- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I originally emailed Rebecca Horsington (as per @JP1 postings), but later had an email saying the NFU was taking over the logistics. Maybe JP knows who's organising it now?
Floods in Somerset
- Thread starter Kevtherev
- Start date
I originally emailed Rebecca Horsington (as per @JP1 postings), but later had an email saying the NFU was taking over the logistics. Maybe JP knows who's organising it now?
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Ann Langdon is who you need. Tel 07827 320943 hope that helps.
Old Boar
Member
- Location
- West Wales
It would be good to get an update on how it is now, from someone who lives near where it was flooded.
Are all the stock back? How is the fodder situation looking? Are the fields polluted or will they grow something this year? IT was heartbreaking to see the distruction and the trauma, so an update would be good.
Are all the stock back? How is the fodder situation looking? Are the fields polluted or will they grow something this year? IT was heartbreaking to see the distruction and the trauma, so an update would be good.
Easy to forget those that were flood now the sun is shining (sometimes),and fields looking so lush and green.
jade35
Member
- Location
- S E Cornwall
From Saturday's Western Morning News
'Smart' music video aims to show Somerset is open for business
By Western Morning News | Posted: July 23, 2014
Comments (0)
The editor of a Westcountry events magazine was so moved by the plight of those living in recently flooded parts of Somerset, he grabbed both his piano and video camera in a bid to prove the county is not only now open for business, but also looking green and beautiful.
The result, which features a song called Land of the Summer People, is a remarkable music video which has been put on the internet where it can be seen free of charge.
The words are sung by a profession Somerset-based artiste, while the video portrays all parts of the county - from the heights of Glastonbury Tor to a seaside train ride aboard a steam train at Blue Anchor. It also includes local craftsmen at work, stunning aerial footage of Burrowbridge Mump in the heart of the Levels, Exmoor ponies and many other unique parts of the county.
“As follow up to the recent post-floods royal visit, I decided to finished a video which accompanies a song I wrote about Somerset,” says Giles Adams, who believes many people think the county is still closed for business after the great inundation of winter 2014.
“There is still a misconception outside the county that Somerset is still flood-affected,” Giles told the Western Morning News. “However, even if the floods had not been an issue, Somerset is not adequately recognised or valued as a tourist destination.
“We do not have the resources for a full-on marketing campaign enjoyed by some counties - therefore we have to work ‘smart’ and think through what our assets might be. Creativity and talent are two of them - and if this video can give Somerset residents and tourism businesses the inspiration to do their own filming and postings on social media, then there could be powerful messages combined to redress the imbalance and correct the misconceptions.
“There has recently been a new flag for Somerset and if people felt this song could either sit alongside it, or act as a catalyst for a competition then that could be a good thing,” says Giles who utilised a mix of video footage taken by himself and by Matthew Dennis, a Somerset film-maker who now live in Los Angeles.
“Underlying all of this is making my work freely available in the interests of the wider community,” added Giles.
“Even if it’s not taken up, at least the work is an illustration of the fun you can have in utilising our natural assets and celebrating them in the hope that others can discover them and help bring business to the county,” said the magazine-editor-composer who is in the process of using his song as the basis for a musical about his home county.
One the video Land of the Summer People is performed by Sarah Randle who comes from a long established family tourism business at West Quantoxhead. She attended the Liverpool Academy of Performing Arts and Paul McCartney requested her to sing at his late wife, Linda’s, funeral. She has since supported Chris Rea on tour and sung for the Queen.
http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...en-business/story-21747266-detail/story.html#
'Smart' music video aims to show Somerset is open for business
By Western Morning News | Posted: July 23, 2014
Comments (0)
The editor of a Westcountry events magazine was so moved by the plight of those living in recently flooded parts of Somerset, he grabbed both his piano and video camera in a bid to prove the county is not only now open for business, but also looking green and beautiful.
The result, which features a song called Land of the Summer People, is a remarkable music video which has been put on the internet where it can be seen free of charge.
The words are sung by a profession Somerset-based artiste, while the video portrays all parts of the county - from the heights of Glastonbury Tor to a seaside train ride aboard a steam train at Blue Anchor. It also includes local craftsmen at work, stunning aerial footage of Burrowbridge Mump in the heart of the Levels, Exmoor ponies and many other unique parts of the county.
“As follow up to the recent post-floods royal visit, I decided to finished a video which accompanies a song I wrote about Somerset,” says Giles Adams, who believes many people think the county is still closed for business after the great inundation of winter 2014.
“There is still a misconception outside the county that Somerset is still flood-affected,” Giles told the Western Morning News. “However, even if the floods had not been an issue, Somerset is not adequately recognised or valued as a tourist destination.
