What did the Rumens do for us?

[ollie989898]

I think the biggest win the UK agricultural industry has is that if it was not for farming, the landscape would not look as it does. No one creates or maintains hedges or dry stone walls for the fun of it- they were put in because of the need to contain livestock. The landscape of the UK has been the way it has for several generations now. The methods and machinery involved have changed but the crux of land use has not.

The farmers out there involved in social media need to reinforce the above in every presentation they create and each interaction they have with those with no knowledge of agriculture. Ultimately a lot of habitat and ecological diversity exists because of agricultural land use, without which they would disappear and be replaced with something very different.

 

[Muddyroads]

We had a couple from Warwickshire staying in our holiday let back in the summer. Seemed quite well heeled and interested in what we do. Turned out they have their own small holding along with other family connections to agriculture.
The wife commented how nice the countryside is around here and what a shame if areas like the Blackdown hills were to change as a result of changing farming practices. Asking what she meant, she said that it would be terrible if such areas became prairies like America.
Where she‘d got the idea from i haven’t a clue, but I pointed out that if it’s going to change at all, it’s more likely to be covered in trees the way things are going at the moment.
Makes me wonder where people get these ideas from!

 

[Red Fred]

I had a brochure arrive from the Irish Tourist Board and every picture seemed to feature cows grazing happily and beautiful landscapes dotted with sheep. The idea of ridding Ireland of its grazing animals is ludicrous.

 

[yellowbelly]

We had a couple from Warwickshire staying in our holiday let back in the summer. Seemed quite well heeled and interested in what we do. Turned out they have their own small holding along with other family connections to agriculture.
The wife commented how nice the countryside is around here and what a shame if areas like the Blackdown hills were to change as a result of changing farming practices. Asking what she meant, she said that it would be terrible if such areas became prairies like America.
Where she‘d got the idea from i haven’t a clue, but I pointed out that if it’s going to change at all, it’s more likely to be covered in trees the way things are going at the moment.
Makes me wonder where people get these ideas from!

D'you get much tumbleweed in Devon?

 

[Muddyroads]

View attachment 1007387 D'you get much tumbleweed in Devon?

Not yet…….

 

[ollie989898]

We had a couple from Warwickshire staying in our holiday let back in the summer. Seemed quite well heeled and interested in what we do. Turned out they have their own small holding along with other family connections to agriculture.
The wife commented how nice the countryside is around here and what a shame if areas like the Blackdown hills were to change as a result of changing farming practices. Asking what she meant, she said that it would be terrible if such areas became prairies like America.
Where she‘d got the idea from i haven’t a clue, but I pointed out that if it’s going to change at all, it’s more likely to be covered in trees the way things are going at the moment.
Makes me wonder where people get these ideas from!

The ironic thing is the prairies of America are in their natural state and they were made that way because of the flora and fauna that were there for hundreds of years if not much longer- huge herds of ruminants slowly making their way across them following the rains and water sources. Strangely enough, there are no hedges or dry stone walls as the country was so vast there was never any real need to confine livestock and you didn't stay in one place with them anyway.

The Blackdown hills, as they sit today, look as they do because of the actions of man and farming, again, this has been going on for hundreds of years.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

not to mention clothing and footwear and goodness knows how many other fully environmentally friendly recyclable things.

leather and wool for clothing are far more environmentally friendly than nylon (micro plastic pollution ~ possibly in Sewage Sludge Cake too, so that's why I wouldn't dream of spreading it on the farm here)

Fit washing machines with filters to reduce microplastic pollution, MPs say

Women’s Institute supports initiative, urging manufacturers to take action on plastic microfibres

www.theguardian.com

the recommendation is fitting filters to washing machines, but I am going to be far more radical and say, wear wool!

 

[Henarar]

View attachment 1007387 D'you get much tumbleweed in Devon?

Well @gone up the hill lives there so yes

 

[Henarar]

leather and wool for clothing are far more environmentally friendly than nylon (micro plastic pollution ~ possibly in Sewage Sludge Cake too, so that's why I wouldn't dream of spreading it on the farm here)

Fit washing machines with filters to reduce microplastic pollution, MPs say

Women’s Institute supports initiative, urging manufacturers to take action on plastic microfibres

www.theguardian.com

the recommendation is fitting filters to washing machines, but I am going to be far more radical and say, wear wool!

what a good idea and when the filters get clogged they can be washed out in the sink or just flush them and buy a new one

 

[ollie989898]

leather and wool for clothing are far more environmentally friendly than nylon (micro plastic pollution ~ possibly in Sewage Sludge Cake too, so that's why I wouldn't dream of spreading it on the farm here)

Fit washing machines with filters to reduce microplastic pollution, MPs say

Women’s Institute supports initiative, urging manufacturers to take action on plastic microfibres

www.theguardian.com

the recommendation is fitting filters to washing machines, but I am going to be far more radical and say, wear wool!

