This week we’re taking a look at some of the events and highlights of the farming calendar over the last 12 months.

In March, to everyone’s delight, the Young Farmers’ concert returned to the Villa after an absence of two years.

Also in March an auction in aid of the Ukraine Appeal was held at the Mart. The highlight was the exceptional Limousin bull from Jonathon Quine and family which the Mart had bought with many £100 donations from customers and friends and which sold at £3,500. In all the event raised more than £7,000.

The Southern Show took place for the second year at Orrisdale Farm, courtesy of the Kermode family, who have worked hard to make this a really good venue for the event. To say the weather was not kind would be a slight understatement: a downpour of biblical proportions left everybody soaked on the first day. It was so bad even the Yellow Helicopter couldn’t take off.

But it couldn’t dampen the spirits for those who made it to the final line up for judging the Supreme Champion, an honour that went to the Creer family and their Texel ram, Corras Dundee.

They went on to ‘do the double’, also winning the Supreme title at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show. That was only two weeks later but the weather could not have been more different as the sun shone on one of the hottest days of the year and the event saw some record crowds.

Also in August, Zoe Hampton and her family cheered us all up with their wonderful field full of sunflowers.

The crowds turned out again in September for the Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival

The Chough Awards which recognise farmers’ contributions to the environment were announced in October and David Cooil was the Large Farm and Overall winner. Interestingly, the headline ‘Dung Beetles help David to Chough Award win’ was the most viewed that week on our Isle of Man Today website.

Who would have thought that would ever happen?

At the Prime Stock Show and Carcase Show in November Trevor Quirk swept at the board with his prime beef cattle, taking Champion and Reserve Champion in the Cattle Section at the Prime Stock Show and Champion and Reserve Champion at the Carcase Show a few days later. At the beginning of December 75 decorated tractors took to the roads to parade around the island in this year’s Christmas Tractor runs, organised by the Isle of Man Young Farmers’ clubs. They were led by newly elected Young Farmers’ president, Nicci Cain, who heads an all-female committee for the coming year.

The farming year ended on a joyous note with the Annual Christmas Poultry Show at the Mart. After carol singing to the music of the Crosby Silver Band, there were bargains to be had with turkeys, geese and chickens going under the hammer.