“We do not have the resources for a full-on marketing campaign enjoyed by some counties - therefore we have to work ‘smart’ and think through what our assets might be. Creativity and talent are two of them - and if this video can give Somerset residents and tourism businesses the inspiration to do their own filming and postings on social media, then there could be powerful messages combined to redress the imbalance and correct the misconceptions.
“There has recently been a new flag for Somerset and if people felt this song could either sit alongside it, or act as a catalyst for a competition then that could be a good thing,” says Giles who utilised a mix of video footage taken by himself and by Matthew Dennis, a Somerset film-maker who now live in Los Angeles.
“Underlying all of this is making my work freely available in the interests of the wider community,” added Giles.
“Even if it’s not taken up, at least the work is an illustration of the fun you can have in utilising our natural assets and celebrating them in the hope that others can discover them and help bring business to the county,” said the magazine-editor-composer who is in the process of using his song as the basis for a musical about his home county.
One the video Land of the Summer People is performed by Sarah Randle who comes from a long established family tourism business at West Quantoxhead. She attended the Liverpool Academy of Performing Arts and Paul McCartney requested her to sing at his late wife, Linda’s, funeral. She has since supported Chris Rea on tour and sung for the Queen.
http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...en-business/story-21747266-detail/story.html#
Naughtyfarmer
Member
- Location
- Kent
what is the situation for this coming winter? Nfu running it i know but how are they getting on. Not far from winter now
jade35
Member
- Location
- S E Cornwall
Apologies
had not realised the video in the report had not copied to post. Use link to see videohttp://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...pen-business/story-21747266-detail/story.html
Hi!
I'm a hydrology phd student at uni of bristol doing a research project on the winter floods. In the interest of not becoming someone who thinks they know about something because they read a bunch of stuff about it, if anyone would like to get in touch (particularly farmers) who I could ask a few questions to it'd be much appreciated! Please start a conversation on here with me!
Barney
I'm a hydrology phd student at uni of bristol doing a research project on the winter floods. In the interest of not becoming someone who thinks they know about something because they read a bunch of stuff about it, if anyone would like to get in touch (particularly farmers) who I could ask a few questions to it'd be much appreciated! Please start a conversation on here with me!
Barney
Tis pretty simple for a wursel to understand, to see what happens just turn on both taps in the bath without the plug,
see, nowt much changes, now, restrict the outlet with a flannel or the soap.go to pub untill neighbours downstairs ring to complain about their ceiling falling down.. Thats basically what happened to Somerset
Haha, but why was there a flannel there!?
So some questions and clarifications to start, bear in mind that i'm just going on what i've read online or in books so I may be asking outdated or irrelevant questions (and if you think of other useful information/questions/answers it'd be much appreciated):
-The land use maps i've found of the catchment (in particular the levels and moors) indicate that the vast majority of the area (>90%) is either 'improved grassland' (is this pastoral farming?) or 'arable and horticulture'. Is most of the land by area used for some kind of agriculture?
-They would suggest that the 'arable and horticulture' takes place largely to the West and South of the Polden Hills (in the Parrett and Tone valleys and further upstream in the hills) and the 'improved grassland' on the other side (In the Brue valley and further upstream). Is my geography OK?
-Since a large amount of land is pastoral agriculture (I think!) what does this entail? I ask because there is suggestion that farming methods are contributing to the silting. What is the typical year? e.g. grow fodder in summer and graze on grass/something fancier (or outsourced fodder if they're dairy? - speaking of, what is, roughly, the proportion of livestock types reared), harvest and keep animals in.. a barn? and give them the fodder for the winter. When is the fodder planted? Is the cycle generally the same for all livestock farms in the levels and moors?
As much detail as possible would be appreciated with attention (obviously) to what is happening to the land, as you can probably tell I don't know much about farming!
-I've read that to remain applicable for some CAP subsidy the land has to be cleared of 'unwanted vegetation' including trees; this has resulted in very bare land? You can get the details here: http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes , is it more or less correct?
-In the early C20th much of the land (similar areas to what was flooded this year) was inundated more or less every year but past the 50's and 60's a lot of good work was done and it got way less frequent, has this impacted the land fertility significantly? (If anyone knows/remembers that far back is more and more fertilizer having to be used?)
-In the history books it suggests the severn on a high tide can deposit more than a metre of silt in a summer which is more or less balanced by scour from the river. Are there areas, particularly in the levels (to the west of taunton, bridgewater and cheddar, i think slightly higher above sea level than the moors to the east?), where silt has been building up over a long period (of years)?
-Dredginggggg!!!! What do you and people in the area you know think about it and why?
