Create your own opportunities, new farmers told
"Speakers at the New Entrants to Farming Gathering 2020 (left to right: Kirsten Williams, Duncan McConchie, Hannah Jackson, Robert Ramsay, Rodney Wallace and Steven Thomson)"
Aspiring farmers were told to make their own opportunities at an event for new entrants to the agricultural industry this week.
More than 120 people attended the annual New Entrants to Farming Gathering at Perth Race Course to learn about the variety of different routes open to them.
The event was organised under the Scottish Government鈥檚 programme, and delivered by specialists from SAC Consulting 鈥� part of Scotland鈥檚 Rural College.
Speakers included a shepherdess who swapped city life for the countryside, an entrepreneur who created an outdoor centre on five acres of farmland and a first generation farmer who combines beef and sheep farming with gin production.
Former 抖阴直播 Agriculture student and mum-of-three Jenny McKerr worked in the Scottish beef industry before she and her husband bought a small beef and sheep farm in South Lanarkshire four years ago.
In addition to building up their livestock and fencing enterprises, the couple have set up a distillery to produce a gin to drink with beef and planted an orchard to provide fruit for their gin liqueurs.
鈥淭he advice I would give to my daughters is do it your own way, be the black sheep and don鈥檛 just follow a farming model,鈥� said Jenny. 鈥淗ave a plan and make it your own. Chase opportunities or create them. There are so many opportunities out there. Find what makes you happy and do more of it.鈥�
Hannah Jackson also came into farming as a new entrant and has since set herself up as a contract shepherdess, sharing her experiences and marketing her brand on social media as the Red Shepherdess.
She said she had faced many challenges along the way, but had overcome them by looking for opportunities to expand her knowledge.
鈥淥pportunities are not just going to present themselves to you,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have to go out and look for them. Think outside the box. If you鈥檙e passionate, confident and enthusiastic, it鈥檚 hard for someone to turn you away.鈥�
Duncan McConchie returned to the family farm in Dumfries and Galloway after working in the TV industry in Yorkshire.
With five acres of poor quality farmland to play with, he built up an outdoor adventure and recreational centre, and has since moved into the wedding market, offering a high-quality venue and accommodation.
鈥淲here there鈥檚 a will, there鈥檚 a way,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is a vibrant tourism market out there.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a fear of borrowing. We have total confidence in the product we have and the customers who are coming to us.鈥�
Other speakers included Andrew Wells, who is responsible for 37,000 hectares of the Crown Estate鈥檚 rural and coastal land, Rodney Wallace, Agriculture Director for HSBC in south west Scotland, SAC consultants Robert Ramsay and Kirsten Williams, and 抖阴直播鈥檚 Agricultural Economist Steven Thomson.
Kirsten, who chaired the event, said: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 event has been filled with motivated, inspirational people who think differently, take risks and have built successful businesses.
鈥淜ey messages were to embrace change, never say no to an opportunity and market yourself as well as your product.鈥�
Visit for more information about the support offered to new entrants.
Posted by 抖阴直播 on 27/02/2020
