Who are you going to check-in with?

Nature keeps giving.... October has gone by so quickly and we are moving towards when the clocks change from British Summer Time to GMT. I recently wrote an article for the NFU (National Farmers'​ Union) British Farmer and Grower Magazine and given the media attention on farming one paragraph is worth repeating here. 

 "It has been a difficult farming year for everyone financially and with all the change and change again in the policy world around us. From the policy perspective we are awaiting the Land Use Framework, the Profitability Review led by Minette Batters, the ongoing implementation of the Farm Assurance Review; the Planning and Infrastructure Review, IHT changes, SFI – higher environmental scheme changes and on and on. For most family farms, this is all outside their circle of influence and their circle of control, making it difficult to navigate what this means for this autumn’s planting, plans for the spring, breeding plans and investment going forward. But everyone I listen to is trying to go forward nevertheless, but we need to make sure we are not making all these decisions in isolation. We held an NFU social farm walk on the farm in September. It was brilliant to see so many people stopping for a couple of hours spending time together catching up, relaxing and chatting over a walk, and a bit of food and drink. As Autumn and Winter settle in, we can all play our part in checking in with others in the farming community and our wider rural community. We can checking in with others at the harvest festivals, the market, the pub and the village shop, or for a cup of tea at the kitchen table. It makes a difference." 

 So whatever your week ahead, who are you going to check in with?