June 2008 Archives

Farmer Robin Mills has been capturing the lives of people from the farming community near his home at Dorchester for a documentary photography project called Farmlife. 

"My love of the land, particularly my home county, Dorset, comes from a lifetime spent in the countryside as a farmer," says Robin.

His photographs are currently on display at Bridport Arts Centre.

"I consider it a huge privilege to live and work in this environment, and am constantly reminded of how precious and magical is this part of the world.

"Although working full-time as a farmer at Godmanstone, I have been passionate about photography since 1997, after I had an accident and found myself in bed for three weeks and I started reading photography books and manuals.

Celebrity chefs the Hairy Bikers have declared their support for the campaign to protect the Traditional Cumberland Sausage.

Dave Myers and Si King gave the campaign their backing as the county prepares to celebrate the first Traditional Cumberland Sausage Day on Saturday July 5.

The chefs took a break from filming to sign a petition supporting the campaign, which is being organised by Made in Cumbria and the Cumberland Sausage Association.

I'm pleased to hear that Gill Scrimgeour of Derachie Farm at Glenogil in Angus has spent her final year of a Silversmithing and Jewellery course at The Glasgow School of Art designing and making jewellery based on her dad's cows.

She's made cow tag brooches, a molasses lick-inspired kilt pin, a joint of beef belt buckle, a foot-and-mouth inspired brooch, an 18ct gold ring with an ebony hand-carved auctioneers hammer, a ring feeder bangle (pictured) and more.

Her work was on display at the Glasgow School of Art Degree Show and will be on display at New Designers in the Islington Business centre in London from July 3-6.

You wouldn't get me in one of these in a million years.

But this is Bill Cowling, honorary director of the Great Yorkshire Show, getting ready for a test flight in a hot air balloon.

Weather permitting, five balloons will leave early each morning of the show from the main ring. Look out for them as you approach the showground if you're visiting the event.

Kids in Birmingham are getting the chance to experience country life, many for the first time, after chartered surveyors Berrys donated 100 pairs of wellies to three primary schools.

The firm decided to make the gift as part of the Year of Food and Farming which aims to offer young people in England direct access to the countryside, agriculture and food.

By visiting farms in the region, children will have the opportunity to ,earn about the 'field to fork' process. 

I'm pleased to hear that a charity I've heard great things about, The Gilead Foundation, has been awarded £90,000 for its rehabilitation centre in Devon.

Gilead provides training at an organic farm near Okehampton for those struggling with a range of issues, including homelessness.

It's won the cash in the Spark social enterprise competition - a £1.5m project launched in December 2007.

Remember that Finnish musician, Kimmo Pohjonen, who makes music using bits of agricultural equipment (as you do!)?

Well I've got hold of a sound clip of some of his work. Very odd - but strangely good.

You can listen to it here:

A charity calendar featuring gamekeepers in various poses is to be launched at the Scottish Game Fair.

The money raised will be split between the Gamekeeper Welfare Network (GWN) and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The idea for a fundraising calendar was developed by Helen Benson, who set up the GWN in 2005 to support keepers, ghillies and stalkers across the country.

Every monthly page in Lord, Ladies & Gamekeepers 2009/10 shows a keeper going about his daily routine, but with the addition of a prominent female figure, well known as a supporter of sporting and countryside issues.

A second chance to join a pioneering project to boost the number of reed and sedge cutters in the Broads begins in September.

The Broads Authority is offering five bursaries for people to learn the skills to become commercial reed and sedge cutters within an 18-month training programme.

Now this is what you call dedication.

It's a picture of Harvey and his daddy reading the Farmers Weekly from his cot on the special care baby unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Mum Sarah Stern sent me the picture as she thinks he may possibly be the youngest reader as he was only a few days old when this picture was taken.

Some people don't approve of this.

The Potato Council is running a new marketing campaign featuring the model Nell McAndrew, who's apparently a big fan of spuds.

The campaign is trying to highlight that potatoes are nutritionally great and good value for money.

Some people say it's gratuitous and cringeworthy.

I quite like it.

Those nice people over at the Year of Food and Farming have been running a competition to find Shaun the Sheep lookalikes.

They've put the winning photos sent in by people on their website.

I've mentioned CherryAid before - the campaign to support this great fruit. They've now decided to have a National Cherry Day on July 19.

Seems a little unjust to me that cherries are delicious and they only get a day - and yet those pesky insects get a whole week!

One of the countryside's best known charities, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, is planning its biggest ever fundraising and awareness event - Welly Week.

The event will run from October 11-18 and will see farming families, schools, workplaces, students and Young Farmers take part in activities in a bid to raise cash for the charity.

Welly wanging competitions, welly barn dances, welly golf and welly walks are just four of the hundreds of activities taking place around the nation.

"We're encouraging people to plan their own events and get others in your community involved," so RABI's Fay Dewey tells me.

"Of course, you can always just wear wellies during that week in a bid to raise the profile of all the good work that RABI does in rural communities."

