Everyday's a school day, I always thought it was the sheep?We've always done a few pigs in the garden, for fun,
Q."What would you do if you won the lottery?"Don't have any dits regarding the small holding thing but I'd love to do it if I was rich.
Where are you?My view today, think it qualifies as farming.![]()
Hand feed it cream and beer. It will become your best mate, and follow you anywhere. Especially to the barn for a meeting with the shotgun.
What kind of malting barley?We farm a little over a thousand acres in south Wiltshire. Thirteen years ago I put half the arable area into a Natural England scheme whereby it was restored to chalk downland, I'm still in with NE, although their admin is beyond abysmal.
We grow milling wheat, malting barley and oilseed rape, though the latter is subject to review. So that's 500 arable acres, 500 of now permanent pasture, and c.200 acres of watermeadows and woodland. And a stretch of the Avon.
There is a small herd of Sussex cattle as of last year which will top out at 20 breeding cows. The meat will be sold direct from the farm starting in early summer 2020.
We've always done a few pigs in the garden, for fun, and next year this is going to be put on a more professional footing, utilizing some of the woodland and again sold direct.
I have a working farm foreman who has been here 40 years, so who works for whom is slightly moot, especially since I pay him more than me. There will be a job going here in a couple of years.
There are stresses and strains, periods of manic work and enforced inertia. I welcome constructive and informed criticism of the industry but tire of ignorant ag bashing and Bad Science.
I feel incredibly privileged to be in the position I am: doing an important job in a lovely part of the world. My overriding ambition is to hand over the estate to the next generation in a secure position, environmentally and economically . And buy a new pick up, obvs.
Looks like v good meat...chops making me hungry. You probably know him, having a flock of Herdwicks, but James Rebanks is a damn fine follow on twitter, especially on the whole eco/business thing.
******* shitkickers.
On that note, if I decide to give your exorbitantly expensive restaurant a whirl do I get to chose my own cow to eat?
You know? like those fish restaraunts where you chose your trout from a tank, do you wheel the cows past the window and top them to order?
Concerto.What kind of malting barley?
A mate of mine has 3,000 acres of Suffolk arable.As an Electronic/Communications Engineering graduate I always fancied the idea of becoming an Antenna Farmer. Not sure where to find the details of where to apply.
You can get arrested for that sort of thing you know.We've always done a few pigs in the garden, for fun
I’m still not sure that they’re the main cause of it, however they certainly don’t help the situation.Out of interest, having indirectly been affected by bovine TB, what’s your take on badger culling and the badgers impact on bovine TB?
Yep, loved his book. It’s partly the reason we ended up with Herdwicks.Looks like v good meat...chops making me hungry. You probably know him, having a flock of Herdwicks, but James Rebanks is a damn fine follow on twitter, especially on the whole eco/business thing.
We often send older cows to slaughter and eat them. To be honest it’s all about how the meat is hung.Brilliant thread @Ravers
Just an idea regarding the use of meat in your restaurants and pubs...
The Catalans reckon that the best steaks come not from pure beef stock but 6 year old (or so) dairy cows
usually just using the Cote de Boeuf cut.
I wonder if the same could be applied to beef cows nearing the end of their reproductive run?
But makin' bacon is so much fun.You can get arrested for that sort of thing you know.
Besdies it's more traditional to bother goats in Wiltshire.
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