Clarkson’s Farm

[DaveGrohl]

Evoluzione said:

Before you start to complain about intensive dairy farming methods then consider this:

There are far too many people in this country, so now there are more mouths to feed than there is farming land to produce the food.

We demand cheap food and drink so farming isn't profitable, therefore less people want to do it.

The farmers are now responding by selling farming land on to housing developers.
Greed is at the heart of it.

Maybe in the future it'll go like chickens have, you'll have different prices for milk depending on where the cows lived.

Edited by Evoluzione on Friday 25th June 22:18

Liking this post except you're waaaaaaay behind the different milk prices for different regions part. That started decades ago. It's basically why dairy farmers throw in the towel, they're not lucky enough to land a milk contract with the big boys in the right area of the country at the right time.

[DaveGrohl]

Abbott said:

I think I would be more interested to see the same thing again to see what he has learnt and how he applies that knowledge to improve his margin. The weather is out of his control but he did make a lot of fundamental mistakes / cock ups that affected that outcome. I dont think I would be that entertained by him going down a more diversity lead exercise away from mainstream farming.
Dairy or pigs would offer a lot of entertainment and he could even see how far he gets going organic. That would be an epic series on bureaucracy.

Edited by Abbott on Saturday 26th June 21:56

This.
The thing about farming is it's a constant challenge. One of the things you have to adapt to as a farmer is the fact that you constantly need to adapt to events. Events happen, deal with it. There is no throwing the toys out of the pram, nature doesn't give a fekk.

Another series would be every bit as entertaining because it's all different. Even the same things are different because he's starting to learn. The journey would be TV gold. The fact that there is such a huge public appetite for this programme shows just how divorced most people are from food production. As a farmer I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the positive comments. You can all see for yourselves how truthful the media portrayal is of our industry. One man and a TV crew has blown the BBC agenda out of the water.

[130R]

I just binge watched this and thought it was absolutely excellent. The people Clarkson had working for him were all really likeable too.

[FiF]

DaveGrohl said:

This.
The thing about farming is it's a constant challenge. One of the things you have to adapt to as a farmer is the fact that you constantly need to adapt to events. Events happen, deal with it. There is no throwing the toys out of the pram, nature doesn't give a fekk.

Another series would be every bit as entertaining because it's all different. Even the same things are different because he's starting to learn. The journey would be TV gold. The fact that there is such a huge public appetite for this programme shows just how divorced most people are from food production. As a farmer I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the positive comments. You can all see for yourselves how truthful the media portrayal is of our industry. One man and a TV crew has blown the BBC agenda out of the water.

Well bloody said that man.

[jameswills]

Yes well said.

[zygalski]

DaveGrohl said:

....One man and a TV crew has blown the BBC agenda out of the water.

What’s the BBC “agenda” re farming which the Clarkson’s Farm series has refuted?

[jammy-git]

zygalski said:

DaveGrohl said:

....One man and a TV crew has blown the BBC agenda out of the water.

What’s the BBC “agenda” re farming which the Clarkson’s Farm series has refuted?

I think he's referring to the fact that Countryfile is shown during prime time TV to families and old folk and therfore has to be really watered down and doesn't display a lot of the harsh realities if farming that Clarksons Farm has.

[FiF]

jammy-git said:

zygalski said:

DaveGrohl said:

....One man and a TV crew has blown the BBC agenda out of the water.

What’s the BBC “agenda” re farming which the Clarkson’s Farm series has refuted?

I think he's referring to the fact that Countryfile is shown during prime time TV to families and old folk and therfore has to be really watered down and doesn't display a lot of the harsh realities if farming that Clarksons Farm has.

Well from his own words you either see Kate Humble bottle feeding a clean fluffy baby lamb surrounded by clean straw in a lovely clean barn, or you get shots of terrible cattle pens in Texas or South America, with zero coverage of,for example UK grass fed organic beef. Harry Metcalfe has made exactly the same points on his channel a couple of times now, but clearly not achieved the wider exposure of JC's series.

