Think Christmas!

The 28th Royal Welsh Winter Fair at Builth Wells takes place next Monday and Tuesday, November 27 and 28 -another fantastic two days packed full of competitions, festivities and Christmas shopping.

With its eye catching banners, flags and lights: “The Winter Fair is always a fantastic event to look forward to and this year is no different,” says Will Hanks, honorary Winter Fair director.

“With some of the UK’s very best quality livestock on display, the schedule of competitions, classes and auctions is sure to draw the crowds from far and wide.”

Along with the usual packed schedule of competitions, classes, exhibitions and displays the Winter Fair offers the discerning shopper the perfect opportunity to pick up some unique and original Christmas gifts from the hundreds of tradestands situated throughout the showground, including the food hall, which will be packed full of the very best Welsh food producers tempting visitors to try the wide variety of culinary delights on offer.

As always, you can spend the whole day at the showground soaking up the excitement and festive atmosphere, enjoy looking around the demonstrations and exhibitions, listening to the choirs and bands performing throughout the showground and, on the Monday evening, even late night Christmas shopping and another great fireworks display.

Henry’s CV says it all

Lord Henry Plumb, who was the guest speaker last Saturday at a celebration dinner to mark the centenary of the Pembroke County branch of the NFU, was elected to the role of NFU vice-president at the age of 38, and was subsequently NFU president for almost 10 years. Subsequently, he was a member of the House of Lords for more than 30 years and was also the first, and now only, British President of the European Parliament.

The current NFU ,resident, Meurig Raymond, commented: “Lord Plumb’s CV says it all. A career in British agriculture and politics that has spanned 78 years, including being the longest serving NFU president of nearly 10 years.

“Throughout his life, Henry’s two abiding interests have been farming and Europe. As a farmer’s son and devoted stockman, farming was always in his blood. Interest in European co-operation came to him when as a young boy he watched Coventry in flames from the fields of his father’s farm.

“Earlier this month, bowing out of national politics as he gave his farewell speech to the House of Lords, it was somewhat poignant that it should mainly concern British farming and Brexit.

“Henry has considerable concerns about the way things are going and it is a fair bet that his satisfaction at the close of a distinguished political career will be tinged with sadness. At 91, I wish him well in retirement.”

Backing British

Farmer’s made a big impression at the Lord Mayor’s show in London last weekend. By using the canvas of a combine harvester and tractor the National Farmers Union brought its Back British Farming message to the streets of London joining forces with the Worshipful Company of Farmers.

A massive yellow New Holland combine harvester and tractor along with eight young farmers from across England and Wales, highlighted the importance of British farming saying how proud they were to produce our food.

A local sheep farmer said ‘he was thrilled to part of such a spectacle and help fly the flag for British farming and our future farmers’.

It was the 802nd Lord Mayor’s show and the fourth year the NFU has had an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of British food and farming on the streets of London.

Over four million viewers tuned in to BBC1’s live coverage and around half a million spectators lined the streets of London.

A hamper showcasing British produce was presented to the Lord Mayor which included jams and chutneys made from the best British produce plus flour, sugar and a copy of the Countryside Kitchen cook book.

Criminality on the increase

As we lead up to Christmas, rural crime is said to be on the increase and there are reports that some farmers are bringing firearms into their bedrooms at night in order to protect themselves.

One farmer, in Northern Ireland, was recently savagely attacked and the situation in some areas is considered to be in danger of spiralling out of control as people are living in terror. There are reports of farmers bringing firearms into their bedrooms at night in order to protect themselves.

Little wonder when a recent report that 45 per cent of agricultural crime goes unreported shows that there is clearly a lack of confidence in the current policing system.

A tractor without a fuel tank?

Crowds have been in Hanover, Germany, this week for Agritechnica - the world’s largest indoor farm machinery show.

At their sprawling event, Fendt - the well-known German tractor and machinery manufacturer - is showcasing a ‘bright spark’ of innovation from its engineering division.

Fendt claims that its e100 Vario is the first practical, battery-powered tractor that can be used in most day-to-day yard operations without having to be recharged multiple times each day.

The e100 Vario is an all-electric compact tractor with a power output of 50kW (circa 67hp) and can, apparently, operate for up to five continuous hours under ‘real and actual’ conditions.

Moving away from the diesel tank, the 650V lithium-ion battery is charged either with 400V and up to 22kW via a CEE outdoor socket, or recharged up to 80 per cent in just 40 minutes with a supercharging option.

‘Precise control’ of electrically-powered implements (which exist but are, as yet, relatively rare) is promised - thanks to the tractor’s own electrical drive system.

Energy management, including the tractor’s battery information, can be monitored via a smartphone. Functions such as pre-heating in winter or air conditioning in summer can be controlled in advance, when the tractor is connected to the mains supply.

What are the key benefits of such a tractor? Maintenance work and costs are reduced, says Fendt and consumables such as engine oil, filters, AdBlue and diesel are a thing of the past.

Look out for the very quiet e100 Vario which will be out and about around Europe in 2018 in limited numbers, initially on farms and in local authorities.

Well said

“Science makes people reach selflessly for truth and objectivity; it teaches people to accept reality, with wonder and admiration, not to mention the deep awe and joy that the natural order of things brings to the true scientist” -Lise Meitner, Austrian-Swedish physicist who discovered nuclear fission of uranium.

Vet’s advice

A man takes his Rotteweiller to the vet. “My dog is cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him?”

“Well,” said the vet, “let’s have a look at him.”

So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then he checks his teeth. Finally, he says: “I’m going to have to put him down.”

“What? Because he’s cross-eyed?”

“No, because he’s really heavy.”

Flu jab thoughts

How to avoid the flu: Eat right! Make sure you get your daily dose of fruits and veggies. Take your vitamins and bump up your vitamin C. Get plenty of exercise because exercise helps build your immune system. Walk for at least an hour a day, go for a swim, take the stairs instead of the lift, etc. Wash your hands often. If you can’t wash them, keep a bottle of antibacterial stuff around.

Get lots of fresh air. Open doors and windows whenever possible. Try to eliminate as much stress from your life as you can.

Get plenty of rest. or take the doctor’s approach.

Think about it... When you go for a shot, what do they do first? They clean your arm with alcohol...

Why? Because alcohol kills germs.