Will’s World: Back to school after a summer of farm learning

Suddenly it’s September. The Evans girls have gone back to school and, after the noise and chaos of the past six weeks, the house feels as silent and still as a morgue.

Usually at this time of year I’m grappling with feelings of deep guilt, and I’m sure other busy farming parents can relate.

See also: Taking your tractor test – all you need to know

There never seems to be enough time to juggle everything over the summer holidays, let alone this year when the weather and finances have been equally dire.

Social media doesn’t help either, as it can seem that just about everyone you know is spending quality time with their children and going off on exciting family holidays and adventures, and if you’re not currently in the best frame of mind, it can make you feel like you’re completely failing as a parent.

Because I’ve been through these negative emotions before, though, and having eventually realised that beating myself up over self-perceived missed opportunities doesn’t change anything, this year I’ve resolved to focus on what we have managed to do together, and not what we haven’t.

After all, how many children are fortunate enough to grow up on a family farm these days, with all the space and freedom that entails?

Board report

My youngest daughter received one of those hoverboard things last Christmas.

Lamentably, if you haven’t seen them, they’re not the kind that Marty McFly flew around on in Back to the Future, but still, they’re good fun, and this summer she’s finally mastered it.

Every time I’ve turned a corner on the farm she’s been whizzing about at top speed, and it’s always made me smile. (Yes, I have had a go, and no, I won’t be getting on it again. Enough said.)

We spent a fantastic day together at the Royal Welsh Show, which seems to be getting better every year. The present Mrs Evans and I are extremely conscious that it isn’t going to be long before we lose the girls to YFC, or they just won’t want to be seen with us anymore because we’re too embarrassing, so we’re making the most of it while we still can.

Although, given how much money they collectively fleeced me for at the Outback Outfitters and Grassmen stands, it might just come as a blessed relief when it’s just the two of us again.

Gate expectations

I’ve taught daughter number 3 to use the pressure washer, and got her cleaning farm vehicles, as well as taken her with me on several trips to check cattle.

The joy of not having to get out of the truck to open a gate, because I have an assistant with me, can only be adequately explained to fellow farmers, and it’s very gratifying to be finally seeing a return on this particularly costly long-term investment of ours.

Daughter number 1 had her first tractor driving lesson a few weeks back – the obligatory rolling – and I’m pleased to report that she came through with flying colours and was still speaking to me at the end.

I suppose we take these things for granted, but what an incredible skill to be able to learn at such a young age, no matter what she goes on to do in the future.

And finally, we managed to snatch a few days away in beautiful Devon at the end of August and had fun on the beach, went on some nice walks, ate lovely food, and made a lot of happy memories.

Maybe summer 2024 hasn’t been so bad, after all.