If YOU want to see parts of Scotland you have not been to before, get the job of judging the finals of the Scottish Grassland Society's silage competition.
OVER THE centuries, we have witnessed the rise and fall of empire after empire – the Roman Empire; the Mongol Empire with Genghis Khan at its head; the Ottoman Empire; and, more recently, the British Empire, which faded with the passing of the 19th century.
After our recent weather it's certainly starting to seem like a bit of a distant memory now, but – in a definite break from the norm – I spent the first few weeks of this year in climes very different from our own.
Well, I guess that 'a Guid New Year tae ane an' a'' and 'lang may yer lum reek' an' a' that sort of thing might still be in order only a few days after the bells have rung yet another year into our lives.
I GUESS that 2012 will be remembered by most people as a year that promised so much and turned into one of the most – if not THE most – challenging year many Scottish farmers and growers have ever faced.
