Those three days in September when everyone in the country becomes an expert in all things agricultural. Teenagers, many of whom wouldn’t know an Angus from a Massey, arrive in bus loads. Ladies rarely seen out of high heels lose a few inches as they don designer wellies. Gents who would usually wear pin-stripe suits in an office turn up in jeans and wax jackets.

For me, it means polishing my work boots so as to match a suit and tie. It felt strange the first time I stood as an officer on the IFA ploughing stand. After all, I was a farmer standing in a field talking to other farmers about farming.

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Of course all work and no play does not a ploughing make. It was great putting faces to people I’d only spoken to on the phone, or knew from twitter.

This was my fourth and final year to attend as Environment Committee chair. Issues come and go, but this year the mood seemed more positive. Price pressures, regulations or international politics playing with our future didn’t knock the positivity. Budgets this year might be holding back current capital investments, but farmers are looking to the future. Solar farms, all-singing, all-dancing milking parlours, broadband – the possibilities are endless.

And then there was Macra’s positivity. An organisation that we all owe a debt to for getting us out and meeting people while learning and competing. This year, it decided to focus on positive mental health, with a fundraising calendar with some (ahem) very nice views. There is very effective use of straw bales and farm machinery. Of course, the Macra members weren’t left out of the pictures either.

I can confirm that Macra continues to lift the spirits of rural Ireland. Of course, I bought one of the calendars; it was for a good cause. I needed a suitable location so that I could keep an eye on what day it is, so it now occupies pride of place on the wall of my dairy. Well they are farming scenes, right?