As part of our regular series of profiles on the region's Young Farmers' Club members, 21-year-old TIFFANY PAYNE talks about the varied challenges of working self-employed.

Even though I have always been involved in the agriculture industry by having a farming family, I never had much to do with the industry until I was about 17.

That's when I decided to go to Easton and Otley College and do the extended diploma in agriculture. I have now been a self-employed farmer for around three years, working for three different companies such as the family farm and for Future Biogas as a weighbridge operator to their sites during the rye and maize harvest.

At this time of year, I am currently working for Hillside Animal Sanctuary at one of their farms in north Norfolk, looking after 300 of their horses and deer which have been rescued.

My day normally starts at around 7am, when I start my daily checks on all the horses to make sure they are in good health. After this I go onto the daily feed / bedding down.

When I have finished at Hillside I return home to work for my dad on the family farm. This involves looking after our sheep flock, our small herd of cattle and managing our newest venture on the farm – a livery yard. In the coming week I will be working for the family farm setting up the lambing yard and shed ready for when I start lambing in March through to the end of April.

I love working in farming as you are doing something different everyday. Nothing is ever the same, and lambing is my favourite time of the year as I can't wait to see all the new lambs.

I hope this year to go to university in September to study a degree in agriculture, so I can improve my knowledge of the industry – but I also hope to pass my trailer test to help me within the livestock side of my work.

Through Young Farmers I haven't just gained good friends, but also the chance to meet other people within the industry to grow my knowledge through different meetings which, without YFC, would not have happened.

PROFILE:

Name: Tiffany Payne

Age: 21

Occupation: Self-employed farmer

YFC Club: North Walsham

How long have you been a YFC member?: Four years

• North Walsham YFC meets at Rossi's on Tungate Road on Tuesday evenings. For more details about Norfolk Young Farmers contact the county office on 01603 731307.