Whereas the reality is somewhat different. Adam Henson's farm for example gets an easy ride and favourable edits on Countryfile. It's a running joke.

[zygalski]

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

[james6546]

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

[Evoluzione]

Anonymous-poster said:

Evoluzione said:

Thanks for writing, it's very interesting. Well to me anyhow as we're due to get the keys to a farmhouse and smallholding on Monday. We'll be easing ourselves in to a new life over the next few years and i'm looking at various things to do with the land.
It may be safer to just leave it as it is - rented off to a sheep farmer!

The old adage how to make a fortune out of a small holding?

Start with a large fortune!

I have heard similar
I'm old and pessimistic enough to know we won't be making a living from it, I didn't actually go looking for a SH, just a place in the countryside with a bit of land, but this place turned up so we took it. I just wanted a better quality of life, to work from home doing my normal job and give my O/H the things which she thinks are important too.

[Blib]

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I feel for you, as it's a lost opportunity for you to get on your regular (free-range) high horse.

[DaveGrohl]

james6546 said:

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

You've sort of got it. The BBC is just flat out anti-farming full stop. They're anti a lot of things but I'm not sure what they're gonna do without food.

[Evoluzione]

Interview with Kaleb on This Morning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpSH0Xt9EaI
He comes across a little differently and not in a bad way.

[AstonZagato]

DaveGrohl said:

james6546 said:

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

You've sort of got it. The BBC is just flat out anti-farming full stop. They're anti a lot of things but I'm not sure what they're gonna do without food.

I wouldn't say they are anti-farming but they approach it (on Countryfile) with a sanitised, metropolitan lens. Farming as the Islington middle classes would like to it to be. It's all organic, rewilding, rare-breeds, wood-turning, thatching, dry-stone wall building, sustainable knitting, shire horse ploughing, lavender oil production, cute lambs, diversity access stuff. It is very anti things like hunting, intensive or industrial agriculture, big farms, large machinery, serious food production. It glosses over or ignores things that trouble the average farmer, like weather problems, Brexit, subsidies, diseases, banning of pesticides, etc.

I know many farmers and landowners. I don't know any that regard Countryfile with anything better than disdain.

[Ructions]

Finished episode 4 last night, really enjoying it. It’s not as contrived as TG or TGT and thankfully no Hammond. Hope there is a second series.

[FiF]

AstonZagato said:

DaveGrohl said:

james6546 said:

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

You've sort of got it. The BBC is just flat out anti-farming full stop. They're anti a lot of things but I'm not sure what they're gonna do without food.

I wouldn't say they are anti-farming but they approach it (on Countryfile) with a sanitised, metropolitan lens. Farming as the Islington middle classes would like to it to be. It's all organic, rewilding, rare-breeds, wood-turning, thatching, dry-stone wall building, sustainable knitting, shire horse ploughing, lavender oil production, cute lambs, diversity access stuff. It is very anti things like hunting, intensive or industrial agriculture, big farms, large machinery, serious food production. It glosses over or ignores things that trouble the average farmer, like weather problems, Brexit, subsidies, diseases, banning of pesticides, etc.

I know many farmers and landowners. I don't know any that regard Countryfile with anything better than disdain.

You missed out alpaca yoga in that list.

Problem is many urban folk (big broad brush but it will have to do) see the countryside as a lovely picturesque play area solely for their enjoyment. Some of it is, but only a little bit. Most is effectively a big dangerous workplace that provides food or the makings of. Some looks like open areas for hill walking, dog running, biking, picnicking, lazing about, but it's still somebody else's property, workspace, living space, and not the spot for dropping drink cans, plastic bottles and pork pie wrappers. /rant. Yes no swearing, marks knocked off.

