Back in the groove

So…..were you there?  Did you have fun? After a long wait, the Royal Highland Show returned with gusto and what a weekend it was. My feet hurt, my back hurts and, if it could, I’m sure my liver would be hurting too!

The perfect blend of work and pleasure, there’s no doubting that the Highland Show is a world-beating event and that most of us would be lost without it. Yes, they could maybe do with a few more loos in the new Members Pavilion (😉) but well done to the whole team for bringing us all together again and hosting a truly superb four days.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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Work-wise, I was at the inspiring Women in Agriculture breakfast at which I was one of the speakers, I stopped in to say hello at the wonderful SOPA (Scottish Organic Producers Association) marquee and also at the Scottish Organic Milk Producers stand (absolutely delicious milk and cheese). I helped to promote the fantastic Be Your Best Self programme (a free personal development programme for women in agriculture), I nipped in to see the dedicated team at the SAOS stand, I volunteered for a few hours in the RHET Discovery Centre helping wee children learn about planting crops, I planned some cracking entries to the Scottish Land & Estates Helping it Happen Awards (don’t forget, entries close on 18 July) and, not last nor least, I also toured the showground with producer Dave creating two episodes of the OnFARM podcast (listen out later this week to hear an episode with RHET and Gillespie Macandrew and a more general ‘How great is it to be back?’ Highland Show episode www.podfollow.com/onfarm ).  I even managed to take my two daughters to their very first RHS (what a bad mum I’ve been to leave them at home in previous years!) and they had an absolute blast.

Monty joined me for some of the podcast recording, in between his visits to see the new autonomous AgBot tractor at the Soil Essentials stand, chats with Grampian Growers, Borders Machinery Ring and various appointments with podcast sponsors.

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It was really great to see all those colleagues and friends we managed to catch up with and apologies to those who we should have caught up with but didn’t see (like Monty, there were a few people I went looking for but failed to find).

Like I’m sure many others are, I’m now exhausted and could sleep for a week!

I hope that you all had a very successful show and managed to let your hair down a little too.

We’re taking a wee break from our weekly updates, as well as the podcast, over the weeks of the school summer holidays but we’ll be back in August. Take care meantime and have a super summer. If you get a chance, please also support your local show – the family and I are off to Haddington Show this coming Saturday and it’ll be great to be back.

Warmest regards,

Anna