Funds raised will be used for the purchase of special items to give a better quality of life to those in need. Fay says the charity currently gives around £200,000 a year to purchase such equipment such as stairlifts, riser/recliner chairs and electrically powered vehicles, as well as home adaptations to assist people with disabilities.

While much of this is for elderly and retired members of the farming community, RABI also provides equipment to help people of all ages who need support as a result of accidents or illness.

Sounds like a great initiative. I'll have to dust my wellies down...

I get sent a lot of books that are - eeer, how shall I put this delicately - not exactly my cup of tea. Actually, let's be honest here: that look rubbish.

But one's arrived today that I can't wait to read. It's called Now Then Lad... by Mike Pannett. It's an account of his life as a rural policeman in North Yorkshire - he went to the patch after years of tackling armed robbers and drug gangs in London and the book is billed as a cross between Heartbeat and something by James Herriot. Sounds hilarious.

Agony uncle Farmer Frank managed to get through the "live surgery" last night. If you missed it at the time, just press the "replay" icon on the post below and you can relive it in all its smutty and polictically incorrect glory. 

The countryside's most famous agony uncle, Farmer Frank, will be answering your questions during a live surgery this evening (6pm-9pm).

Come back at 6pm and you will be able to add your questions by filling in the box at the bottom of the Cover It Live section below. There's no need to register.

He's been on the telly now.

'Winston the singing farmer' appeared on ITV's regional Tales from The Country last week - and apparently his phone has been red-hot ever since.

The man who sings in Norfolk dialect is fast becoming a star in his own right even though much of his work is a tribute to the Singing Postman - Alan Smethurst, famous for his unique Norfolk dialect pop songs in the 60s.

"This proves that even up against today's hi-tech music, tradition often wins out and there's still a place for a gentler approach to life," he reckons.

"I'm not one for too much hustle and bustle, in fact I think just about everything goes too fast nowadays, but I must say that I'm enjoying the attention that I'm attracting. As the title of one of my own albums says: 'Tha's been a long time a comin'.

"I'm really pleased that Norfolk dialect is proving so popular in locations that are so far away from the country that I'm not sure most of the audience even know where it is, and that I can showcase one of our fast-disappearing local dialects."

I'm total sceptic when it comes to crop circles. Anyone who believes they're created by aliens or mystical forces is mad. They're made by people with pieces or wood and tape measures when no-one's around as a joke (and frankly it's not very funny if it's your corn that's squashed.)

Apparently there's been an incredibly complex one made recently in Wilshire - it's been reported in The Telegraph and The Times.

I like frogs and I like salad. Just not necessarily together.

Reminds me of the frog-in-the-bag shocker...

Now as you know, I like a spot of fishing - even if recent my recent endeavours suggest I'm rubbish at it.

So I was interested to see that two stretches of river with fishing rights in the Cotswolds will go under the hammer soon.

Even insects are getting in on the act now - the little blighters have got themselves their own week.

No doubt those evil dragonflies will be muscling in on the act.

Gin and tonic lovers (aren't we all) are in for a tough time, with a worldwide shortage of lemons on the horizon.

Potato supplier Branston is offering a unique chance for kids visiting the Celebration of Food and Farmers at the Eden Project between June 20 and June 22 to enter a competition to name a new potato variety.

It's currently known only as Variety Number: 00.H.14 A3 - and this marks the first time members of the public have been asked to name a new potato.

There are thousands of spud varieties grown aroudn the world, many of them named after places such as the Pentland Javelin, or people, like the well known King Edward.

In Peru, where the potato originated some 8,000 years ago, the varieties have descriptive names such as "Red Mermaid", "Male guinea pig with scattered spots" and "Clod of earth the shape of a fingernail".

Branston's new variety is related to the traditional Peruvian species Solanum pureja, which has a stronger flavour and a firmer texture than the cultivated potato species Solanum tuberosum. It has a creamy-yellow flesh and its skin has distinctive pink colouration. It is a multi-purpose type of potato, ideal for salads and roasting.

"It's a novel way for them to use their imaginations and possibly see their idea in the shops in years to come," says Branston's David Nelson.

Having grown up in Kent, I'm very fond of Shepherd Neame beer.

I've heard its detractors refer to it, rather cruelly, as 'shit and scream' but I've always been a fan. I like the names of the ales, like Spifire and Bishops Fingers. And Kent was once, after all, a massive hop growing county so it's fitting that beer continues to be made there.

I also love the company's irreverent sense of humour. It first brewed Spitfire in 1990 on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and has used the war theme in its advertising since. The company has also raised eyebrows with its award-winning Bottle of Britain campaign with the use of the slogan: "No Fokker comes close".

One campaign featured slogans poking a bit of fun at the Germans with such slogans as "Have the sunbeds, we're off to the bar".

I was pleased to read this morning, then, that the firm is opening up new export markets - including to Poland.

Just in case you thought I was lying (or having a funny turn) when I said about the pig in wellingtons, here's video evidence. 

I think this constitutes one of those moment - similar to the gun-toting baddie revelation - when I question my career choices.

TV companies always seem to get in touch with me when they're looking for people.

