by Angharad Evans, Welsh Language Communications Officer

As the summer turned into autumn, one of the largest international motorsport events was held in Ceredigion.

During the first weekend of September, Rali Ceredigion was held where 130 cars competed along the closed roads of Ceredigion stretching over 105 miles. But did you know that there is a connection between this event and the Union? Let’s find out more from one of the staff at the Union’s Head Office in Aberystwyth:

“Most members know me as Gareth Parry, FUW Senior Policy and Communications Officer, however, some of you will also know that I enjoy rallying in my spare time…

by Lewis Gruffudd

On 8 August, we were saddened to hear that Ionwen Lewis had passed away.  She lived at Werville Grange Farm, Pentre Gat, Llandysul, Ceredigion. She was Chairman of the Ceredigion Branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales in 2005/2006 and Ceredigion's representative on the Union's Tourism and Diversification Committee for a number of years. She was an innovative character and as far as we know, the first woman to be Branch Chair.

by Angharad Evans, Welsh Language Communications Officer

It's been a month since we enjoyed the Royal Welsh Show and I'm sure we all have our memories, but for one Welsh cob breeder and an FUW member from Carmarthenshire, Royal Welsh Show 2023 will be a very memorable one.

Meirion Evans from Cynwyl Elfed won the Welsh Cob Stallions Main Championship with Gwynfaes Seren Wledig. Cornel Clecs had the opportunity to chat with Meirion recently, and to ask exactly what it was like to win such a prestigious title.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/yjjfh/fffn/

How iconic are these birds – floating along a hedgerow, a silent mini torpedo.

I would have been at most 5, but I can still remember the buzz of excitement as my father stopped dead and pointed out the barn owl sitting on top of the old stone wall by the cowshed. That was my last sighting of a barn owl on this farm for 50years. I’m sure they were around… they must have been because the next part of the story starts with an owl pellet.

Scroll on to 2020, I’m now farming the same farm and in a gateway I come across an owl pellet – the regurgitated remains of what ever prey was indigestible. It was very dark, cylindrical, and about 2 inches long. The internet quickly suggested that this was from a barn owl. How excited was I? Tawney owls can be seen and heard regularly across the farm but a barn owl!

By coincidence Steve the Owl Man or Owley as he’s also known, popped up to ask whether he could survey any likely sites for barn owl boxes. Within a month a box was put up – not in a barn, but in a big old ash tree not far from where I’d found the pellet. The following year – not even a Jackdaw used the box! In 2022 again no activity in the box but I did have an amazing night-time encounter, with the owl hovering about 6ft above the ground about 10 ft away!

by Angharad Evans, Welsh Language Communications Officer

I'm taking you on a completely different track in Cornel Clecs this month! To a world that is completely new to me to be honest! For someone who is not artistic at all, the world of Art and Illustration has always amazed me and I often wonder where an artist's inspiration comes from to create a piece of art.