Clarkson's Farm 3

[Maris]

I’ve seen a bit of Harry’s Farm as well, but it’s still a millionaire playing at farming.

I know Countryfile got a bit of stick earlier in the thread for being ‘countryside for Townies’, but farm portrayal is a lot more realistic on it from what I’ve seen, covering Adam’s large farm through to hill farmers earning a subsistence living.

I can see why Clarkson’s Farm is more entertaining though, but I wouldn’t say it’s a typical farm, but has brought farming into the spotlight again.

He started working on a farm at the age of 18.

[Tooks]

He started working on a farm at the age of 18.

No doubt, and I was working on one at 14, that wasn’t really my point.

If anything, Harry Metcalfe is a ‘non farmers farmer’ more than anything that countryfile do.

I like him, I like his car stuff as well, and have been a subscriber to Evo magazine since issue 1, but he has a huge secondary income and I think even he would say he’s not an average or typical farmer.

So, it’s no more a realistic portrayal of farming than Clarkson’s setup, but agree it helps folk unfamiliar with the issues to think about farming and food production.

[Speedy2254]

No doubt, and I was working on one at 14, that wasn’t really my point.

If anything, Harry Metcalfe is a ‘non farmers farmer’ more than anything that countryfile do.

I like him, I like his car stuff as well, and have been a subscriber to Evo magazine since issue 1, but he has a huge secondary income and I think even he would say he’s not an average or typical farmer.

So, it’s no more a realistic portrayal of farming than Clarkson’s setup, but agree it helps folk unfamiliar with the issues to think about farming and food production.

I agree with your points, Harry's probably not your typical farmer. He has though, taught me a lot more about farming than I knew before, some things I'd never thought of, that can't be bad. Didn't Clarkson win an award for bringing farmers' lives & issues to peoples' attention?

[Tooks]

I agree with your points, Harry's probably not your typical farmer. He has though, taught me a lot more about farming than I knew before, some things I'd never thought of, that can't be bad. Didn't Clarkson win an award for bringing farmers' lives & issues to peoples' attention?

Yes, ‘Flying the Flag for British Agriculture’ wasn’t it, at the British Farming Awards industry bash?

Not saying he hasn’t put farming in the spotlight, but it is but one particular perspective, and there are plenty of others.

Debt kills farms in my experience, the one I grew up next to was largely debt free, a third generation farmer, and the good years more than made up for the not so good years. A farm I worked on in my spare time at college/Uni was a tenant farm, and all his kit was borrowed for or leased. He eventually sold up to pay everything off before the stress killed him.

[Speedy2254]

Yes, ‘Flying the Flag for British Agriculture’ wasn’t it, at the British Farming Awards industry bash?

Not saying he hasn’t put farming in the spotlight, but it is but one particular perspective, and there are plenty of others.

Debt kills farms in my experience, the one I grew up next to was largely debt free, a third generation farmer, and the good years more than made up for the not so good years. A farm I worked on in my spare time at college/Uni was a tenant farm, and all his kit was borrowed for or leased. He eventually sold up to pay everything off before the stress killed him.

Yep, definitely more than one perspective in the spectrum (if that's not a mixed metaphor). I do like the fact that people who might not normally think about where their food comes from might now do so after seeing this show...

[Kenny]

Looking forward to it again.

[Tooks]

Yep, definitely more than one perspective in the spectrum (if that's not a mixed metaphor). I do like the fact that people who might not normally think about where their food comes from might now do so after seeing this show...

Yep, agreed, a good topic for people to think about!