Cheers remote. Good to know you're ok albeit knackered. When I was a lot younger, I read all of the James Herriot books before they got glammed up by TV and film. That alone gave me a huge respect for the farming community. I can't claim to have total empathy with farmers as that would require me living in their boots which I've never done. So I'd never insult them by saying I'm empathetic. However, that doesn't preclude me from being appreciative. Anyway, I really enjoyed reading your post. Oh. And get a new phone!
Thanks clingo. Yes, read the books myself, when the thought of being involved in farming hadn't entered my head. I dont think programmes like countryfile do the farming community justice, not that I've watched it for some time really. It glams it up too much. Not enough earthiness and too many celebrity farmers for my liking. The same with general country stuff on there. Being a keen angler, I stay close to what is going on in the countryside, especially things like 're-wilding'. Ill conceived. And in my opinion, Chris Packham is a liability and a hypocrite when it comes to protecting the countryside. Very selective in his views. As a family, we cant claim to walk in the boots of commercial farmers. The pressures of failure on us are far, far less. We wont lose our livelihood or home if things go belly up. My daughter does earn a living from equine and agricultural activity. The sheep is first hand, the rest one step removed from the pointy end of things. Suicide is high in the farming community due to the pressures of failure. However, a lot of the emotional side of things come to the fore for us. Not ashamed to say I've shed a few tears of emotion and of frustration over the years. Witnessing the marvel of the birth of a lamb is still a wonderful thing for me, 8 or 9 years on. After managing to finally get the lamb out that I intervened with yesterday, seeing that it was still alive, pushing a bit of straw up its nose to get it to sneeze out all the gloop in there and watching the mother lick it clean was a relief. Within 10 minutes it was standing and looking to feed. As for the phone, it started after one of the regular operating system updates a few months ago. Subsequent updates haven't corrected the issue. Due a new phone in a couple months.
Further confirmation that I don't know the half of it. It's always good to read something like your posts to try and form an informed opinion on many subjects. A classic lesson in not having entrenched positions without knowing all the facts. I really appreciate your posting.
I get what you say about Countryfile. Some good bits but a lot of pandering to issues not directly related to farming. By way of contrast did you or Clingo see the series based on a number of farms in the Scottish Isles? Much more true to life in my mind with lots of lows and highs.
I needed a ;ie down after typing it. Got in at half 7 tonight. Would have been an hour earlier but a ewe started lambing just as we were leaving so we hung about until the lamb was born. Ended up getting mucky hands as she needed a bit of help. Would probably have pushed it out herself. Its a fine line between helping too early and leaving them knacker themselves out. Beer time now as our daughter is doing the night shift tonight. There have been a few. Some are a bit or 'reality TV' and others really earthy. Too many, like the Yorkshire farm family, end up writing books and doing other media stuff which detracts from what the original programmes were all about. Its tough for anyone starting out in farming if it isn't a generational thing. Tenant farms are closing down at a rate of knots. Established farming dynasties hoover them up. No way can a youngster get a toe in the door unless they hock themselves up to the eyeballs. Most work day jobs while trying to build up the farming businesses. It won't be for them to benefit from, but for their kids and grand kids. Super markets squeezing the prices are a big issue. Most farmers agreed prices before last years extreme weather and fuel crisis. Many farmers were using their 'winter feed' in the summer as there was no grass. Fuel prices went through the roof as did fertilizer prices. Most farmers will have made a big loss last year. Food prices on the continent are 15-20% more than the uk as they pay spot price rather than futures. It's why some shelves are empty. Its more profitable to sell abroad or for foreign farmers not to sell to the UK. As for re-wilding. Beavers in Scotland are causing big issues and they don't have any predators. Re-introducing beavers should only have been allowed if they re-introduced wolves to control the beavers and bears to control the wolves. Its ironic that Packham has campaigned to protect cormorants, goosanders and other Fish Eating Birds, all of which aren't indigenous, yet Atlantic salmon are in dire straits and a large part of their demise is predation by FEBs which shouldn't be in our rivers in the first place. Like politicians, many presenters like those on Countryfile are full of self importance, are furthering their careers and enjoy their vanity projects. often to the detriment of 'real nature'. Become vegan so we can dig up farmland and plant trees to save the planet. They don't mention that grass sequests more CO2 than trees. Drive electric cars, yet batteries take huge amounts of energy, usually in non green countires like China and India, to produce. It has been estimated that to produce 1 car battery, as much CO2 is produced as driving a modern diesel for 100k miles. Not to mention stripping the land to mine the rare earth elements needed to produce the batteries which poison rivers killing rare species, and drinking water, killing people. Never mind, Elon Musk is a big contributor. But to which side. He takes his profits from raping and pillaging the land so people can feel good about themselves, driving their EVs. And what does he do with his profits? Go to space in rockets burning more fossil fuels than some countries. OK, rant over.
Reading Remote’s posts has made me feel guilty. I’ve been sitting on my sorry arse most of the winter nursing a chest infection which seems to get worse and longer each year. Ten weeks for this one but I started exercising about five weeks ago and managed to drag my old fat body around the Cardiff Bay 10K last Sunday. Slowest time ever but hey I did it. Also the Cardiff 10K is back with new organisers this year so I’ve entered that as well for September. Which means I need to do some training for it. Now I’m off to paint the rest of the fence I started in the garden this morning. Cheers Remote.
Well done Irish. An excellent example of the power of a positive mental attitude. Glad remote inspired you. Now you can reflect on the fact that you've motivated me to get on with life