Not, sadly, when they're hunting for a leading man for a new hot drama series and think I could fit the bill (I've always seen myself suited to a role blending the rugged good looks of Daniel Craig and the witty charisma of Jimmy Nesbitt; sadly, something midway between Gareth off The Office and Albert Steptoe is probably nearer the mark).

Anyway, they're now looking for families to take part in a new four-part documentary series following the reunion of a large extended family - and would like to hear from farmers.

They tell me it'll offer those involved the chance to discover their collective history, and to spend time together, for what will be the first time in ages, over the course of an all-expenses paid weekend in the autumn.

I've mentioned this fantastic charity before.

Casting for Recovery is a unique outdoor-based programme specifically designed for women who have, or have had, breast cancer.

The Game-to-Eat campaign organised a cooking demo with a difference at Divertimenti in London recently - it ended up with the journalists being asked to prepare their own dish.

Journalists from the Daily Mail (boo), The Daily Telegraph (hoorah) and various mags were hosted at the central London cooking school. The aim was to promote game to food writers in time for their autumn and Christmas issues.

"Writing about food and cooking food are two very different experiences," said Game-to-Eat's Alexia Robinson.

"We wanted these writers to become more familiar with game so inviting them to cook it seemed the ideal way to introduce them to its versatility and taste."

Obviously my invite must have got lost in the post...

Amazing - you can now buy a 2p sausage. Doesn't sounds as if they taste too good, though.

And is it just me, or does the woman shopper who's interviewed in this short BBC video clip look like Les Dawson?

Is there anyone particularly in the farming and food industry you'd like to see Farmers Weekly interview?

My colleagues on the news desk are keen to hear readers' views - so if you've got any suggestions, add the name(s) to the thread on the forums, and the news editor will take a look.

I've always thought country dwellers were a fitter bunch than their urban counterparts.

But it seems this may not be the case if new research from Holland is anything to go by.

It shows that people living in rural areas cycle - and indeed, walk - substantially less than those in towns and cities.

Although those living in the countryside spend more time gardening, they cycled less and spent an hour less walking each week than urban inhabitants - despite having a wealth of pleasant places to roam.

I know we've had massively fat cats and a 15 stone dog, but this is something else - a pooch that's so big it can be seen from space.

It's not just Hugh F-W who'll eat anything, Prue Leith is at it as well. She's certainly sparked a bit of controversy with her 'Canada Goose omelette'.

Wonder what she'd make of the pinkfeet.

Well, you learn something every day. I'd never heard of these before - fainting goats.

Watch a short video, or read about what causes it.

Now this is nice.

It's artwork by the renowned wildlife artist Julian Novorol and it'll be used on the Wildlife Habitat Trust stamp, called 'Flying pinkfeet at Faxfleet'.

Sorry about that headline. It was a rather pathetic attempt at making this blog sound more racey than it actually is. Last time I did anything similar was the 'More Naked Celebrities' story.

Actually, what I'm referring to is some video clips of Leah Hackett, who plays Tina McQueen in Channel 4's Hollyoaks spending a bit of time on a farm.

The Year of Food and Farming has released the clips featuring the popular TV soap actress.

Research shows 20% of young people have never been to the countryside and nearly a quarter have never met a farmer. It was also found that nearly 25% of young people believe that lawnmowers are used to harvest crops.

The videos show Leah having fun at Blaze Farm in Cheshire. She can be seen getting her hands dirty milking cows, shearing sheep, collecting eggs and making icecream.

This short video is very funny. It's a genuinely original diversification!

Thanks to Field Day reader Lewis for sending the link to me.

Anyone else see that programme on Channel 5 last night, Extraordinary Animals, about the highly intelligent pig?

Something supremely ironic, I though, about the way it could spell out ham by picking out the right letters in the right order.

And it was rubbish at that computer game!

Morris dancers. Almost as mad, I reckon, as cheese chasers.

Guest blogger: Mick O'Hare

I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I know nothing about farming. Nothing. Zilch. Not unless you count the last three minutes of Farming Today on Radio 4 before the start of the Today programme at 6am: "I'm Anna Hill, the producer was Chris Impey".

I live in the suburbs of London and I work in the centre of the city. I only visit the countryside on holiday. So to some extent I presume (indeed I worry), that I'm a rather eccentric choice of guest blogger...

I flicked through my latest pop-science book, How to Fossilise Your Hamster, for some inspiration - something that Field Day readers might relate to - but aside from explaining how you would need a big space in order to carry out an experiment measuring the speed of sound using a hammer and a large rock everything seemed very urban. Most of the experiments I described took place in the back garden or, even more likely, in the house... in the garage... even in the smallest room...

And then there it was. A formula devised by an attentive (retentive?) New Scientist reader: how to calculate the amount of faeces produced by a human over the course of a day.* They are a hardy bunch New Scientist readers, almost as down-to-earth as the readers of Farmers Weekly. Which just about brings me to the subject of this blog: Just how does one relieve oneself way out in the countryside, with nary a convenience in sight?

The Great Yorkshire Showground isn't just hosting The Great Lorenzo.

Thousands of schoolchildren will be given a taste of the outdoors at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's annual Countryside Days event.