So much for flaming June, and while July gave us brief hope of a lovely British summer the combines are, as I write, being tucked up back in the shed until this miserable weather passes, writes Tory Lugsden.

We’ve slowed the YFC pace down now to give the members a rest and allow those in the farming industry to gather the harvest in, once the weather behaves.

We wish all of our farming members, supporters and the rural community a happy and, most importantly, healthy harvest.

At the beginning of the month we held our Emerald Anniversary Ball at Trinity Park along with the presentation of awards for the year. Huge thanks to Ernest Doe for their event sponsorship.

We had a lovely summer’s evening at Trinity Park with the members celebrating an extremely busy year. Hadleigh YFC were delighted with their huge haul of trophies from a successful year of competitions; we will see at our AGM if they add to their cupboard!

The Fram Farmers wheat competition was judged this year by ex-president Ian Bryce and Brian Ross from Frontier Ag. Ian and Brian had the hottest day of the year for their trip around the farms of the county and had a tough job on their hands with some very good crops of wheat.

The senior winner, for the third year running, was Bob Wrinch of Stowmarket YFC, with David Boden of Halesworth taking the runner-up spot.

The junior competition was won by Oliver Styles of Gipping Valley with second prize going to Katie Squirrell of Brett Valley.

So now we look back on the events of the last membership year and review the things we have done and look at where we would like to go this coming membership year, starting in September.

Plans are in place to start a new junior club to cover the area on the north/east side of Bury St Edmunds.

This club will be for 10- to 16-year-olds from the area along the A143 from Bury St Edmunds towards Diss, picking up the Pakenham, Walsham Le Willows, Stanton, Norton areas. We will be looking to start this in late October so if you are interested please e-mail office@suffolkyoungfarmers.com .

Looking back on our events we have had our most successful year for many years. Our membership has finished at 293 which is our highest since 2005 and the clubs have been strong throughout the county.

Our highlights have included the Bake Off competition, bale sculptures, the very first YFC nativity and turkey competition, a fantastic pair of rallies and the country fair which, despite inclement weather, was an amazing show and gave the members the chance to showcase what Young Farmers is about and introduce agriculture to those who haven’t had a chance to get up close to big machinery in the past. Save the date for next year – Sunday, April 17, 2016.

Helen, our junior development officer, and I are now revving up for our last event of the year with our annual junior campout. This year we are off to the seaside and fingers crossed for sunshine. If anyone needs us, we will be stacking up sleep in advance!