College Calendar: Steve Mears back in the driving seat

I am feeling refreshed and looking forward to starting my second term after a month off for the Christmas break.

I spent much of my time off catching up with friends from home, messing around in the snow and enjoying mum’s home cooking (I’d certainly missed the latter while living on campus).

While home in Somerset, I was fortunate enough to be invited for a day’s game shooting. The offer came from a local farming family who I had worked for during harvest. Despite the cold, I had a very enjoyable day and it was nice to be under the birds in the shooting line for a change, instead of flushing them in the beating line.

I was kept busy over the New Year period by researching and writing my animal production assignment, which is due in the first week back of term. The task has been to produce a technical leaflet that could be distributed to the general public to readdress the public’s views on a chosen animal production topic.

I decided to write mine on dairy bull beef production in the UK, particularly as I found the public perception of this part of the beef industry was poorly understood. Some of the aspects of the production chain that I covered in the leaflet included the rearing and finishing processes, as well as the various marketing schemes that have been developed. Having always had an interest in cattle, I enjoyed researching the information.

As I start the second term, I am expecting my academic timetable to change slightly. Some of the short modules that I had been studying have been completed and these will be replaced with new modules. All students studying agriculture in their first year study the same modules, before specialising in their second year.

Mechanisation tutorials are set to become more practical based as first year “agri-mech” students begin practical sessions in the engineering workshops. Some of the topics that will be covered include bearings and seals, hydraulics, oxy-acetylene cutting, as well as arc and mig welding. Along with my course mates, I am looking forward to starting these practical sessions and learning new skills.

Intent on learning new skills, I am hoping to enrol on a LANTRA rough terrain telehandler forklift course through the Aspire centre on campus. The centre offers rural skills training in a diverse range of courses. Alongside these practical courses, the centre provides academic support to students, ranging from help with mathematics to improving exam techniques.

I am excited to find out what the wild and bizarre fancy dress themes the student union have planned for the new term. The famous Wurzels are booked to perform in the SU bar the first weekend back, creating the first fancy dress opportunity of the year. I feel a checked shirt and moleskin trousers – all held together with baler twine, of course – may be in order.