A chance to catch up on things, its all been a bit of a blur since coming back. Last Saturday saw us finish harvest with the last of the spring wheat cut and the straw baled and wrapped. Add in loading out barley and oats plus storing feed and seed for over winter and you get one harassed and distracted farmer.
No2 [daughter] spotted a leak in our 12-year-old minibus. Many years of farm tracks, sales and green stuff has taken its toll. Unfortunately it is an import and so it will take several weeks to source and then transport the parts, probably directly from Japan. This has meant a rather costly and unplanned purchase of another vehicle. How people can ever afford a new one is beyond me as this one has depreciated £14 000 in just three years. We went down the line of various makes and bought the only one the baby did not cry in. Not perhaps the most usual method but it worked for us.
The title does not refer to the relentless diet of bad news since my return but to another type of diet more of which later. The treatment of Scots farmers by DEFRA has been quite appalling and goes well beyond what I thought a democratic government capable of. We must get at least equal treatment from Westminster or a new clearances will ensue with some dire and unpredictable consequences. The seriousness of the situation and the resolve of those caught up in it seems to have been totally underestimated by Mr Benn. I have no idea what will happen only that something must. People are furious.
The diet refers to the latest obesity scare. I was one of those that thought this was all rubbish but we have now been visiting the local health centre with No5. There is of course absolutely nothing wrong with her, but every single department of the NHS must have that confirmed in triplicate. Every part of the various departments we visited was full of morbidly obese OAPs, adults and worst of all children. Some of whom were so breathless from the exertion of walking in the door I feared they would die right in front of us. The urban diet is clearly broken. We must fix it somehow and as a food producer I feel I have some responsibility to try and do something. Suggestions would be welcome.
People who have adopted always say they get intrusive and inappropriate comments. Being an over 6ft fit farmer, in rigger boots and boiler suit with the sleeves rolled up and the scars clearly visible with a babe in my arms, oddly enough I have not had a single one. Is it me?