What a fabulous weekend on the NFYFC Agri Jersey Study Tour…

25 of us set off from around the UK and as I walked into Manchester Airport Terminal 1 Departures it would be an understatement to say I was a bit nervous about not knowing anyone and never having done anything like this before! 

Once meeting up with a few others flying from Manchester and then arriving in Jersey and working out the best bus to get (buses are the main transport mode in Jersey so it’s a big network!) we made our way to the accomodation in a youth hostel style centre.

After an evening of getting to know the rest of the group the first day was jam-packed with an early start for a trip to the La Mare wine estate where we looked around the vineyard, and distillery and of course sampled some of the various wines, liqueurs, chocolates and fudge that they made. It was a really interesting visit and a beautiful relaxed place to live and work – the perfect sunny weather also helped add to the continental feel! 

The afternoon visit was to Jersey Lavender where we were told about the various oils and fragrances that are made and looked around the lavender fields. Although the traditional purple lavender was now out of season, the grey lavender left was still growing and smelt lovely! 

After making our way back via a few more buses and some of Jersey’s beautiful coastline scenery it was an evening meal at the hostel and a good YFC night out in Jersey’s capital, St Helier! 

Sunday morning brought a slightly later bright and breezy start, for the last full group tour to The Jersey Royal Potato Farm where we looked around the factory and learnt about how they process the new potatoes when in season, at a rate of 300 tonnes each day, 24 hours a day! They supply Jersey Royals each day of their season, to the UK and plant on every inch of land available to them, in an average field size of 1 acre. Even the steepest hills of Jersey grow potatoes and are ploughed using winches as some of the land is too steep for a normal tractor.

For those of us staying the extra day and not flying back, the afternoon saw a visit to St Catherine’s, Jersey’s most Eastern point, where you could see France only around 12 miles across the sea. We then visited the Jersey War Tunnels, around 33 metres below ground.

By the Monday, unfortunately it was home time and after a quick walk up to Mont Orgueil Castle at Gorey we made our way back to the airport via St Helier where we stopped off to look at some of the Country’s most exclusive boats in the harbour…. If you had £1.5 million to spare you could buy one! 

The short flight back home brought the end of the trip. It was a fantastic few days and I’m so grateful to have had to opportunity to go! I’ve made great memories and new friends and visited some beautiful sights. I’d recommend an NFYFC travel trip to anyone and I definitely hope to go on another in future! 

Anna Booth, Rathmell YFC