Wales Farmer July 2012 YFCs 23 Youngsters get ahandle on buffalo farming


YFC members representing the Glamorgan and Clwyd federations recently visited the North Wales Buffalo Farm and Reaseheath College as part of anew Wales YFC project supported by the Rural Youth Trust. The Next Generation project aims to establish junior rural affairs committees within YFC county federations in the hope that these members will go on to represent their federations on the Wales YFC rural affairs committees and to represent Wales YFC at external meetings and activities. The project also aims to provide opportunities to learn through experience and practical interaction within the agricultural industry. At the North Wales Buffalo Farm, the 11 members learned about buffalo farming and how the business started. They heard how the business has adapted over the years, changing from producing milk to meat, the marketing of the product, the on-farm butchery and plans for the future.


REAL-LIFE LESSON: YFC members and leaders on the visit.


Members travelled on to Reaseheath College for an overnight stay and taster sessions of the different courses available including agriculture, countryside, engineering and animal management.


They were also given the opportunity to take part in apractical session in both the machinery workshop and the pig unit. Wales YFC rural affairs committee chairman, Marc Jones, said:“This


project is all about enthusing the junior members of Wales YFC about rural affairs. Ihope to see many members involved in the project representing Wales YFC at various events and meetings in years to come.”


Volunteers to Czech out communitylife


■ International opportunity pilot project


By Anwen Humfrey


SEVEN members of Wales YFC representing the Ynys Môn, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire


and


Pembrokeshire federa- tions will travel to the Czech Republic in August to join an international


volunteer project. As part of the Wales YFC


international programme,mem- bers will spend 10 days helping out on an organic farmand maintaining areas


of the


Camphill community,wherea civic association tries to create a home forpeople with learning difficulties,running aday centre and aresident project forpeople with special needs. Alison


Dunn, UNA


Exchange’svolunteer abroad coordinator,said: “Weare really pleased to be working with Wales YFC on this,our pilotgroup project. “This opportunity will allow


young people from the Czech Republic and Wales to share


CHANCE TO TRAVEL: YFC members and UNA representatives. Back, from left –Steffan Evans, Martin Roberts, Alison Dunn and Sheila Smith. Front –Mererid Davies, Einir Ryder, Mari Jones, Fay Brickell and Rhys Williams.


ideas,workand live alongside each otherand hopefullyform lasting friendships. “Wehope thatthis style of


group exchange will be the first of manywhich sees young Welsh people taking part in internation- al volunteer experiences which can benefit both local and inter- national communities.”


Leading the group will be Martin Roberts,24,


from


Bodedern YFC,YnysMôn. “Asateam we arepaying for


all expenses associated with the opportunity ourselves and are currentlylooking forany kind of support, small or large,from business to help contribute towardsthe cost of our flights


etc,”said Martin whoworks for GwyneddCounty Council. “If anyone is able to help in


anyway they should contact myself via the Wales YFC Centre in Builth Wells on 01982 553 502.” Travelling with Martin will be,


Rhys Williams,21, aYFC mem- ber in Dwyran, Ynys Môn, and


Mari Jones,20, from Rhosybol YFC,also in Ynys Môn. Mererid Davies,20, and Einir


Ryder,25, both members of Pontsian YFC in Ceredigion, are also part of the group,along with Steffan Evans from Llandeilo YFC in Carmarthenshire, and FayBrickell, 21, from South Pembs YFC in Pembrokeshire.


Organic farm offers foot on ladder


AFARM open daywill be held at Ewan


Brook Farm,


Crickhowell, Powys,onJune 14th foryoung farmers interested in an exciting and unique oppor- tunity which will give them the chance to get on the farming lad- der.


Roger Bufton is providing an opportunity forsomeone to access land, rent-free,toraise livestock on the farm. Roger also wants other farm- ers or landowners whoare inter-


ested in the idea to come along and see if it could work forthem. Wales YFC and Organic


CentreWales have teamed up to promote this opportunity by Roger,who manages the 120- hectareorganic farmwith beef, sheep and arable enterprises. He wants to focus on crops


and is putting the majority of the farminto arotation. However,herecognises the


crucial role livestock plays so he proposes to offer the land under


fertility building leys between 50ha and 60ha each year to a young farmer to run stock. “Experimenting with new


ideas is something of atradition at Ewan Brook Farm,” said Roger. “My father wasone of the first


in Wales to use semen from Charolais bulls on the dairy herd back in 1966 and wasrewarded with prizewinning steers at the fatstock


markets. “Nowit’smyturn to takethe


farminanew direction and at the same time Ireallywant to help youngsters get afoot on the ladder.” Ultimately, he wants to market


the produce through afarmshop on site,but the short termpriori- ty is to get the production system and the business structurework- ing well. Wales YFC is leading the


search forthe right person, or people,totakeiton. MarkJones,Wales YFC rural


For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


affairs committee chairman said: “Wehope thatthis will be asuc- cess and amodel thatother farmers can consider and adopt in order to give young farmers the much needed opportunity to get themselves on the farming ladder.” Organic CentreWales helped


develop the business model as part of the Better Organic Business Links (BOBL) project. Formoreinformation contact KayLewis on 01982 553 502.


£1,000 prize for bright ideas


WALES YFC is encouraging members to get their entries in early forthe chance to win £1,000 through the Welsh Livery Guild Young Farmers Award. “Weare keen to meet with


YFC members whocould really benefit from this awardand who have enthusiasm foragriculture,” said Mr Bryan Marsh, past mas- ter of the Welsh Livery Guild. “Wehope thatthe individual


whowins this award, will be able to develop themselves further, forexample through training or investment in an agricultural project. “Over past six years,wehave


met with anumber of enthusias- tic YFC members whoare work- ing hardtosecureafuturefor themselves in agriculture, and we look forwardtomeet inspira- tional young people again this year.” The winner of the competition


in 2011 wasEdwardJones,a member of Bryncrug YFC in Meirionnydd. Edward wonthe awardtofurther support Caerberllan Shirestud which is a small enterprise focused on breeding quality shires of the traditional type. MarcJones,Wales YFC rural


affairs committee chairman and 2010 winner of the award, said: “The Welsh Livery Guild Young Farmer Awardgivesyoung farm- ers in Wales an ideal start to further


their agricultural


businesses.” Past and present members of


Wales YFC aged between16 and 31 areinvited to produce abrief of no morethan three sides of A4 outlining howthey arework- ing towardsasecurefuturefor themselves in agriculture. The brief should include


details about themselves as an individual, their ideas to improve or develop anew farming enter- prise and aspirations forthe future. The closing date is June 15th.


Contact Kay Lewis at the Wales YFC office on 01982 553 502 for more details.


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