As the 70th British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival is set to take place this weekend, on the 9th and 10th of October, the organisers are watching weather reports closely and hoping the sun will shine at the weekend.
Rain is forecast mid-week but this isn’t expected to affect the 250-acre site at Mindrum Mill, Northumberland, close to the Scottish border. Sue Frith, chief executive of the Society of Ploughmen said: “At the moment, the forecasts look good but it doesn’t worry us anyway – if it does rain, just bring your wellies!”
Ploughmen and women from all over Great Britain will be travelling to Northumberland and one of the ploughers will be host farmer and President of the Society of Ploughmen, Ian Harvey. The other competitors know that he won’t get any preferential treatment, but he does have an advantage in that he knows exactly how the fields will plough, whatever the weather.
There will also be exhibits of vintage machinery, steam engines and horses ploughing, and a host of trade stands from machinery dealers to shopping stalls and crafts. The local young farmers club will also be driving tractors and trailers to act as buses so that visitors can easily get across the site.
For more information go to www.ploughmen.co.uk