RXW43
December 01, 2023
Our final Rural Week at Bicton for 2023 started on Sunday 26th November with a visit from our Chairman and Heather our new Operations Manager who joins Team HighGround in December.
8 HighGrounders from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and RAF joined us – first time all 3 Services were represented and also our first Rural Week with all serving personnel. What a way to start the week..!
Chris Shepherd had put together another busy programme which started on Monday morning with an introduction to plant machinery and agricultural engineering by Andy Daw, followed by a visit to Toby Taylor from RSPB to learn about Environmental Conservation.
Then it was off to Forest School from The Outdoors Group before heading to Woodbury Park to meet Terry Farkins and Andy George who gave an excellent presentation about Greenkeeping and the routes into it.
Harvey Salmon RM was our evening speaker to round off a busy first day.
Tuesday morning started with a visit to Pullhayes Farm to meet Jim Pyne. Then it was off to Haldon Forest Park to meet Josh Stephen and learn about the work of the Forestry Commission. Rodney Hall’s organic veg and crop production on his smallholding was also a great insight into working for yourself.
Then it was back to Bicton for online presentations by Zoe Elliott of Careers in Racing and Ross Hocking from PGL about their industries and how to get into them. Jeff Green kindly returned as evening speaker to give his Dry Stone Walling talk which was very enthusiastically received.
An early start on Wednesday to meet Tom Garner Wildlife Manager at Clinton Devon Estates before Chris turned the minibus to Killerton to meet Head Gardener Karl Emelius for an insight into working for the National Trust. John Wilding Deputy Chief Executive at Clinton Devon Estates gave his usual fascinating overview of the Forestry industry and then it was back to Bicton for plant operations with Steve and Ben; an opportunity to handle telehandlers, diggers and much more..
Thanks to Pete for his evening speaker session at the end of another busy day.
Thursday morning meant a visit to Debbie Kingsley at South Yeo Farm West to learn about Smallholding followed by a visit to meet Mark Rees from Gotland Gin and then back to Bicton for Matt and Kirsty from Hi-Line Training and finally Ian Bowler rounded off the week’s presentations with another excellent insight into Rural Estate Management. Even by our standards a very busy day..!
Friday morning saw Jamie Ranson from Langore Tree Services a Rural Week Alumni gave a brilliant insight into self-employment on Friday morning and then after Chris Shepherd’s next steps and debrief, it was time to say goodbye and safe home to our HighGrounders.
We thank everyone who hosted, presented and spoke as they shared their previous knowledge, contacts and experience with such generosity and special thanks to everyone at Bicton who has looked after us again so well this year.
Last word:
A valued insight into the rural sector. I feel I have a good group of contacts for when I need more information.
Lots of mythbusting and practical advice.
Royal Marines Colour Sgt. Served 11 years.
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