Kevin Littleboy
Kevin Littleboy
Kevin Littleboy farms
243ha (600 acres) as
Howe Estates at Howe,
Thirsk, North Yorks. The
medium sandy loam in
the Vale of York supports
potatoes, winter wheat,
rape and barley, plus
grass for sheep
WELL, it is now official. I am dysfunctional and unsustainable! Many friends, neighbours and associates knew that already without the Curry Commission making it quite so public.
As with all previous commission or government reports, they wouldnt be worthwhile if they werent controversial or thought provoking in some way. Having read Don Currys report there is a lot that makes common sense and some pointers for the way forward.
Farmings dinosaurs, who have publicly damned it in its entirety, must realise that such ostrich behaviour and public action wins neither votes nor consumer confidence.
Ultimately, consumers are our customers. Much as I hate government meddling, red tape, form filling, being told how and when to sit, eat and bath, I have to learn that society now plays a big role in what I do.
So, please can we have a mature informed debate rather than a pathetic, juvenile point scoring "I am better than though" or "my shinning green organisation is the answer to all farmers ills" attitude for everybodys future and well being? With the Press releases issued from various countryside and farming organisations one wonders not only whether we live on the same planet, but more importantly have we got the same end goal – an agriculture industry that shapes the countryside? No wonder caravaner Margaret Beckett is confused.
Recently, I attended the HGCAs excellent Milling Wheat for Export bread-making conference at CCFRA in Chipping Campden. It may have been highly amusing to Kim Little of CCFRA and Paul Biscoe of the HGCA to make me bake bread and wear a hairnet, but it seriously damaged my street cred. Thank goodness I got the hat off before the photographer arrived.
More seriously, it is pleasing to see that some UK wheats are ideal for making Portuguese, Spanish and Italian bread. Our challenge as farmers is to produce more nabim group 2 wheat for these overseas markets. The fact that 50% of this years wheat is group 3 Claire or Consort will challenge our grain traders. *
Caption Competition: "A bottle of bubbly for the best," says Kevin "baker" Littleboy. E-mail howe@farmline.com