This is a very belated blog, having found out I can call myself an agronomist over a month ago, however the relief I felt has not begun to wear off. The last few weeks have been filled with final visits to crops, pre-harvest meetings, internal meetings, our conference to prepare for next season and a surprisingly sunny break in Wales. Whilst the delayed harvest is frustrating (I’ll try to avoid talking weather), it is exciting to see the general success of those who have started and I am excited to see the results of exciting projects, such as the understory of white clover.
Certain team members (thanks Damian!) have been keen to inform me that now the hard work really begins. However, for someone who is just beginning their career the everyday tasks of an agronomist are shiny new and exciting, making a pleasant change from the revision and ever looming deadline I had experienced previously.
One of the joys of working in agriculture is that you get an opportunity for a fresh start every year. Whilst most people save their resolutions
for the 1st of January, normally accompanied by a heavy head, in agriculture we get to start again each autumn. Like heading back for a fresh school year, we can sharpen our pencils and plan for all the changes we would like to implement this year. This is especially true for me, where new year, new me will be very relevant as I transition from my focus on qualifying, to applying what I have learnt and continue to learn to be the best agronomist I can be. Whilst BASIS sets you up in a lot of ways technically for the challenges of agronomy, being a good agronomist requires so many more diverse skills and there are a lot of practical everyday tasks that need getting to grips with.
July also brought a fresh start for Indigro, with us welcoming two new members. Chloe Lockhart and Simon Watson are very exciting additions to the team, bringing with them extensive experience of the industry, enthusiasm for agronomy and passion to help our clients. So with two new employees having recently started at Indigro, it seems only fair to hand over the mantel of this blog to one of them. Keep a close eye on our twitter and website to see who that may be.
Whilst I am handing over this blog, there may be something else in the pipeline for myself, so once again keep a close eye on our Twitter and Website and watch this space. It has been a pleasure to have the opportunity to share my training and I would like to take the opportunity to thank the team in writing for the time they have dedicated to my training and personal development, which I look forward to trying to payback over the next few years! I have enjoyed the excuse to look back on my first blog and realise how much I have changed in a year. I feel proud I can now make it past 9pm most evenings, I have given up hope I could ever be glamorous (it is overrated anyway), and I still don’t make the same commute every morning, I never know when/ where I will get my lunch and I don’t punch out at 5pm… long may it stay that way!
Bring on the next chapter!
Charlotte Cook
Agronomist
Indigro
