Celebrating 80 years of Devon Young Farmers Club
2012 has been a big year for Devon Young Farmers Club, celebrating its 80th anniversary. How have things changed over that time? Olivia Cooper finds out, talking to two members separated by 50 years
John Greenslade, 72, a retired sheep producer at Byway Farm, Thorverton, Devon. Honorary life vice president of Devon County Young Farmers Club (YFC).
Why did you originally join Devon Young Farmers?
I was born on the farm, and my uncles had got a lot out of being members. I became chairman of the club at my school in Tiverton, then when I left school I joined Withleigh YFC. All I wanted to do was farm – I used to hand milk our 12 cows and never thought I’d see the day when cows could milk themselves! I will have been with the YFC for 60 years next year and I owe it a heck of a lot.
Why is YFC different to other youth clubs?
It was my agricultural education. I got very involved with proficiency tests and won seven gold badges for crafts like hedging and gate making. But it’s not just about agricultural skills – we also had quiz teams, public speaking and so on. Had I never joined the YFC, I wouldn’t have achieved half what I have in life.
Which part of YFC life did you enjoy the most?
I did enjoy the social side, but it’s a good combination of fun and education. I met my wife at a YFC dance, and we’ve been married 50 years. We also raised a lot of money for charity; after a young member died of leukaemia the Honiton and Tiverton club raised over £12,000 for the Exeter cancer unit. I was very proud to be president at the time.
If Devon YFC were a person, what would they be like?
It’s all about caring for, and enjoyment of, the countryside. There is great camaraderie among the club, and it brings people out of their shells. In three words: comradeship, competitiveness, and enjoyment.
“For me, there’s nothing like the Exe Valley. We’ve got some of the most beautiful countryside in the world, and some of the best cattle and sheep. We have everything in Devon; moors, arable land, local breeds – it’s a county that can show off the best of agriculture to the rest of the world.”
John Greenslade
What’s the best thing about living/working in the countryside?
For me, there’s nothing like the Exe Valley. We’ve got some of the most beautiful countryside in the world, and some of the best cattle and sheep. We have everything in Devon; moors, arable land, local breeds – it’s a county that can show off the best of agriculture to the rest of the world.
And the worst?
After this summer I’m glad I’m not actively farming any longer – but you always have to work with the weather. I think seeing cattle slaughtered because of TB or foot-and-mouth is the worst thing I can imagine – TB took out some of our best homebred cows in 1994. But having lived 70-odd years in the countryside I wouldn’t swap it.
Are you optimistic about the future of farming?
To be a farmer you have to be an optimist. After a bad season you have to hope that next year will be better. The world is expanding and the population has got to be fed. We grow the best grass in Devon, but TB and the power of the supermarkets make for difficult times – you have to be optimistic that we’ll come through them. But it is getting more difficult to project our views to the general public. I have a radio programme on BBC Devon and it’s very difficult to convince people about the battle against TB. I also worry that we don’t protect our borders enough – nobody cares what we bring into this country.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
It used to be milking cows, and it still is, because I can’t get out of the habit. I like to be out early, pruning trees or doing something in the fresh air.
What makes you laugh?
I get a lot of fun from meeting with contemporary YFC members and laughing at the young people enjoying themselves.
Tell us a secret about yourself
I’ve written a book of memoirs – T’was a Proper Job – which has sold almost 1,200 copies. The family’s been on the Fursdon Estate since 1906, and my grandmother squirrelled away lots of bills and photos, which I’ve included, and given copies to my grandchildren. Also, in 1998 I won the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group’s award for the best conservation farm in Devon and I was the first director of the Mid Devon Show, for which I will be president next year. I was also a magistrate for 20 years, and I would never have done that without everything I learnt as a YFC member.
Why should people join the YFC?
I owe much of my life experience to the YFC. Put as much in as you can and you’ll get as much out. You won’t be disappointed. The opportunities now are even greater than when I joined. Farming isn’t going to have an easy future, and we need young farmers with the right qualities who are able to speak up for the industry.
Richard Stanbury, 23, a mixed beef, sheep and arable farmer at The Barton, Knowstone, Devon. Outgoing chairman of Exe Valley Group YFC.
Why did you originally join Devon Young Farmers?
When I was 11 or 12 my sister was secretary and I was at school with a lot of the members. I wanted to get involved with stock judging and public speaking. It is such a good network from a social point of view, but there are many skills for life to take part in. I travelled to New Zealand and Australia after school and worked for a former Devon farmer there – and I went to Switzerland and Austria as part of the Devon YFC scholarship. Farming in Switzerland and Australia are opposite ends of the scale, but both are profitable. Here we are always chasing our tail for profits.
Why is YFC different to other youth clubs?
We raise so much for charity – in Devon alone we raised £80,000 a few years ago. It’s a safe organisation for rural communities and members range from 10 to 26 years old, which is a massive range. We work hard and do a lot of good – and we party hard too. You can learn a lot of skills and being with like-minded people means you can get together and talk about the challenges of farming together. But anyone can join – you don’t have to be a farmer.
Which part of YFC life do you enjoy the most?
I’m very competitive, so like to take part in any competition. I like showing my Ruby Red cattle – to take something you’ve bred and show it to a high standard feels really good. I won the English junior shearer of the year in 2010 and I love acting and entertaining the crowd. Our club, Cruwys Morchard, won the national street dancing competition this year, which just proves how vast the range of activities we take part in is.
If Devon YFC were a person, what would they be like?
They would be fun, well spoken and hard-working.
What’s the best thing about living/working in the countryside?
I love the fresh air and the smell of cow dung – I feel free, despite all the red tape. I couldn’t live in a town. But being in a village has a community feel, although it has its difficulties when people object to you carrying out farming activities. They just need to let us get on with it.
And the worst?
The cost of travel is very high. You always have to drive to see people and our nearest shop is 10 miles away. At lambing time when you’re busy it’s an hour round trip – and Tesco won’t deliver to us, even though we supply them!
Are you optimistic about the future of farming?
“The way the population is growing, and with land going into biomass crops, housing and solar panels, I can see people are going to have to pay more for food. Then they will have to look after the farmers and sort out TB. We lost our stock bull to TB recently and because of movement restrictions we can’t buy a replacement, so we can’t breed from our cows. It’s so disheartening when you’ve done all the work and want to show off your homebred animals and then you get struck down with TB.
“I love the fresh air and the smell of cow dung – I feel free, despite all the red tape. I couldn’t live in a town.”
Richard Stanbury
From the outside, people really don’t understand what farmers go through. We are the biggest lovers of animals around – to watch them put down is just awful. But you have to keep going, hope for the best and hope they don’t leave their support too late. Farmers aren’t encouraging their children to go into farming as it’s not profitable enough – and paperwork and red tape is adding extra pressure. But I’m very keen to push forward and keep expanding, as it’s a lifestyle I love and it would be very sad if we couldn’t survive any longer.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Usually a shout from Dad! I can stay up and work at night, but I’m not very good at waking up before it’s light.
What makes you laugh?
Most things really – if you can’t laugh you may as well cry. Life’s too short to be too serious.
Tell us a secret about yourself
I love to cook and am a softy at heart. When we lost our stock to foot-and-mouth it was heartbreaking, but we had to put on a brave face – I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Why should people join the YFC?
You will make some of the best mates you can wish for, and get to know like-minded people in the industry and the county. You get to learn and achieve so much while having fun – it’s the best youth club in the country.
The National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs is running a road safety campaign, Drive it Home, designed to save lives on rural roads. Find out about this initiative, which is supported by Farmers Weekly, online at www.fwi.co.uk/roadsafety