[DaveGrohl]

AstonZagato said:

DaveGrohl said:

james6546 said:

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

You've sort of got it. The BBC is just flat out anti-farming full stop. They're anti a lot of things but I'm not sure what they're gonna do without food.

I wouldn't say they are anti-farming but they approach it (on Countryfile) with a sanitised, metropolitan lens. Farming as the Islington middle classes would like to it to be. It's all organic, rewilding, rare-breeds, wood-turning, thatching, dry-stone wall building, sustainable knitting, shire horse ploughing, lavender oil production, cute lambs, diversity access stuff. It is very anti things like hunting, intensive or industrial agriculture, big farms, large machinery, serious food production. It glosses over or ignores things that trouble the average farmer, like weather problems, Brexit, subsidies, diseases, banning of pesticides, etc.

I know many farmers and landowners. I don't know any that regard Countryfile with anything better than disdain.

Indeed. I just didn't expand because I don't want to derail the thread which is virtually all positive about farming. And it isn't just the BBC of course.

[614-HSO]

DaveGrohl said:

AstonZagato said:

DaveGrohl said:

james6546 said:

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

You've sort of got it. The BBC is just flat out anti-farming full stop. They're anti a lot of things but I'm not sure what they're gonna do without food.

I wouldn't say they are anti-farming but they approach it (on Countryfile) with a sanitised, metropolitan lens. Farming as the Islington middle classes would like to it to be. It's all organic, rewilding, rare-breeds, wood-turning, thatching, dry-stone wall building, sustainable knitting, shire horse ploughing, lavender oil production, cute lambs, diversity access stuff. It is very anti things like hunting, intensive or industrial agriculture, big farms, large machinery, serious food production. It glosses over or ignores things that trouble the average farmer, like weather problems, Brexit, subsidies, diseases, banning of pesticides, etc.

I know many farmers and landowners. I don't know any that regard Countryfile with anything better than disdain.

Indeed. I just didn't expand because I don't want to derail the thread which is virtually all positive about farming. And it isn't just the BBC of course.

Hmm farmers and landowners are not the same thing, farmers farm the land, landowners own the land for tax reasons eat prawn and avocado sandwiches whilst quaffing champagne, farmers eat a big pork-pie and drink a pint of warm brown.

I agree though that the BBC is just a self-serving metropolitan elitist government mouthpiece cesspool.

[AstonZagato]

614-HSO said:

DaveGrohl said:

AstonZagato said:

DaveGrohl said:

james6546 said:

zygalski said:

Oh ok. I was thinking there was some hint the beeb wanted us all to live on farming communes or something. This is rather disappointing.

I read it as the BBC wanting to eradicate farming

You've sort of got it. The BBC is just flat out anti-farming full stop. They're anti a lot of things but I'm not sure what they're gonna do without food.

I wouldn't say they are anti-farming but they approach it (on Countryfile) with a sanitised, metropolitan lens. Farming as the Islington middle classes would like to it to be. It's all organic, rewilding, rare-breeds, wood-turning, thatching, dry-stone wall building, sustainable knitting, shire horse ploughing, lavender oil production, cute lambs, diversity access stuff. It is very anti things like hunting, intensive or industrial agriculture, big farms, large machinery, serious food production. It glosses over or ignores things that trouble the average farmer, like weather problems, Brexit, subsidies, diseases, banning of pesticides, etc.

I know many farmers and landowners. I don't know any that regard Countryfile with anything better than disdain.

Indeed. I just didn't expand because I don't want to derail the thread which is virtually all positive about farming. And it isn't just the BBC of course.

Hmm farmers and landowners are not the same thing, farmers farm the land, landowners own the land for tax reasons eat prawn and avocado sandwiches whilst quaffing champagne, farmers eat a big pork-pie and drink a pint of warm brown.

I agree though that the BBC is just a self-serving metropolitan elitist government mouthpiece cesspool.

I don't know any landowners who follow your description. They care about how their land is farmed.