World weather and woolly jumpers

It has been a long week and it is only Wednesday. CNO HQ is undergoing extensive work to make use of renewables such as solar panels and additional insulation. It is part of the Welsh Government’s eco scheme. If you have not heard about it or have and are considering whether it is worth doing, we would say most definitely. We have been fortunate to have had a great team of men working here for the last fortnight. A little messy but that is the construction industry. Nothing a mop a bucket a broom and a few dust cloths can’t sort out. We have already noticed the difference in temperature. Hopefully we will also see a big difference in bills.

Talking of temperatures, we remember so well the scorching heat at last year’s Royal Welsh Agricultural Show. We had to find shade wherever we could and work in short bursts. It really was intense heat. In contrast this year the opening day started with light drizzle and a cool breeze mixed with some sunshine (Derek eat yer heart out).

We look forward to the show and enjoy the coverage. We meet so many different people who work so hard within the farming industry. It was great to meet so many young people involved in farming and to get their views. It seems they are optimistic about the future of farming in Wales. We must also mention the huge presence of press people who also work hard to cover the show from corner to corner.

A trip to the show would not be complete without a visit to the sheep shearing shed. It is an incredible spectacle watching these young farmers from around the world shearing sheep at high speeds and producing enough fleece for a modest woolly jumper at the end of it. A tip if you are attending this year. Head down to the food village (not to be confused for the Food Hall). It has so much to offer and provides a rest bite from the crowds. A stage with performers, loads of picnic benches, plenty for the children to do and some great food vans.

My thanks go to my assistant at the Show Elkanah Evans who did most of the walking around taking photographs of the many different events, which entertain so many people. If you could not make it have a look at our highlights and pics.

We really are at the mercy of the weather and it has been a week of news involving weather. Spare a thought for those in Rhodes who have lost so much following the wild fires. Let’s hope they can get on top of it and also recover as much as possible. As the rain belts down here in Carmarthenshire we can count our lucky stars that we live in such a wonderful part of the world.