Matthew Sharp is 18 and studies BSc Agriculture with Farm Business Management at Newcastle University. He is Ponteland YFC Club Chairman, Northern Area Secretary and sits on the NFYFC Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee. He won the Guild of Agricultural Journalists John Deere Award for Journalism this year.

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Little did I think trawling fields with granddad shooting rabbits would ever turn into this? Here I am, about eleven years later studying a BSc in Agriculture at Newcastle University, Chairman of Ponteland Young Farmers Club, working on a farm and aspiring to be a farm consultant and tenant farmer.

Doesn’t sound that strange does it? Well, no may be not but when you were brought up in a town and don’t have any real connection to farming then I suppose it probably is.

Bitten by the farming bug from a young age; mainly due to my keen interest in shooting, I was always sure a career in the countryside was for me. Aspirations from being a gamekeeper sharp changed when my secondary school woodwork teacher told me I should go on and get a degree, with the aim of earning a better salary and probably having an easier life – not that farming is likely to give me that!

So, after working for a couple of different farms and seeing their farming system, I was quite keen to learn more. I grew particularly interested in the economics and farm business side of farming and why farmers weren’t making money. Rightly or wrongly, I stayed on and did A levels not being completely sure the route I wanted to go down. When it came to choose a degree, first stop was Harper Adams. What an amazing place it looked. So, I applied there, along with the Royal Agricultural College, Bishop Burton and Newcastle University – probably some of the best out there.

I was amazed I got an offer for a degree at all four universities and had the option of five courses all around the agriculture and land management topics. In the end, Newcastle won. All the others looked great but I’m a northern lad at heart – despite nearly choosing to go to Harper. I lived on the edge of a town but it was nowhere near as busy as what the city of Newcastle is, so if nothing else, city life would be an experience – even for a stress-head like me.

So, the start of this month saw me start at Newcastle and already what a month it has been. I’ve been dressed as Barbie, a panda, a zoo keeper (although I looked more of a farming hick) and other hideous outfits.

On first arrival, I got signed up to the Agric Society which puts on a bar crawl every Monday night and also organises various trips to other universities. I attended the Rifle club BBQ and have signed up to the Clay Shooting Club, although actually attending these clubs and societies is proving difficult – mainly trying to find enough hours in the day!

So, there is plenty going on and lots more to tell you about, although that might have to wait for next month’s column.

I’m closely following the run up to CAP Reform which is proving very interesting. I’m keen to find out what benefits there will be for young farmers such as myself and how the government is going to support the next generation of farmers.

However, I’ll leave on a light hearted note. My mistake of the month; going out in Newcastle’s ‘Big Market’ and dropping my phone and wallet through a hole in my tights. Not only did it get covered in something I cannot begin to describe but it also meant I had a rather uncomfortable draft in my crotch area for the remainder of the night.