Stirlingshire Monitor Farm final open summer meeting to focus on foundations for the future  

Booking is now open for the Stirlingshire Monitor Farm open meeting on Friday 31 July. It’s the farm’s final open summer meeting as part of the four-year programme, and attendees will find out how the Duncan family have been building the foundations for the future of their business, their experiences so far and what the future holds.

Christine Cuthbertson, Monitor Farm regional adviser says: “This will be a great opportunity to find out how the Duncan family have got on and what they have achieved – and what’s still to do.

“We also have consultants Emily Grant and Graham Lofthouse joining us, and it will be a very practical afternoon with plenty to discuss.”

The meeting starts at 3pm, with tea and coffee on arrival, then a farm tour with the theme ‘Looking back to look forward’. This will revisit the original objectives for the business’s cattle, sheep and grassland, with a family member discussing each topic and looking at what’s worked well, what could have been better and whether the investment has been worthwhile. Attendees will also discuss what needs to be done next.

During the tour, Emily Grant will discuss silage quality, calf sale dates and cattle handling, while Graham Lofthouse will look at forage crops, soil pH, reseeds and pasture management.

Returning to the farm, the family and attendees will look at identifying future solutions to keep moving forwards – what are the areas to focus on next? Some of the areas for discussion include reducing reliance on purchased feed for the sheep enterprise, further reseeding work and soil fertility improvements, as well as clarifying roles and responsibilities for the family.

Christine adds: “We are looking forwards to welcoming everyone at this summer meeting. A BBQ will follow, so booking is essential.”