We will all miss the Royal Highland Show this year – the business, the appreciation of livestock, the connectivity, but most of all we'll miss the craic.

That is the main reason why the farming population love this show. The general public will miss it too, but farmers will feel that pang every day of what would have been the show days of next week. For many of them, it is there 'summer holidays' – and a nice to trip abroad would cost half as much!

In this special preview for 'the show that never was', we've tried to connect with those for which it means so much. We've tried to recreate some of that craic ... and we'll do so again in next week's issue.

But, we hope to go even further. Next week, during the three nights of what would have been the show (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), we'll be having our own TSF Kist Party featuring guest appearances by some of the best of farming talent and input from across the sector. Don't miss it ... we'll be hosting it on our website.

Let us not forget, too, that this would have been a special year for the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. This would have been its 60th year based at Ingliston – incredibly, it bought the site for £55,000 in 1959, when it cost more than than to stage the annual event at stations around the country.

Also, it was to be the 180th show in its long distinguished service to the agricultural industry. It is almost a crying shame that those two meetings of the calendar will not be fully recognised at a functioning flagship event. Our thoughts go out to those who have expended so much in the planning for this event, from the organisers, livestock exhibitors and trade stand holders.

But, the show must go on – and so we'll see you all there next year!

Ken Fletcher, editor of The Scottish Farmer