The Farmers Weekly Awards. The Best Of British Agriculture
Now we've had the Harvest Festivals giving thanks for the crops having been safely (if rather wetly) gathered. It's time for the Farmers Weekly Awards to celebrate the best of British Agriculture. What is good about the awards isn't just the bragging, "I'm better than you." Not to take away the achievement of the winners, I look forward to meeting some of them. But overall the awards are fundamentally more than that. It's about life long learning and learning from each other. There is no stigma in admitting you don't understand something. In fact the exact opposite is true in my book. In my line of work I have far more respect for people who say, "I don't quite understand, can you help." In fact I regularly do it. Those that really need the help are those that say "I've always done it that way, that's why." Listening to the way other people do things might just save you a few quid or better still make you a few pounds.
Jimmy Doherty of Jimmy's Farm fame may have made us all laugh with his inexperience and flitting from one project to the next. But he had the right ideas, promoting provident food to a superior quality and promoting British Agriculture. When he needed advice he went to find it. He may not have followed it to the letter, but he keeps his mind open which is what triggers all his hair-brained schemes.
What I enjoy reading in the Farmers Weekly about the Awards is all the different approaches that these finalists have taken to get to the peak of British Agriculture. Hopefully I can pick up a few ideas.
Well done to them all and I'll be on the edge of my seat awaiting the results.