Member of the Month – Nairnshire Farming Society & Nairn Farmers’ Show

Nairnshire Farming Society was formed in 1798, and as such is one of Scotland’s oldest farming societies.
They celebrated their 200^th Summer show in 2019. They are an opt-in BID member and we are happy to have them as this month’s Member of the Month, marking a welcome return after Covid put a stop to events.
I sat down with Nairnshire Farming Society’s secretary, Claire Cameron, to discuss what’s being going on during the show’s hiatus and how things are going with the Nairnshire Farming Society.

Claire has been Secretary for 5 years and manages the day to day running of the Society and the Show. She is also a full-time nurse and runs a farm on the Black Isle with her husband.
The NFC has 24/25 members, including farmers, nurses, vets and businessmen. There are also young farmers’ section from 14-30. Bi-monthly Zoom calls ensured members stayed in contact and organised during Covid. This proved invaluable when isolation was an issue for many. Farming is quite a solitary profession, and the enforced distancing of the pandemic made it a lonely time for many. The ability to have the video meetings allowed discussion and a little human interaction and support in a time of need. The society’s ethos is to promote agriculture in Nairnshire, encourage young people in farming and to educate people about agriculture, so that they can understand the process of where their food comes from. The Nairn Farmers’ Show is a great way to achieve all of these and showcase the best of Nairnshire’s farming to the wider public.

The NFS used to hold several smaller events across the year in days gone by but over time these have been condensed into the main Farmers’ Show in the summer. The NFS now aims to hold 3 events over the year, an AGM formal dinner in February, the Show, and a trophy award evening in October. This year’s Farmers’ show is on 30^th of July from 9am to 5pm with the Show Dance starting at 9pm that evening.

The Farmers’ Show is a wonderful way to get local people and visitors engaged and entertained but it also benefits the wider economy of the town. Local accommodation owners benefit from judges and guests staying with them, local suppliers benefit from sponsoring and selling at the show and the town benefits from the surge of people that come to visit the show and then shop in the town. Claire explained that the downtime has allowed for more planning to bring the show back to Nairn in a big way in a new location.
The NFS now has a new showfield, Davidson Park, which is closer to town, allows for better access to visitors and exhibitors with ample parking and lots of room. The show will have marquee tents which will also provide shelter should the Scottish weather decide to be unfavourable. There will be craft stalls, a food fair, contests (including a new scarecrow competition), a world class farrier demonstration along with educational stands, family entertainment and food demonstrations. It will be a great event with something for everyone.