Bridgette Baker: Students and Young Farmers should ‘make up for lost time’
© Colin Miller There is never a dull moment in terms of social activity as a Royal Agricultural University student and Young Farmer.
I’m lucky in that I get the chance to attend glamorous balls, themed nights outs, rallies and pub nights, and this weekend (4-6 March) is the long-awaited Young Farmers’ Clubs (YFC) South West Area (SWA) event in Weston-super-Mare.
It is the third SWA I’m attending and Somerset County organisers are expecting about 1,500 Young Farmers to come together from across the six counties of the South West.
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It’s a great chance to catch up with friends, as well as make up for lost time, with so many plans having been cancelled over the past two years.
It includes a black-tie event, an “emergency services” themed party, plus sports and theatre competitions that determine who goes on to compete at national level.
When I wrote my first Farmers Weekly column in March 2021, Somerset Federation had received less than 160 paid memberships since the previous September.
There are now 746 members this year, which is a great comeback and about the number the federation expects.
See also: Bridgette Baker – time for women to get in the (tractor) driving seat
There’s also the Wessex group rally to look forward in May, after two years off, where clubs compete in a range of competitions such as fence erecting, baking and crafts, to win the overall rally, with a party at the end.
This event caters for everyone aged 10 to 28.
University, meanwhile, has been brilliant fun. After last year, when I was at home, I feel like a fresher meeting so many people.
Recently, the Royal Agricultural University had their raise and give charity week, which included a rally of cars convoying to a last-minute-revealed location of Leeds and a tractor pull through Cirencester.
Especially after the previous couple of years, I hope everyone is taking opportunities to enjoy themselves, whether that’s at school, college, university or YFC.
I’ve had the chance to try everything from dance classes and hockey to public speaking.
As my second year of university ends and work placement begins in April, I will be back to practical farming.
Until then, though, I have swapped wellies stuck in muddy pig paddocks for deck shoes stuck to sticky nightclub floors.