So some questions and clarifications to start, bear in mind that i'm just going on what i've read online or in books so I may be asking outdated or irrelevant questions (and if you think of other useful information/questions/answers it'd be much appreciated):
-The land use maps i've found of the catchment (in particular the levels and moors) indicate that the vast majority of the area (>90%) is either 'improved grassland' (is this pastoral farming?) or 'arable and horticulture'. Is most of the land by area used for some kind of agriculture?
-They would suggest that the 'arable and horticulture' takes place largely to the West and South of the Polden Hills (in the Parrett and Tone valleys and further upstream in the hills) and the 'improved grassland' on the other side (In the Brue valley and further upstream). Is my geography OK?
-Since a large amount of land is pastoral agriculture (I think!) what does this entail? I ask because there is suggestion that farming methods are contributing to the silting. What is the typical year? e.g. grow fodder in summer and graze on grass/something fancier (or outsourced fodder if they're dairy? - speaking of, what is, roughly, the proportion of livestock types reared), harvest and keep animals in.. a barn? and give them the fodder for the winter. When is the fodder planted? Is the cycle generally the same for all livestock farms in the levels and moors?
As much detail as possible would be appreciated with attention (obviously) to what is happening to the land, as you can probably tell I don't know much about farming!
-I've read that to remain applicable for some CAP subsidy the land has to be cleared of 'unwanted vegetation' including trees; this has resulted in very bare land? You can get the details here: http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes , is it more or less correct?
-In the early C20th much of the land (similar areas to what was flooded this year) was inundated more or less every year but past the 50's and 60's a lot of good work was done and it got way less frequent, has this impacted the land fertility significantly? (If anyone knows/remembers that far back is more and more fertilizer having to be used?)
-In the history books it suggests the severn on a high tide can deposit more than a metre of silt in a summer which is more or less balanced by scour from the river. Are there areas, particularly in the levels (to the west of taunton, bridgewater and cheddar, i think slightly higher above sea level than the moors to the east?), where silt has been building up over a long period (of years)?
-Dredginggggg!!!! What do you and people in the area you know think about it and why?
We farm up river in the hills above where the flooding was all permanent grassland, when i hear about "keeping the water in the hills" I can't see what they think we should do once the land is soaked its soaked,and we want to farm our land just as much as those down river
Sorry Henarar just to be clear; the permanent grassland is in the hills where you farm or below (where the flooding was)? Is the farmland in the hills more or less similar to that of the valley/lowlands?
- Location
- North Somerset.
This might sound a bit bit obvious but have you taken a trip down to the Levels to have a look at what is going on?
You would be able to experience first hand what is going on with land use rather than relying on previous academic work where the authors might also not have visited the area thereby compounding errors or misconceptions!
You would be able to experience first hand what is going on with land use rather than relying on previous academic work where the authors might also not have visited the area thereby compounding errors or misconceptions!
It is mainly grassland just around here though there is arable land further down
Haha! Good move, probably a bit of a city question but how easy it is to wander through farms and stuff?
jade35
Member
- Location
- S E Cornwall
As Topground has said, have you visited the area and possibly talked to the farmers. My understanding of the situation is that farmers are used to some flooding each year but it subsides quite quickly. The problem over the last few years is that normal flood waters have not been allowed to drain as normal due to silting of the water courses, this has been compounded by some months of above normal rain. What was striking was how fast the water disappeared once the giant pumps started pumping considering that all they were doing was in effect what a clear watercourse should do
"-I've read that to remain applicable for some CAP subsidy the land has to be cleared of 'unwanted vegetation' including trees; this has resulted in very bare land? You can get the details here:http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes , is it more or less correct?"
George Monbiot generally makes some valid points but he is a journalist who relishes putting a very one sided view across then watching people try to correct him. I would suggest that perhaps reading Christopher Booker's articles as well may give an alternative viewpoint although equally bombastic. There has also been some interesting information posted on this thread which may be useful if you have not already read it.
If you are serious about a balanced research project then there maybe members willing to help but remember that many in that area have been through a very difficult time over the last few years due to the flooding.
This link looks useful http://www.movingsomersetforward.co.uk/latest-news/new-cycling-and-walking-maps-levels-moors
"-I've read that to remain applicable for some CAP subsidy the land has to be cleared of 'unwanted vegetation' including trees; this has resulted in very bare land? You can get the details here:http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes , is it more or less correct?"
George Monbiot generally makes some valid points but he is a journalist who relishes putting a very one sided view across then watching people try to correct him. I would suggest that perhaps reading Christopher Booker's articles as well may give an alternative viewpoint although equally bombastic. There has also been some interesting information posted on this thread which may be useful if you have not already read it.
If you are serious about a balanced research project then there maybe members willing to help but remember that many in that area have been through a very difficult time over the last few years due to the flooding.
This link looks useful http://www.movingsomersetforward.co.uk/latest-news/new-cycling-and-walking-maps-levels-moors