Blog Post
Mentoring, what’s it all about?
28 October 2022
Describing my mentoring journey has been difficult to put in a few words but here goes:
What does mentoring mean to you? When I asked this question on my social media channels last night, the comments included ‘be a listener to people’s ideas and provide them with support to help succeed’ , ‘Inspiring you on your career journey’, ‘Providing knowledge and skills to help someone else’.
Over the last ten years I’ve had three experiences with mentoring, orchestrated by different farming focussed organisations. All with the same purpose but delivered in slightly different ways.
Firstly through The Henry Plumb Foundation. After finishing as NFYFC chairman in 2013 I wanted to continue my passion of communicating the supply chain from field to fork and put together an application to fund a project called ‘Adding value to rare breed pig meat’.
Being married to a farmer but not originally from a farming background, I wanted to have my chance to rear my own livestock, follow the whole process through until finishing and then market the meat via a meatbox scheme as well as promoting the whole supply chain. In addition learn about what added value products could be created through smoking and curing.
As part of the Foundation’s aims and objectives, recipients of grant funding also have the opportunity to be matched with a mentor to help provide guidance, support and experience in the chosen sector, to help succeed in the project or study.
After successfully applying and attending a ‘pig in a day course’ and a ‘smoking and curing course’ at the School of Artisan Food I was ready to purchase my own pigs and get my hands dirty!
So the Foundation matched with industry expert, Cumbrian farmer and entrepreneur John Geldard whose family business has developed into a successful farm shop (Plumgarths), an egg laying business, beef production and much more.
Having the opportunity to go behind the scenes of John’s enterprises was invaluable. His wise words, his friendship and trusted guidance, it all really helps. Doors and introductions have been made, and 10 years on we are still firm friends who keep in touch and updated one another with what’s been happening in the world.
My next exposure of mentoring came in 2015/16 when I was a part of the Tesco Future Farmers Foundation A year long course, spread out over 2-day sessions helping with business development, team building, strategy planning and behind the scenes of food processing businesses across the country.
As part of the outcomes from the programme, we were matched with industry experts who complimented our skill sets. I was matched with Norfolk based Communications guru Susie Emmett at Green Shoots.
Susie helped me with my early days video production learning, to navigate my way through a new job role after I got married, and tackle a few work related challenges along the way. I remember she even cold-called the office I was working in at the time to test the water and see if we were delivering what we said we were, then give me some constructive advice and feedback - golden!
More recently, I signed up to the Women in Food and Agriculture initiative instigated by Agri Briefing and supported by AllTech as one of the industry partners. At this point in time of registering my industry I was self employed and my business was really taking off. I wanted to help find support to strike a better work/life balance with raising a young family and the juggling that being a Farmers wife brings.
Boy I was so fortunate to be matched with Clare Fahey, Global Brand and Strategic Projects Manager at AllTech. Whilst Clare is based in Ireland, we’ve had 9 teams calls over the last year or so to help me navigate my way through rapid business and personal growth. Clare has been a confidential sounding board, a mother of young children and a farmers wife like me and can relate to the challenges I’ve been facing and put some boundaries in place so I don’t feel so overwhelmed. She has also made some introductions for me with Aileen Baron of Green Acre Marketing . Aileen has followed a similar journey, with her business taking off whilst having young children and a farm. She’s built up a successful team to help manage her growing Agri marketing business and was open to sharing some insight of the do’s and don’ts.
Clare and I plan to meet up next year. She’s nominated me for a Women in Technology Award and whilst it would be incredible to be recognised in a non- ag arena for the award, I can’t wait to share a glass of wine with her as we’ve built up a firm friendship. She fights my corner and cheers me on. I often need that confidence boost when working on my own.
So watch this space as my mentoring journey continues. One day I’d like to put the boot on the other foot and mentor someone. Give back and share some of my experiences, open a few doors, make friendships, be that listening ear.
Who knows what the future holds… but mentoring provides you with some many things, it’s often difficult to write everything down in one blog post and express what it’s all about. I hope I’ve done it justice!
A huge thank you to John, Susie and Clare for all their help, guidance and support
Other News / Blog Stories
Northamptonshire Farming Entrepreneur Milly Fyfe® ARAgS will head up a new radio show called ‘Tastes of the Shire; exploring Northampton’s food and farming scene from field to fork’ airs for the first time on Saturday 1st June. The show will feature a variety of interviews with grassroots farmers, producers, makers and foodies from Northampton and the surrounding countryside, to discover what is made, produced, sold and available to enjoy around the local area. Milly commented ‘I have a real passion for sharing amazing stories interviewing inspiring people who grow, rear, and process the food and drink we can enjoy, found right on our doorstep. I hope to take you all on a culinary journey exploring the people behind the farm gate, shop counter, restaurant kitchen and factory wall to discover what makes Northampton taste great.’ The show launch coincides with Northamptonshire Food and Drink Week , which is a campaign to bring people together to celebrate the food and drink scene across the county. Available on 106.9FM, NLive Radio is Northampton’s local radio station and hosts a variety of different music, business and specialist shows including Open4business, 90’s, R&B, rock and the Golden Hour. Station Manager Martin Steers commented ‘We are very excited to welcome a new food and farming show to our station, packed full of engaging conversations with local businesses, producers and food brands. Milly has really grasped the opportunity and we hope that many people tune in to learn more’. The Tastes of the Shire radio show with Milly Fyfe will air on the 1st Saturday of each month, 3-5pm on NLive Radio, the station that loves Northampton. Notes Who is Milly Fyfe ® ARAgS? Milly is from Yelvertoft ( Northamptonshire) and farms with her husband Andrew alongside their two young sons, where they rear beef cattle, sheep, arable crops a few pigs and a kitchen garden. Milly has a background in Marketing and PR and also founded a social enterprise called No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents CIC , helping more people to cook from scratch using local, seasonal produce. In 2023, Milly was awarded an associateship from the Royal Agricultural Societies , farming’s equivalent of an MBE, for her work connecting consumers with UK food production. She is also the current NNBN Northamptonshire business person of the year, a silver Local Food Hero through Northamptonshire Food and drink awards, has a podcast called The Countryside Kitchen meets and was recently recognised by Small Business Britain as a top 100 female entrepreneur in the UK. You can find out more about Milly on social media using the handle @ MillyFyfe on Twitter and Instagram or @MillyFyfeOfficial on Youtube , Facebook and Tiktok . About NLive radio NLive Radio is the local radio station for all the people of Northampton, it operates under a not-for-profit community radio license from Ofcom which is held by and run in partnership with the University of Northampton. All the presenters are volunteers made up individuals from across the community, including staff and students from the University. The station broadcasts on 106.9fm across Northampton, online at nliveradio.com and it's on dedicated smart phone app, as well as on smart speakers via “Launch N Live Radio”
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A collaborative farming industry event taking place on 27th February at 1 birdcage walk with TIAH, CARAS, IAGRM, FCN and the Farmers Club under 35's
Here is is the 2 minute clip which was produced and shared across social media to highlight the harvest on our farm - Enjoy!
