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College life can appear just a bit strange sometimes when reflected on. Last week, for example, after an afternoon spent studying boar semen, and watching the sperm wriggle across the television screen linked to the microscope ("Make a good screen saver", says James), there was the Student Association meeting, a trip to Asda followed by checking the cows with a friend (Donna) and the evening finished with the 999 themed disco in aid of Children in Need.
There were firemen and nurses all over the place. I was dressed in an Early Learning Centre DOCTOR outfit that I'd had since I was six years old. I was wearing high heels which I massively regretted by the end of the night. I'm always in trainers or boots so heels feel just a bit alien anyway - but these were torture. It was a good night though. Students (and agricultural students in particular) are not ones to put off having fun. Ex-students David and Tom are now building careers in the industry, but they haven't completely left college life yet. Many "old agrics."/ ex-students tend to appear at these events.
The following day, was my first time at Ganthorpe Gate Farm - my official work placement for this year. David and Angie Miller run the farm and a B&B business. First job, was loading the calves (limousin x belgian blue) to be taken to Leyburn market for the sales that day. That done, David, Ted (a friend of the Millers) and I set off North.
There was also a Holstein sale, so we were treated to a beauty parade of some very well bred and well turned out cows. Including from 'Dalesend Holsteins'. Top price was in the region of 2800 guineas, but prices for all stock that day were less than expected. David's calves got some of the best prices in the calf sale though.
(Canteen was good. Steak pie followed by blackberry cheesecake. Yum.)
We got back home for afternoon milking and bedding up. David explained properly how everything functioned and why, which made learning to do things a lot easier. Last job was feeding the calves and then it was home again. So all in all it was a lovely easy going first day.
Back to college, and tomorrow we're preparing powerpoint presentations and I'm in a group researching cultivating (traditional and minimum tillage); we have Science in the afternoon; a meeting of the Association again; a talk on "Controlled Traffic Farming" for the Bishop Burton Machinery Club; then there's birthday celebrations for Jonathan.
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I'm finding suddenly that there is a lot more academic work to do, and not only this, but the pressure has increased as well, due to the fact that every mark now counts towards my final degree. This is much more intimidating than the first year, when all you needed was a 40% pass! On the up side, the advantage of doing an Agricultural degree is that I get set some work that is not just computer-based. This week I had to collect soil samples and evaluate sward densities, meaning that I'm not stuck inside staring at the computer screen all of the time.
The placement fair took place this week at Harper; an oppertunity for Fourth Year students to enquire about future jobs, and for Second Years to learn about the oppertunities available over their placement year. With over 90 companies present, it was encouraging to see the enthusiasm to employ agricultural students even with the current economic climate.
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I went to a Student Association meeting for the first time this Thursday. I'd gone out of curiosity to see what it was all about, and ended up being assigned Health Rep. and put down on the list for a personalised Student Association hoody before I knew what was happening. I'm going to find out on Monday what my role entails.
The meeting was good fun, with topics for discussion covering all sorts from finance to events for Save the Children week (including Tug-of-War, Guess the Weight of the Cow, a cake stall, and a 999 themed disco).
Later on Thursday evening it was time for socialising at the student bar and playing pool. I discovered there were a few people who don't like sheep and don't see much point in them. Their argument is that caring for sheep entails too much work for animals that like dying so much. Also that sheep are stupid, and therefore even less worth bothering with. They prefer pigs as a more intelligent and entertaining species.
Personally (without disagreeing with everything that was said), I think sheep are great to work with, don't try to eat you and are not too heavy when they stand on your feet. I couldn't do without a good roast lamb every now and again. Plus, what would our landscape look like if it weren't for sheep? (Please no-one mention bracken.) I think they must be a very misunderstood species, as I know many sheep with quite distinct personalities and many who have a will of their own. At the moment, however, there is an anti-sheep movement of 5 to 1, with me being the one.