Each month we ask a young farmer for their views on farming and rural youth. This month we caught up with Euan Mcleod from Strichen
Name: Euan Mcleod
Age: 26
Club: Strichen JAC
Where do you stay? Mains of Hatton, Strichen, Fraserburgh
Do you hold or have you held any office-bearer roles at Young Farmers? In the past I was club chairman and district chairman, and I am currently club president.
Tell us about your background in agriculture: I grew up on the family farm with my parents and older sister a few miles north of Strichen where I went to Rathen primary school then moved onto Mintlaw Academy. We run a closed herd of Simmental cross and Saler cross suckler cows, selling all steers and some heifers as store with the remainder of the heifers being kept for breeding purposes. We have a flock of breeding ewes and sell all our lambs as store. We also grow spring barley aimed for malting.
What do you do for an occupation? I currently work for dad at home where I am also sub-contracted out when things are quieter to a local agricultural contractor M & M Bell doing a wide variety of work including sowing, silage work and spending much of the winter trimming hedges. I also spend the odd early morning spreading salt around local oil yards and supermarket car parks.
What sparked your interest in agriculture? I have always been interested in agriculture from a very young age. Some people say it’s in your blood and I for one definitely agree with them. I have never been interested in any other way of life. When I was younger I always wanted to work abroad on a large-scale arable unit. In October 2012 I fulfilled my dream by travelling to Glenvar, Wongan Hills in western Australia to work for a harvest on a 39,500-acre farm.
What is the most rewarding thing about working in the farming industry? The most rewarding part of the industry for me has got to be harvest time, watching the crop you have worked towards and nurtured for over the past months slide through the combine, or the day seeing a calf being born and watching it progress over time to the day it’s sold or the day it produces its very own calf.
As rural youth, do you think there is something we should be doing additionally or differently within the agricultural sector? As a rural youth I try to take full advantage of our local discussion group meetings, vets meetings and precision farming talks. I would like to see things like these promoted in the future as the information gained from nights like these has great potential.
Where do you see the farming sector in 10 years’ time? With a lot of uncertainty in agriculture at the moment it is hard to tell what tomorrow will bring never mind 10 years’ time. Agriculture has come a long way in the past 10 years with a lot more precision farming and I can see this becoming standard in our day to day life, but I would like to see a lot more precision in the beef sector as well with looking at more beef efficiency.
If you could pass on one piece of advice to someone looking to get into the sector what would it be? Take any opportunity you get. You may not get it again.
We can’t end the interview without talking about Young Farmers so tell us about your experience – why did you join? I could not wait to join aged 14 at a club new member’s night after hearing my sister and my friends talk about the places they went to and activities they got up to at club meetings and I have not regretted it in the slightest.
What do you most enjoy about Young Farmers? In the past I have enjoyed lots of things. Being part of winning the Grampian Rally last summer for the first time since 1997 was a great achievement and proud moment for me along with over the past few years being involved in the club sketch in our district entertainments night and also going forward to the Northern Spotlight Competition where for some reason I often get the roll of dressing up and acting like a very convincing female.
Although the list could go on and on I think anybody will agree that any Young Farmer night out or even better, a weekend away will be amongst your most enjoyable experiences, meeting like-minded people from near and far enjoying a few drams and getting up to some fair antics.
How do you feel Young Farmers has impacted your life? My life without Young Farmers would be considerably different. I have travelled the length and breadth of Scotland from a competition weekend in Orkney to the Scottish Association of Young Farmers’ Clubs (SAYFC) 75th celebrations in Glasgow and many north conferences in between. Most of my close friends I have met through Young Farmers and I must not forget it is how I met my girlfriend Samantha.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to join? Get involved. The benefits of SAYFC could only have a good impact on you and will definitely set you up for life.