ARE there any other National Trust tenants out there in the same predicament as we are?

[exmoor dave]

The Trust have a long term “vision” for their land which does not include any of what they consider “intensive” agriculture. They dislike maize, especially for AD plants, and dairy where they think there is the remotest risk of pollution. They have stated their aim to plant a massive number of trees in what appears to me to be a flawed approach to the country becoming carbon neutral, forging links with the Woodland Trust and some very large tree nurseries. These are often to be planted on perfectly good grassland areas which already sequester large quantities of carbon.
They want to considerably increase the amount of “wetlands”, with little thought to how that land will be managed, or even whether it is geographically suited.
They have underinvested in farm buildings (and houses) for many years leaving a lot unfit for purpose.
They won’t allow buffer feeding as an example, so if “wetland” areas are to be grazed by cattle, you can’t buffer feed them in a dry year, and are unlikely to have the buildings to house them safely in the winter. The obvious option to buy stores in the spring and sell in the autumn is hampered by their desire that the farms should be organic, and Tb issues.
I assume they have involved themselves with ELMS and will hope to benefit from it.
Who comes up with these policies I have no idea, but it’s worth remembering that the NT staff implementing them are simply employees doing their jobs.
The Trust often talk about working in partnership with their tenants, and I’m sure it’s what they push to their precious membership. Their idea of partnership seems to be one way. By lobbying at their AGM, this is where changes could be made, but I still come back to my earlier point: once the current crisis is over, the Trust will be a much poorer organisation, which may reduce their levels of ambition and put us as a group in a stronger position.

I think this sums up the rather bizarre attitude of the NT to environmental works- on the one hand spending £Ms on tree planting, wetland creation..... beavers etc etc

On the other hand the housing stock rarely has even basic double glazing or sufficient insulation



But then spending aload of money on double glazing is neither trendy or headline making ??

 

[ollie989898]

I see the chair of NT is one Tim Parker .... the nice guy who destroyed the life and livelihood of a number of sub postmasters through the POs incompetent IT system Horizon.
Jobs for the boys ...

Dynamite, would you like a ticket to question him at their AGM?

 

[7610 super q]

I have some ancient grains if anyone wants to buy some. I found a 2 year old bag of barley in the back of the shed I'd forgotten about.

 

[ollie989898]

WTF are ancient grains and who the fudge would grow them anyway?

 

[Bury the Trash]

WTF are ancient grains and who the fudge would grow them anyway?

Ancient farmers ? .... I think I quality....

 

[ollie989898]

Ancient farmers ? .... I think I quality....

Is there a market for this stuff?

 

[Daniel Larn]

Is there a market for this stuff?

There is a market, it's small, but pays quite well. You really need to look at supplying people direct, either a local bakery or health food type place.

 

[beardface]

Tenants revolt! If you can all afford to sell up and find somewhere else then do it. Given how much coin there losing due to corona, if they then lose a huge lump due to no tenants, theyll sell you the farm back for a quid as once they've rewilded it it will be worth sweet FA!

 

[ollie989898]

There is a market, it's small, but pays quite well. You really need to look at supplying people direct, either a local bakery or health food type place.

How may tonnes would they like tipped up in the yard once a week?

Typical NT lentilists.

 

[Daniel Larn]

How may tonnes would they like tipped up in the yard once a week?

Typical NT lentilists.

Can't say, depends on how big a lentilist they are!

...I must say, I haven't heard that one before, but I love it.

 

[Muddyroads]

Dynamite, would you like a ticket to question him at their AGM?

Have you got a good contact?

 

[ollie989898]

Can't say, depends on how big a lentilist they are!

...I must say, I haven't heard that one before, but I love it.

The full-blown tirade is 'soya latte sipping lentilsts'.

 

[ollie989898]

Have you got a good contact?

No, I was jesting. I'm the very last person who would ever attend anything to do with the NT. I loathe that organisation and have done for years because of how they treated a friend of mine many years ago now.

 

[Oscar]

Trouble with this small scale bits and Bob's is that at end of day its lots of work messing around ,doing stuff that I neither have skills at or any intrest and at end of day comes to bugger all money !! I can run current 225 acs of arable part time , it's an intrest I ve always had and earn my real income off farm. No way am I going to muck about growing fruit and veg ,making jam etc on a few acres to flog to the NT shop for pence. My wife also works full time so she is nt going to do it either.
I ve accepted that change is going to happen and if I want to stay living here then this new policy is going to happen. All I can do is try and get as much from NT as possible re low rent and other infrastructure and try and get a 5 yr HLS scheme which may mean in time I m set up for ELMs . Not happy or think it's right but that's what FBT s allow, take it or leave .
Biggest problem now is lockdown will mean this all drags on another year of uncertainty as N T have all gone home plus I guess much of RPA or N England staff.

 

[puppet]

WTF are ancient grains and who the fudge would grow them anyway?

They are ancient for a reason. Poor yield and susceptible to everything going.
But obviously good for you as they are 'natural'. Hard to tell apart from some ryegrass.

 

[beardface]

What really boils my pee with NT is that the reason people visit there vast estate is due to the hard work and dedication of there tenant farmers making it look like a biscuit tin. All rewilding will do is create access issues due to increased vegetation, cause wild fires, create lots of metal anguish and pain to there current tenants and destroy rare habitats created through over 1000 years of farming activity. But that's what happens when you put the lunatics in charge of the asylum!

 

[Bury the Trash]

Is there a market for this stuff?

Yes probably a useful niche I expect, for the likes of thatching Reed etc....

 

[chipchap]

In the wake of the Covid 19 epidemic every single productive acre of farmland should be used for producing food.
All the rewilding agenda will be put in the bin where it belongs.
That is if there are any competent people still willing to produce the food we need.

 

[JP1]

These are your landlords. It is interesting to see their other life experiences. Remember, the National Trust is a membership organisation. While it is a generalisation, the rump of that membership is the archetypal conservative remainder of Great Britains original indigenous population, who have invariably deep roots in the rural past of this nation. They are your strength.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/board-of-trustees

Don't see many Countrymen (women) on that Board of Trustees tbh. Quango Central springs to mind

 

[Scholsey]

Well landlords like thd Duchy and the Church can manage with a better balance so why cant they?

Its PC gone mad not rural science or community sense that's for sure

Dutchy/church isn’t funded by people who want to hug trees all day.

In the wake of the Covid 19 epidemic every single productive acre of farmland should be used for producing food.
All the rewilding agenda will be put in the bin where it belongs.
That is if there are any competent people still willing to produce the food we need.

Doesn’t really make sense considering there is top quality cuts of beef stacking up in freezers not being sold, potato seed being fed into digesters and milk being thrown away.