I was in a cafe recently when I observed a rare sight. So rare, I almost expected David Attenborough to pop out of somewhere with a camera crew to document it, because in the corner of the room sat a mother, father and their little girl, all reading while enjoying their Saturday morning scrambled eggs and pancakes. And when I say reading, I do mean actual books and a newspaper; not scrolling away on a phone or an iPad.

Occasionally, the daughter would ask her dad or mom to explain the meaning of a word she had not come across before, but other than that, they all sat in the most comfortable, companionable silence, completely engrossed. It was so lovely to see, and as a self-confessed phone addict, I’m trying to take a leaf out of their book this summer; literally.

So far I’ve read Educated by Tara Westover, a memoir about growing up in – and breaking free from – religious fundamentalism in rural Idaho, and The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, which is a page-flicking “whodunit”. And if you have any recommended reads to keep me away from the royal family clickbait online, I’d love to hear them.

Of course, technology can be very valuable – and educational – when used correctly. I recently visited a school in Artane in north Dublin that is participating in a project called “FaceTime A Farmer”. Every fortnight, the girls in third class and their teacher FaceTime Karol Kissane to find out what is happening on his dairy farm in north Kerry. Karol – who is a Nuffield scholar – first came across the "FaceTime A Farmer” project in the UK and brought the pilot to Ireland as a means of connecting children with agriculture in the hope it might challenge their perceptions; and maybe even plant a seed for a future career in the area.

If you are looking for a complete digital detox, however, we’ve plenty in this edition to keep you busy. As part of our Women & Ag series, Tracey Donaghy speaks with Minette Batters, who is the first female president of the National Farmers Union in the UK on page eight. Though while happy to empower more girls to get involved in agriculture, she also stresses that “the success for women will be when being a woman in farming isn’t newsworthy”.

Chartered accountant turned arable farmer Fiona Hanna fills us in on her fascinating career path, we learn about the work of the Jack Dodd foundation and Margaret Hawkins talks to patients who have gone abroad for surgery through the EU Cross Border Directive. Meanwhile, Odile Evans talks to experts Clare O’Keeffe and Brian Coonan as part of her ongoing succession series, upcycler extraordinaire Joanne Condon of Kyle Lane shares a fun project for you to try at home and we have great barbecue recipes for all the family from Neven Maguire and get fired up with our cover stars John Relihan and Jack O’Keeffe ahead of Taste of Dublin.

I hope you enjoy the read.