’We need young blood if we’re going to keep going. We desperately could do with some younger members,’ says Lady Farmers secretary, Angela Southern.

The group was started in the 1960s by the late Mary Cringle: ’She started it because she was fed up of staying in on her own while Noel was out at meetings and there nothing on for ladies.

’It started out in 1965 as the Lady Young Famers initially and it tended to be more young farmers but we dropped the ’Young’ a few years ago and we’re just Lady Farmers group now.’

The group is essentially a social organisation, meeting once a month from October to March, traditionally less busy times in the farming calendar.

’Our meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month. Our first meeting in October is always the AGM and that’s followed by a beetle drive, but our second meeting, in November, is a trip to Fynoderee Gin Distillery,’ says Angela.

Members are from all over the island and you don’t have to be a ’lady farmer’ to join: ’The majority of us are but it’s for anyone really with an interest in the agricultural/horticultural world,’ says Angela.

You can find more information on the Lady Farmers (Isle of Man) Facebook page.