It would be fair to say that I have now given up reading or listening to weather forecasts. If I look in the sky and see a yellow image it’s an added bonus; if I look like I’ve just been in the shower with my clothes on I know I probably left the house in a hurry without my coat. Note to self – keep a coat in the car at all times. I seem to have been caught out this year far more times that I care to mention.
Over the years life evolves and so does farming. Our lives seem to move at a rate of knots that I cannot comprehend at times. Thank goodness for mobile phones/Facetime etc.
Agriculture contributes approximately £120 billion to the British economy. British farming plays a huge role in the food supply chain locally. The size of the contribution does not, however, exempt farming from crisis.
In the UK, only 5.4% of the total land area is used for farming crops, while the number of employees in farming has dropped significantly over the past 10 years. That number has dropped by more than 553,000 since Feb 2020, while the number of self-employed farmers has dropped below 100,000 this year.
Some may say that with all the financial constraints, this is to be expected, but it’s also important to note that the average age of a farmer is 59. With far fewer young farmers entering family farms, it brings into question food security for the future. Farming bungalows is more profitable than farming itself, it would appear.
We feel fortunate that both the boys have an avid interest in the farm and have continued their education in farming, but are we condemning them to a life of 365-day drudgery with no respite? Would it be easier to enter another profession with paid annual leave, sickness pay, large pension contributions, etc?
The idea is tempting, but farming is a way of life that not many (other than farming folk) seem to understand; it’s a hard life but also a rewarding life.
Behind every plate of food is the work of a dozen or so farmers. Even in a simple dish of pasta in a tomato sauce, farmers grow the wheat for the pasta, the tomatoes, the basil and garlic to make the sauce. If you add sausages, you’ll make a pig farmer happy.
Much of the food we eat is the result of hard graft by many farmers, growers and workers, but most of today’s youth think we just buy it off the shelves without worrying about how or when it was produced. Although farming is definitely a minority interest (especially with our new government) we need to make our voices heard.
Enough whinging, as back on the farm winter has arrived and the clocks have gone back. Days are getting shorter but that only means one thing – Christmas is on its way and so will spring be.
Walter the bunny paid us a visit from school for the weekend to show the class the activities Teddy got up to, pictures were duly taken and the bunny had a wash before returning to school. I must confess to feeling exhausted looking at the photos.
Until next time, stay safe.
