The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) is delighted to announce that Jayne Birch from St Columba’s College, Portaferry, is the runner up in the Women in Agriculture (WIA) schools’ competition. Pupils were asked to write a piece or produce a video outlining who inspired their interest in agriculture – you can read Jayne’s winning entry below!
Part of Jayne’s prize includes free entry to the UFU WIA conference next week. The winner of the competition will be revealed on the day.
Jayne's competition entry
My name is Jayne Birch, I am 14 and my inspiration is my mum as she works really hard to keep our farm running and provide for our family.
My mum went to Greenmount College in 1995 – when there were 100 students in her year and she was the only girl. She inspires me every day with her determination, both to look after our family and work hard on the farm. I am lucky to live on a farm on the shores of Strangford Lough, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where we have Beef Shorthorn cattle. Thanks to my mum that I have 3 pedigree Beef Shorthorn cattle of my own! For as long as I can remember, I helped my mum milk cows most days on the farm and helped feed the calves – just like she did when she was younger. When she was a child, she picked the early potatoes before going out to school and when she was 12 years old, she learned how to milk on a neighbouring farm. My mother also grows, bales and wraps silage and hay on the farm and grows barley. During the summer I went to Greenmount for a three-day tractor driving course, inspired by my mother, so I can take over the baling and wrapping when I’m 17. I go to the same Young Farmers Club as my mum. When she was there, she did cattle judging, as well as growing potatoes on club land and selling the potatoes for charity which pleased her as caring for others is also very important to her.
My mum helped me to discover my passion for farming and agriculture, and now when I finish school, I want to be a farmer like her, go to Greenmount Agricultural College to study agriculture and land-based engineering. She really is my inspiration.
My name is Jayne Birch, I am 14 and my inspiration is my mum as she works really hard to keep our farm running and provide for our family.
My mum went to Greenmount College in 1995 – when there were 100 students in her year and she was the only girl. She inspires me every day with her determination, both to look after our family and work hard on the farm. I am lucky to live on a farm on the shores of Strangford Lough, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where we have Beef Shorthorn cattle. Thanks to my mum that I have 3 pedigree Beef Shorthorn cattle of my own! For as long as I can remember, I helped my mum milk cows most days on the farm and helped feed the calves – just like she did when she was younger. When she was a child, she picked the early potatoes before going out to school and when she was 12 years old, she learned how to milk on a neighbouring farm. My mother also grows, bales and wraps silage and hay on the farm and grows barley. During the summer I went to Greenmount for a three-day tractor driving course, inspired by my mother, so I can take over the baling and wrapping when I’m 17. I go to the same Young Farmers Club as my mum. When she was there, she did cattle judging, as well as growing potatoes on club land and selling the potatoes for charity which pleased her as caring for others is also very important to her.
My mum helped me to discover my passion for farming and agriculture, and now when I finish school, I want to be a farmer like her, go to Greenmount Agricultural College to study agriculture and land-based engineering. She really is my inspiration.
