istanbul where I had to escape a scam in a dodgy bar and ended up hiding on the roof of a mosque!

Travelling has always inspired me and probably runs in my family bloodline. My grandfather booked a one-way ticket on the Queen Mary to seek work in Canada during the 1930s but as the Great Depression took hold he was denied a visa. He managed to get there in the 50s and returned with a Hereford bull carrying the poll gene and went on to pioneer the polled Hereford cattle in Britain and beyond. My dad spent one winter driving a Land Rover from London to Cape Town in the late 60s and went on to take part in a number of equally adventurous journeys around the world.

Fuelled by family stories of exotic lands and photographs of friends on Facebook against breathtaking views on the other side

Before...

After

of the globe, it was soon time for me to head out on my own adventure.

In the height of the recession I quit my cosy office job as a civil engineer and within nine days I was on the road with a rucksack I could hardly lift and nothing planned except my first night’s accommodation. Ten months later I returned home having visited 20 different countries. I was a lot slimmer, had lots of facial hair and was out of pocket having slightly exceeded my budget of £30 per day. However I was much richer for the journey I’d had.

I didn’t think twice about taking a job on a farm to help out with harvest on my return. Inspired by the things I had seen on my travels and with a better understanding of trade and forthcoming global challenges, I now wanted to work in agriculture.

Within 12 months I moved to another farm to become an assistant farm manager and alongside that began the PastureFed Livestock Association with a group of other farmers to champion a farming system that can help tackle the vital issues of climate change and resource depletion made so apparent during my trip. But that hasn’t spelled the end of my travelling – far from it. Through YFC, CEJA and Rural Youth Europe, I’ve joined trips, often for only a few days or week at a time, to meet with other young farmers in Europe to discuss the latest technology, support mechanisms for new entrants into agriculture and chances to visit farms to see new ideas in practice. I now appreciate the value of getting away, seeing something different, and even looking back on what you leave behind with fresh eyes. If you have an inclination to travel, go with an open mind and get out of your comfort zone to learn more about the world and yourself.

Find Russell on Twitter at @CiderRuss

April 2013

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We grow our own

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o you hold a 2:1 degree or above and have an interest in farming and agriculture? If so, why not consider applying for the NFU graduate scheme?

We are looking for two enthusiastic individuals to join our team on a two-year fixed-term contract as graduate trainees. The NFU will offer you a quality programme, where variety is key. You will be given exposure to various parts of the organisation, which will give you the knowledge, skills and experience to develop for the good of the organisation, our members and your own career progression. You will be provided with a range of placements that could take you across England, Wales and potentially abroad, and assignment briefs that will develop your skill set and give you the chance to work with industry specialists.

After a period of 12 months you will become eligible to apply for suitable vacancies within the NFU. Previous graduates commonly secure permanent roles in our adviser positions, and some have even progressed all the way up the career ladder to director level. We like to grow our own talent.

GRADUATE FOCUS: Moya Woolley After finishing university last summer and spending hours online searching for a suitable job I came across an advert for the NFU graduate trainee programme. Agriculture has always been something I’ve been interested in but knew very little about – I thought this could be a something I would enjoy and it would be a good opportunity to really sink my teeth into something new. After submitting an application and a couple of interviews to my surprise I was offered the job.

I’ve met some really wonderful people since I started in November who have all been keen to help me at every opportunity, making the transition from student to full-time employment really easy.

It’s been an incredibly steep learning curve (I come from a non-agricultural background and didn’t study an agricultural subject at university) but it’s been very rewarding because of that. I’m just over four months into my first placement of six months at NFU HQ in Stoneleigh and I absolutely love it.

INTERESTED?

I’ve been up and down the country, from Alnwick in the north to Dartmoor in the south, touring farms and regions, meeting members and talking to people from organisations such as Defra and Natural England.

In recent months I drafted Farming Delivers in the Hills and Uplands as well as the NFU hill and upland farming group policy document, which were both launched at the NFU conference in February. I’m currently working on ANC (Areas facing Natural Constraint) designation which will eventually replace LFAs (Less Favoured Areas) and I will also be looking into ecosystem payments before I move to the West Midlands office in May to undertake a North Shropshire ammonia strategy project for four months.

The graduate scheme means I’m constantly learning, meeting people and going to new places. So far it’s been an amazing experience.

For further information, or to express your interest and request an application pack, please contact Hannah Spalding by calling 02476 858744 or emailing graduates@nfu.org.uk

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