It's something quite special for Caithness: 100 years of Young Farmers

About this recording

Scotland’s Young Farmers movement marked its centenary in 2023, with Caithness rightly at the forefront of the celebrations. The first Young Farmers club in the country was formed at a meeting in Lanergill school (between Watten and Spittal) in April 1923.

One hundred years on, the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) has more than 3500 members spread across three regions. There are more than 70 clubs nationwide, with three still going strong in Caithness: Bower, Forss and Halkirk.

In this joint interview, cousins Derek Douglas and Sandy Douglas reflect on their involvement in the Young Farmers and highlight some of the many benefits of being part of the movement. They also give a summary of the centenary activities held in Caithness over the course of the year.

Derek is a former member of the Bower club. Sandy was a member of both Bower and Halkirk and chaired the 100th anniversary committee. They talk about the educational and competitive elements of being Young Farmers as well as the social and fun aspects. “Maybe I didn’t realise it at the time but I picked up a lot of skills that have come in very handy in later life,” Sandy points out. Derek agrees, saying: “You are learning the whole time, even if you don’t think it.”

Derek researched the origins of the Caithness Young Farmers and outlined some of the history when he gave a speech at a gathering at Lanergill school (now a private home) where a commemorative stone was unveiled in a doorway. For example, the first task for members in 1923 was a pig-rearing competition.

The high point of the 100th anniversary events in Caithness was a well-attended centenary ball in November at the Assembly Rooms in Wick. “It was a very big occasion for us all,” Sandy says. “It gave us all a chance to get out of the manky working clothes and get spruced up for a night.”

Sandy also reveals how in the 1990s he won a “Mr Young Farmer” competition, organised by the Watten club and held at the Waterfront nightclub in Wick. As it was a one-off event, Sandy is still, after all these years, the proud holder of the Mr Young Farmer title. “It basically involved the competitors humiliating themselves as much as possible,” he recalls. “I was obviously the best of a bad bunch!”

Anyone who might be interested in joining one of the three SAYFC clubs in the county can find out more on the Caithness District Young Farmers Facebook page.

The photo shows Derek Douglas (on the left) and Sandy Douglas after the unveiling of the Young Farmers’ 100th anniversary commemorative stone at the former Lanergill school - courtesy of Robert MacDonald, Northern Studios, Wick.