Thirty-three members of the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU) recently embarked on a two-night trip to Dumfries and Edinburgh to explore Scotland’s agriculture. The trip took place from Monday 28th to Wednesday 30th October 2024.
Over the course of the three days, the members visited seven different farms, all very different in the way that they operated. One of the visits was to Omagh native Michael Kyle’s New Zealand style dairy farm in Dumfries. They also visited farms that had four Lely robots in operation, had their 150 cows and calves grazing alongside red deer and one farm produces over 35,000 tonnes of homegrown tomatoes to Marks & Spencer every week.
Joyce Allen, member of Moneymore Young Farmers’ Club, said “It was great to see different systems in operation and seeing how farms have diversified over the years. The highlight for me was the livestock on the farms, there were some exceptional show cattle. The main take-home message for me was the reality that farming is changing, and as Young Farmers’, we must adapt to these changes. I also enjoyed catching up with members I don’t often see, I was one of the five girls on the trip, but we never felt outnumbered as everyone was so good at looking out for one another”.
Members commended the hosts along the trip, remarking that their knowledge of their farming systems was incredible. Chairperson of the YFCU Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee, Mitchell Park, took the leading role on the trip. “One of the highlights for me was visiting the Whitrigg’s Farm in Denholm. Owned by Stuart Mitchell and his Father, they farm organic cattle, deer and arable. I follow Stuart on social media so enjoyed seeing his farm in reality. He took us to a field with 160 cows in it, these cows were on mob and bale grazing, so that was interesting to hear about. All of the hosts had a real passion for farming, and it was great to hear how their new systems increased their profitability”.
Richard Beattie, President of the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster, wishes to thank the hosts for making the members feel welcome and leaving them going home with increased knowledge of agricultural systems and a clearer understanding of how farming is changing.
