By Chris McCullough.
Ken Fletcher said a few farewells at this year’s Balmoral Show – his last as editor of The Scottish Farmer.
Guild member Ken Fletcher has officially announced his pending retirement as editor of The Scottish Farmer, having worked at the weekly paper for 46 years.
He has been instrumental in shaping The Scottish Farmer throughout his career in various posts, ultimately taking over the editor’s role from his brother Alasdair back in 2017.
Alasdair stepped down after 23 years in the role and Ken became only the sixth editor of The Scottish Farmer in its 130-year history.
I’ve known Ken for over 20 years. He’s been a good friend, colleague, mentor and travel buddy.
During that time, we have reported numerous times together in Northern Ireland but also in the USA, Finland, Italy, Germany and Denmark to name but a few.
Many of those global media contacts came to Scotland in 2014 for the IFAJ congress, where Ken took delight in addressing them with his wit and humour at one of the nightly get-togethers.
It’s been an incredible media journey for me working with Ken in that time and I will always treasure his invaluable advice, often dealt out in a foreign pub, but nevertheless worthy.
I’ve even attended some of his soirees in Scotland for birthdays and a wedding – and lived to tell the tale.
While it’s not the end of our friendship, it is the end of an incredible and adventurous era. Let’s hope the next Scottish Farmer editor is just as classy.
There is so much more I could say about Ken. I could probably fill a few editions of The Scottish Farmer with tales of adventures over the years.
But I’m betting many other Guild members would like to pay tribute too. I also bet most of their stories will start with the words “I remember when…”
Cheers Ken, old pal.
