April 2011 Archives

I've heard it all now - rabbit showjumping.

And, in case you don't believe everything you read in the newspapers, here's also a short BBC video of a rabbit in North Yorks in training.

An initiative designed to bring art into the countryside and raise money for charity is being launched on a Northamptonshire farm this summer.

Art in the Box is a fundraising event being held at Pastures Farm, Grendon, in aid of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI).

If the idea proves successful, then RABI hopes it will be rolled out to other farms across the country next year.

"The idea is to encourage farmers to clear out any spare loose boxes or stables and turn them into miniature art galleries to host their own art exhibitions," says RABI's Milly Wastie.

"It is very straightforward to organise, and could be hugely effective in raising much needed funds. Not only will Art in the Box bring art into the countryside, but it would also encourage people from towns and cities to venture into the country."

The Pastures Farm event will feature 30 local artists, all of whom will be exhibiting a maximum of three pieces each.  Money will be raised by charging them a small hanging fee and taking commission on pictures that are sold. Visitors will also be asked to buy an exhibition sheet.

Amazing what you can read about in The Sun. First it was the 'otter rampage' then the ewe 'playing the field' and now it's Corrie star Jim McDonald who reckons he prefers farming to acting.

We blogged a while back about Hovis's new 'racing farmers' ad - well here's some behind the scenes footage. 

A sneak preview of the Royal wedding - at a farmshop in North Yorkshire. I'm guessing the real carriage they use on Friday won't be made of straw...

How about this for an East Anglian diversification - crocodiles.

Watch video and read why one Cambridgeshire farmer is convinced they could be the next big thing in the meat market.

A Lancashire farming family could see their milk turned into a world-breaking ice cream.

John (pictured) and Philip Baldwin, who farm at Whittle le Woods, are supplying the white stuff for a floral bouquet-style cornet that is aiming to get into the Guiness Book of Records as the world's most expensive scoop of icecream.

The project, designed to celebrate the Royal Wedding, is the brainchild of Colin Bleasdale of Bleasdale's Ice Cream.

It's not just international royalty who'll be at the Royal Wedding.

Friends of Field Day, Phil and Heather Gorringe who farm in Herefordshire, have had an invite to the event. They were a little surprised to say the least... 

Isn't this picture great. It was snapped by 15-year-old Beth Cross of Huntsham in Devon.

Don't forget, photography enthusiasts, that the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2011 are taking entries until June 2.

The picture shown, Fox Pouncing, was by Dale Sutton and was highly commended in the Animal Behaviour category of last year's awards.

I'm worried that people might have the wrong idea about me.

It's been suggested that Saturday's blog post was no more than a thinly veiled excuse to publish a picture of a glamour model and that I don't even like asparagus.

I'll have you know that while I may be guilty as charged on the first count, I most certainly do like asparagus.

So here, for fellow enthusiasts (without a glamour model in sight) is a selection on BBC recipes using it.

I always look forward to the National Federation of Young Farmers' agm weekend. It's one of the best (and busiest!) weekends of the year.

It's happening on May 6 to 8 in Blackpool and, as always, some of those going will use the journey to the Lancashire town as an opportunity to raise some cash for good causes.

The photo shows some of the Cornish members getting in a bit of practise for their epic walking endeavour.  

It's asparagus season - which is fantastic because I can't get enough of it.

It's also a veg, certainly in terms of advertising campaigns, that seems to have certain associations.

Here's a picture I was once sent featuring glamour model Kelly Bell promoting a variety of it that has to take the prize for the most overt level of sexual suggestiveness. Ever.

Obviously, if you're likely to be offended, don't click the 'continue reading' option.

Like this picture. It'll be in an exhibition of colour drawings by Sandra Moore called Scarecrows which opens on April 16 at Bridge Huose Farm Tearooms, Wray, Lancaster.

Also, wildlife artist Tim Hayward will be exhibiting at the Jonathan Cooper Park Walk Gallery in London.

I like milk bottles. That said, I'm not sure I'd spend 30 years hoarding them like this man.  

Run a great diversification?

If so, there's still time to enter the diversification category of the Farmers Weekly Awards 2011. It's a great chance to raise the profile of your business and get your hard work recognised.

A Devon farmer has come up with an innovative solution to combat rustling - he's dyed his sheep orange.

John Heard has put about 250 Blackface ewes through a harmless dip of temporary orange dye to discourage criminals, after having about 200 sheep stolen in recent years.

John reckons rustling is a big problem on Dartmoor and told the press he was "getting mighty fed up with losing so many".

It reminded me of the football-following farmer who put the St George's cross on his sheep and the flock of Scottish sheep turned blue to celebrate St Andrew's Day.

A farmer who's a Territorial Army officer has been honoured for his work towards countering the illegal drugs trade in Afghanistan.

Captain Michael Whitehead from Wiltshire has been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS) in recognition of his efforts during a 12-month deployment to Helmand Province.

A farmer reckons a cancer-sensing cat could have saved his life.

I blogged last week about the new 'racing farmers' ad from Hovil - well here's a clip fom it. 

Just in case you thought yesterday's story about the showjumping cow was a late April Fool's, here's a short video clip of said animal.

I have to say, it's not a very good showjumping cow. 

This definitely comes under the category of 'don't try this at home'.

From German, one girl's bizarre, funny and I'd say downright dangerous hobby of cow riding.

Hovis is about to launch a new TV advert - featuring farmers who grow premium British red wheat exclusively for the brand.

Today is a milestone for Archers fans - the first episode of Ambridge Extra aired just a few minutes ago on Radio 4 Extra.

Be interesting to see what the reviews are like - all it tells us in the listings is that "Alice is in a romantic mood and Jamie is enjoying his new-found freedom".

Here's what the Independent had to say about it in its preview piece this morning.

Love this picture. It'll be featuring in the 'sheep' exhibition at the Fosse Gallery in Stow-on-the-Wold which runs from May 8 to May 31.

"It's not just the soft colours of the fleece and the warm bulk of them, but the ancient bony heads and the look in the eye that exert a hold on me," says the artist Seren Bell, explaining why she so frequently features sheep in her work.

"There is also something about their being in the landscape that is reassuring and timeless," she adds.

Do you run a diversification on the farm? Know someone who does? Well here's a competition you might consider entering - the diversification category of the Farmers Weekly Awards.

Gardeners are being encouraged to help reverse the decline in butterfly numbers, amid concerns about species extinction.

Check out this story in the news pages of Farmers Weekly this morning.

Sounds like an inspired idea to me...