Guest Blogger: Sian Grove
I’ve always had a passion for animals, and had initially hoped to become a vet, but when I failed chemistry at A-level, I started looking at other options, which is why I studied Bioveterinary Science at Chester.
After graduating in 2019, I moved back home, to the Isle of Wight, and changed my entire career path!
I first got into farming after university, through my local young farmers club - initially joining the club to make some new friends. I ended up really enjoying the farming side of things, and then when lockdown hit in April 2020, my friend had some orphan lambs that she offered to me to keep, so I kept them in my back garden and bottle fed them 4 times a day! The passion for farming and agriculture only grew from that point. I had my first year lambing my own sheep in spring 2022, which was amazing! I was so proud of the sheep that I had raised, and even cried when the first ewe gave birth to twins! Since then, I have created an Instagram account - @sians_woolly_wonders in which I help educate the public, and other likeminded farmers on what goes on in sheep farming. I have been lucky enough to feature on BBC news, and BBC Solent radio to talk about and promote farming and agriculture.
Since joining the club, Young Farmers Club has become a passion of mine, and I was asked to join the committee in 2020, and last autumn I was voted in as Chairwoman of the club. Our key aim of the club is to remove the stigma that you must be the child of a farmer to join. The club is for anyone interested in the countryside, animals, or rural life!
For the support I’ve been giving to the IOW YFC club, I was then nominated as ‘Senior Member of Year’ and won the County round. I'm currently as finalist for the YFC Achiever Awards in the category for 'Young Farmer of the Year', and I shall find out the results at an awards ceremony in November 2024.
Although the sheep are a handful at times, they aren’t my full-time job. My current position is working for the Royal Isle of Wight County Show, as the Secretary, working behind the scenes with the Chairman, and voluntary committee to organise a fantastic County Show.
After being Secretary of YFC for 2 years, I was asked to join the committee of the Gilten Market, which is the islands only livestock market, where the island farmers bring their prize fat-stock for judging and sale. It’s a great event that helps to promote British farming and is a great example of why people should support their local farming communities and buy local.
In September 2023, I put myself forward for the NFU Student and Young Farmer Ambassador programme, which I was very pleased to have been selected for, joining the 2024 cohort. I’m thoroughly enjoying the programme, meeting like-minded and passionate young people, and learning about the different rural sectors.
In July I was delighted to have won 'Rural Young Person of the Year' in the RIWAS Isle of Wight Rural Awards, for my involvement with YFC, the Royal IW County Show, Gilten Market and the NFU.
All my experiences have been incredibly eye opening, making me appreciate what goes on in farming, and the passion and commitment farmers have for their animals, and how we, as a nation, are lucky to have such high animal welfare standards. It’s also been a huge learning curve for me, helping to build my confidence and life experiences, and I’m very lucky to have been able to take part in everything.
I continue to be an advocate of farming, and stand to prove that you don't have to come from a farming family to get into the industry and be successful!