Young farmer focus: Eleanor Durdy - 'Farming is a way of life that I will never leave'

Eleanor Durdy, 28, works on a family-run arable farm alongside being a criminal barrister.

Childhood

Growing up on a farm was the greatest gift I ever received. I learned to drive before I could touch the pedals, ate mud for breakfast, and learned to ski down piles of wheat not much has changed 20 years later.

My childhood was unique and I grew up surrounded by experiences that some children will never have.

Unfortunately, before now, I have heard of children thinking that chocolate milkshake comes specifically from brown cows and eggs from the supermarket.

That is why I am passionate about giving young people the opportunity to experience farm life and learn where their food comes from.

Education

My aunty is a junior school teacher and her school is actively promoting agriculture to its students by growing their own vegetables and visiting local farms.

I am proud to provide the school with photographs, videos, letters, and grain samples from the farm to assist with their curriculum.

Beyond that, I hope to use my platform as a #FarmingCan ambassador to educate children and non-farmers about what it is to be in agriculture.

In doing so, I also hope to correct misconceptions and stereotypes about farming for young people with the aim of encouraging them to consider a career in agriculture when they might otherwise never have done so.

Challenges

The UK is expected to lose over 20 per cent of farmers before 2030, and two-thirds of young people currently feel that a career in agriculture would not provide them with job satisfaction.

There are a number of challenges already facing young people wanting to get involved in modern agriculture; thinking that you should be a white man and born into a farming family to be a farmer shouldnt be one of them, nor should anyone be led to believe that bread just comes from a shelf.

Opportunities

What can we do? You do not have to be a farmer to be a Young Farmer.

I was born into a farming family, but my membership with Young Farmers also taught me how to flower arrange (loosely, my mother would say), judge cattle, and even brick lay.

I would encourage anybody to get involved with young farmers because of the opportunities it presents and the lifetime friends it will provide. It also gives people skills for life and develops confidence.

I have built a second career as a barrister and I owe much of my public speaking skills to Young Farmers.

Rewarding

So to all you young, aspiring farmers out there do not give up. This job can be so rewarding.

I am proud to say that I have taken another path to run alongside agriculture, but farming is a way of life that I will never be able to leave.