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Hay making has eventually got under way (a week earlier than last year!).

It is a huge relief that we have had some sunshine at last to enable us to harvest some decent hay.

It also came right on cue for the Royal Welsh Show, which was in total contrast to the mudbath endured during last year's event.

I did catch a fleeting glimpse of Trebor Edwards rushing around the showground on Tuesday performing his presidential duties. How nice it was that all the hard work leading up to the show had borne fruit and everyone at the show was enjoying the marvellous weather.

I don't know the official attendance figures, but it seemed as though there were excellent attendances for the four days of the show.

On the down side, there were fewer livestock entries this year due to the blue tongue disease movement restrictions.

I was asked to commentate on the Aberdeen Angus beef judging on Monday for S4C Digidol, but when the cattle arrived for judging there were only two Angus bulls present at the show.

It brought home to me the difficulties that we face on a daily basis trying to run our businesses due to factors beyond our control.

In this instance one has to feel sorry for the exhibitors that had spent so much time and effort preparing their livestock for the show, only to have their hopes dashed at the eleventh hour by not being able to take their livestock to the show.

Fresh outbreaks of the blue tongue disease have not occurred to date this year, thankfully, but we all need to remain vigilant and aware of what might happen.

Having said that the practical implications for all of us looking after livestock are great, especially during the current show season and with the autumn sheep breeding sales looming.

Another potential spanner in the works is that we are gearing up to vaccinate for blue tongue strain 8, but there are cases of strain 1 currently in Spain, which the strain 8 vaccine will not cover.

Enough doom and gloom – topping is progressing and is a continuous operation through most of the summer.

Regardless of the type of growing season, one can guarantee that the thistles and nettles grow just as tall!

We have completed sowing the stubble turnips for another year and will shortly be harvesting the arable silage mix.

I recently attended a FWAG farm walk at Llan Ffestiniog owned by Bini Jones, who won the regional round of the FWAG organised Silver Lapwing award.

It was very interesting to see how she managed to run a very difficult farm along commercial lines, sell her meat direct to the public and have the environment at the forefront of the day to day operation of the farm.

The recently renovated stone walls were a credit to her and to the craftsmen that had carried out the work. This was a prime example of how grant funding can benefit rural businesses and help to retain employment in marginal areas.

During the farm walk she also pointed out to me a memorial to the 4th Baron Newborough on her farm, which I was not aware of – these Newboroughs get everywhere!

PS Nice to see the new bridge over the Afon Alwen opened ahead of schedule – well done Carillion. Hopefully things can soon get back to normal and traffic can flow freely again.


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