At Bridgwater & Taunton College, Rodway Farm is an essential educational resource that compliments and reinforces in-class academic learning. All of our students are provided with practical work and management experience through their course.

The daily farming operations throughout the year are carried out by students with supervision and support from staff. Students fundamentally play an important role in all aspects of the Farm’s operation, including enterprise development and management, production, equipment maintenance, and financial planning. The farm supports practical, hands-on education for students in sustainable agriculture and foods systems.

Student’s diary notes for this month are as follows, I would like to thank Beth, Charlotte and Katie for their student column contribution and wish them well as they move onto the next stage in their careers. Sol, Ben and Zack will carry on for the next year along with some new recruits in the new academic year in September.

Beth Toogood

I can’t believe how quickly the past two years at college have gone. It's flown by and I have loved every minute of it… from extending my agricultural knowledge to making some friends for life. I am looking forward to starting my summer job and I will be traveling to New Zealand next year to work as an agricultural contractor as well as travel around the country. I am very happy with all aspects of college it has been an excellent experience.

I would like to thank the college for everything they have helped me with. From gaining confidence in subjects to getting the grade I want to leave college with to fulfil my future in agriculture.

Charlotte Scott

Our time at Cannington is almost at an end, as we head into the final few weeks. With all our lectures finished, it’s all about focusing on our assignments and the future. I am ensuring all my assignments are at a level of which I need to help me secure my university place for September. As well as being at college I have also been up visiting universities where I am hopefully going to be studying Rural Enterprise and Land Management, trying to decide on my accommodation options, as well as meeting some of my new lecturers.

On top of concentrating on my college work I am also starting to prepare for the Young Farmers National Junior Member of the Year Finals, where I will be representing Somerset and the South-West of England. For which I have to prepare a Personal Statement, Curriculum Vitae and Presentation about how I am involved outside and within Young Farmers. These writing skills will also help me with future workplaces.

Sol Perry

During my time at college I have recently finished my last lambing duties, we have also had a college Lambing Fun Day where the public came to see what was happening on the farm and see the newborn lambs. I am really enjoying my course and aim to achieve the best. At my work placement I have done over 500 hours and I am working there twice a week, learning something new every day. I will be busy with silage season which is fast approaching.

Ben Peters

As the weather starts to change to the spring sunshine the farm practical’s are also altering. Lambing at the farm is coming to an end after weeks of busy days and all night shifts endured by students. Now the ewes and lambs are out on to their spring grazing.

Mechanisation practicals are changing alongside the Livestock practicals. We are spending less time in the workshop, servicing the machinery and spending more time out in the fields and in the tractors. An important job now is getting the farmyard manure out on to the fields so that the grass can grow in time for the silage to be cut and brought in, in May.

Zack Penter

During this term at college we have had a lot to do especially with Lambing Fun Day and lambing duties which has kept us really busy and were some of the best parts of the year so far. Also during practical lessons we have done things like muck hauling, plough maintenance, lambing ringing and castrating. During Lambing Fun Day there were over five thousand visitors and the YFC which I am a member of had their own stand to raise money for teenage cancer trust and later on next term YFC are doing grass to maize which is another charity event.