Farmer Focus: Rain becomes fixture at summer shows
Gary Yeomans and his kids © Richard Stanton The Monmouthshire NFU Brexit consultation meeting, kindly hosted by dairy farmers Tom and Cath James, had a good turnout.
The main concerns were whether the UK government will prioritise agriculture in future trade deals, and if the Welsh Assembly will treat farming in the same way as in England.
Recent decisions, such as the highest rate of modulation – 15% – and lack of action on TB in wildlife, do not give us any confidence.
See also: Concern over future funding of TB eradication
Despite a run of reasonable weather, this year’s Monmouth Show was a particularly wet day.
Always held on the last Thursday in August, the management committee has taken the brave step of moving it to the first Saturday in July next year to try to boost attendance and secure the show’s future.
We hosted a Pandy Ploughing Match on another wet day.
I had three hours on the tractor, pulling nearly all 57 ploughmen out at the end of the day.
At least they got out and attached the chain for me – unlike the horse lorry drivers at the point-to-point. Although the ploughmen’s tips were pretty miniscule.
A week later the Usk Show was also very wet in the morning.
This time, I was on the other end of the chain being towed in with the ponies.
Local agricultural firms were very generous in their hospitality and the sun came out in the afternoon.
See also: Goat fertility suffers as yield increases
Stubble turnips have been planted and have germinated very quickly with the warm, damp weather.
We have dried off the autumn-kidding goats and autumn hunting is under way in Monmouthshire.
Jess and I had a very quick day trip to Ireland to attend the Gorsebridge horse sale. We picked up a five-year-old hunter to bring on and hopefully sell as part of my diversification into horse dealing.
We have secured some extra land on a short-term farm business tenancy, adjacent to a block we rent from the same landlord.
My son Tommy and the landlord’s son Ivor are best mates, so I just hope that if Tommy is farming he will get better “mate’s rates” than I do.
Gary and Jess Yeomans run a herd of 700 milking goats across 100ha, which supplies a local cheese factory. They also own a small pedigree Welsh Black suckler herd to graze permanent pasture.