Visit to Dumfries House Home Farm

In a joint meeting with the Retired Farmers group, the SWSGS paid a visit to the Home Farm at Dumfries House, near Cumnock on Tuesday, 13th February by kind permission of the Farm Manager, Mr. John Rowell who kindly showed us around together with his wife, Denise. 

Included in the visit was the new MacRobert Farming and Rural Skills Centre recently opened by His Majesty the King in September 2023. The centre features two indoor teaching spaces, areas for laboratory work and a working barn.  The facility gives students interested in agriculture the opportunity to engage in practical real-life scenarios by way of day visits and residential courses.

After the farm tour the prize winners of the 2023 forage competition were announced. 

This was judged in early December with a record number of seventeen farms selected for final judging by William Fleming of Germinal. The Society is very grateful to Willie who gave his time and expertise over five days to this very time-consuming task. Thanks are due also to the committee members who chauffeured the judge, namely Peter Cowan, Katherine Marr and Andy Nelson. 

The SWSGS is also extremely grateful to the main sponsor, Corteva Agriscience UK Ltd., as well as the other sponsors, namely Glasson Grain, Jack Lamb Agriculture, Watsons Seeds Ltd., and Mr. Drew Watson.