Snow, snow and more snow!

Snow has made Pumsaint famous! Pumsaint and the road from here to Lampeter has been mentioned on the news lots of times over the past few days due to a couple of accidents on that stretch. One of the advantages of working and living in the same place is that work can carry on as normal so the office is open as usual. The rest of the staff are working from home utilising the benefits of our remote working system. The barns are white and look really pretty. I've attached a photo of them yesterday morning before they started digging up the yard.

Earlier this week, I was at the last residential for the Agri Academy leadership course. We had an inspirational talk by Nigel Evans, Director of First Milk and Evanridge Properties who talked about how it was the challenge of new goals that drove him forward. We also had an entertaining few days with Gwenno Dafydd doing some media training which was something I had never experienced before. The breakfast at the Welsh Government on the Tuesday morning gave us as a group an opportunity to meet other people working within the agricultural industry including Assembly Members. Dr Christianne Glossop and Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas then spoke to us about leadership and the role of the Welsh Government in dealing with matters in relation to agriculture. We then gave feedback to DM Alun Davies on the Agri Academy leadership course and he presented us with our certificates.

Agri Academy has been an amazing experience and one I would recommend to anyone contemplating applying for the next round of the programme. As a group we have bonded in a way that I would not have believed before the course and it has provided a fantastic source of support and inspiration for me over the past six months. Our next event will be the Farming Connect conference on 6th February 2013. 

It’s February!!

It’s February , the shortest month of the year, and time is flying by. The first lot of lambing at Henllan is over and we are enjoying a break before the next lot starts at the end of the month. The new-born lambs and mothers have only just started to be turned out due to the weather, but things look as if they are getting better on that front.

Renewable energy has featured heavily in our work over the last month and I have been to several conferences and meetings on the subject across the UK. There are many opportunities available for farmers and landowners, not just from an energy point of few but also in terms of additional income. Our solar panels are being installed this week and following the recent Court decision we are hopeful, if the Government do not successfully challenge it, that we are going to get the full feed-in tariff rate of 43.9p as long as they are installed and we are connected to the grid before the beginning of March.

Speaking at The Carmarthenshire Chamber of Agriculture was a particular highlight this month. I was honoured to be invited to speak and enjoyed their company and hospitality. Thank you to them also for the  De- icer that I won in their raffle – it has already come in handy!

This month also features one of my favourite traditions – Shrove Tuesday on 21 February. It symbolises the start of Lent and using up what’s in the larder. Pancakes are easy to make and importantly use milk which was something we always had in plentiful supply as we grew up , so pancakes were a favourite treat (not just on Shrove Tuesday I might add!). An enjoyable way to support British dairy farmers and encourage the general public to buy more milk.

Best wishes

Nerys