James Rebanks
- Thread starter PhilipB
- Start date
- Location
- Northumberland
He was on the telly a few days ago.I thought he was too apologetic about conventional farming,although it may have been edited that way.Have read his first book,it was good.
- Location
- Fife
And what is the future of hill farming?
Subs and diversification? That's the current model
Crowd funding? Can't see that working for anyone who isn't a famous author.
Read the bloody book
Mrs just bought it for me, I picked it up an read a hours worth so it must of kept me entertained! If family farming history and a more traditional way of doing things interest you or you can relate to it then you’ll enjoy it! If your glad things have moved on an haven’t got parents old enough so you’d have some understanding of a bygone age then it might not be for you! I’ve got three of his books and have enjoyed all of them and I’m not a massive reader,
Three? I didn't realise he'd written so many.
What does this one cover that "A Shepherds Life" doesn't? I read a review and thought it sounded like it was covering very similar material.
The BBC reporter asked him the question why not just buy all our food in from abroad as its cheaper, he quickly replied that there were cheaper media producers than the BBC, so why should they survive !!
The writing is writ large on the wall... taking subs for the management of 'natural capital'.
Good Article
Haven't seen this pointed at elsewhere. https://unherd.com/2020/09/how-to-save-british-farming-and-the-countryside/
thefarmingforum.co.uk
Good Article
Haven't seen this pointed at elsewhere. https://unherd.com/2020/09/how-to-save-british-farming-and-the-countryside/
Have just skimmed that looking for the paragraph that matters; in any article there is generally one paragraph that contains the salient point, with the rest just being padding to get it up to the word count demanded by the editor.
We need to make being an ecologically sound farmer financially viable. That requires a new deal between farmers, government, retailers, taxpayers and the consumer — a deal that protects and supports good farming and environmental stewardship. A deal that creates viable local food economies in which everyone has access to affordable good food.
He is almost there.
1) Market share is the root of all evil. Reverse the concentration of market share in food retailing and the required changes in the rest of the food chain will fall in to place.
2) UK agriculture and the environment movement are each others greatest allies. Neither can achieve its objectives without the support of the other.
3) All ELMS area payments should go to PP.
- Location
- Hampshire
Just listening to 'A shepherd's Life' on audible, looking forward to nannies reading the next one to me, never seem to have time for reading, but listen to audiobooks all day.
- Location
- Hampshire
Will be in 5 minutes while feeding.In the tractor...?
Just to be pedantic, James Rebanks wrote ‘The Shepherd’s Life’. ‘A Shepherd’s Life’ is the classic written by W H Hudson in 1910 about shepherding on the Wiltshire Downs - an excellent read if you can get hold of a copy. Fairly sure that Rebanks imitated the title on purpose when he wrote his book.
Well if those crusties causing all the disruption are anything to go by I'll take my chance without number 2 thank you.
Your choice. My point, really, was this:
That paragraph I lifted from James' article. The article as a whole. If it was an extract from one of James' excellent books, then fair enough. In a book you expect to find broad concepts, the exploration of ideas.
However, if you are going to write an article entitled 'How to save British farming and the countryside' then you need to make specific policy proposals, call for specific pieces of legislation.
Otherwise it's just like so many posts on here. A whinge-fest.
What, specifically, does James think needs to happen ? I made my suggestions to prompt others, is all.
- Location
- Limousin
I see he has an article in the Guardian:
www.theguardian.com
Enough with 'local' and 'organic'. We'll begin to eat well when we farm well | James Rebanks
We need to know how and where our food is grown and thereby take more responsibility for the planet
www.theguardian.com
He seems very likable, and I'm all for farmers getting a good press and talking sense.
Having said that, he is really lucky in the "story" he's got : World class landscape, really cute sheep, plenty of honest toil, proper rural yokel stuff, self - improvement through education.... All that washes really well with readers of the waitrose magazine.
And the rest of us are a bit of a disappointment for not being like that.
Having said that, he is really lucky in the "story" he's got : World class landscape, really cute sheep, plenty of honest toil, proper rural yokel stuff, self - improvement through education.... All that washes really well with readers of the waitrose magazine.
And the rest of us are a bit of a disappointment for not being like that.