There must be a way for water companies to separate out plastics. Or just de-water and burn the sewage for electricity then use the residual ash as fertiliser.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

what a good idea and when the filters get clogged they can be washed out in the sink or just flush them and buy a new one

The contribution of washing processes of synthetic clothes to microplastic pollution - Scientific Reports

Microplastic pollution caused by washing processes of synthetic textiles has recently been assessed as the main source of primary microplastics in the oceans. Therefore, understanding the effective contribution of the washing process of synthetic clothes to this environmental problem, is of...

www.nature.com

 

[Ffermer Bach]

There must be a way for water companies to separate out plastics. Or just de-water and burn the sewage for electricity then use the residual ash as fertiliser.

I think the particles are too small

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Surely the simple answer to the OP is, a rumen, can do this without any carbon footprint;

Lincolnshire farm to build ‘world’s first’ cabbage-derived protein factory​

By Simon Roughneen1 December 2021

Naylor Farms is seeking planning permission for a new facility that will convert 2,000 tonnes of cabbage into plant-based protein a week

 

[Red Fred]

A couple more: Grass fields for public enjoyment such as scouting, Glastonbury, camping, etc
Food security in time of crisis.

 

[roscoe erf]

Reading about the worm turning and the lacklustre defence of our industry offered by our representatives, I suddenly thought that what we need is an overwhelming list of all the positive and obvious benefits that traditional farming brings to the British Isles. It would then give a handy ready defence to the sort of carp that keeps appearing on Facebook threads and it could also be used as a humorous response that we could paste and run when up against it.
Everyone knows the Monty Python sketch about the benefits the evil Romans brought to Judea, such as medicine, sanitation, etc, etc, so how about a list in similar vein entitled "What did the rumens ever do for us?"
Here's some random thoughts for starters:
Decent nutrition
Conservation
Hay meadows
Diverse flora and fauna
Rural communities
Tourism
The British landscape
Mediaeval churches
Natural fibres
Low food miles
Carbon sequestration
Soil Fertility
Rare breed preservation...
Can brains mightier than mine add to it, hopefully with a bit of a knowing smile, to put down people like the vegan idiot who posted "What justification is there for eating meat?"

the wool industry built the north

 

[Red Fred]

I have just been through and added to my list. Sorry if I have missed any suggestions while keeping an eye on the sausis frying I think these might be more than enough for (vegan) starters.
Decent nutrition
Conservation
Hay meadows
Diverse flora and fauna
Rural communities
Tourism
The British landscape
Mediaeval churches and regional economies built on the wool trade
Natural fibres
Low food miles
Carbon sequestration
Soil Fertility
Rare breed preservation..
Tripe
Supports small farmers rather than large food processors
Eat waste products from food processing
Humans are omnivores
Milk cheese and butter
Little Boy Blue's horn ( )
Grazing livestock on clover doesn't rely on nitrates or fossil fuels to produce food
Better for insect life and soil biology
Wallis and Gromit (or rather Sean the Sheep) but Wensleydale cheese anyway
Cowboy films
Urbanization
The choice to be vegan or not
Recyclable clothing, shoes, etc
Converting plant cellulose into high nutritional quality protein.
Grass fields for public enjoyment such as scouting, Glastonbury, camping, shows, etc
Food security in time of crisis such as 1917 and 1942.
Modern 1st world living and jobs, built on the Agricultural revolution and rotations .
Created the economies of many modern nations such as Australia and New Zealand with exported breeds and know how.
Livestock also supports pastoral communities and landscapes in other countries from Lapland to Switzerland to Africa.
Tends to support poorer rural communities worldwide in areas unsuited to arable
Allows rich 1st world vegans to patronise pastoralist people in other countries (neo colonialism! )

BUT APART FROM THAT, WHAT HAVE THE RUMENS EVER DONE FOR US????

 

[Muddyroads]

Out of curiosity, how about thinking it the other way round.
What would the world look like without ruminants?

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I have just been through and added to my list. Sorry if I have missed any suggestions while keeping an eye on the sausis frying I think these might be more than enough for (vegan) starters.
Decent nutrition
Conservation
Hay meadows
Diverse flora and fauna
Rural communities
Tourism
The British landscape
Mediaeval churches and regional economies built on the wool trade
Natural fibres
Low food miles
Carbon sequestration
Soil Fertility
Rare breed preservation..
Tripe
Supports small farmers rather than large food processors
Eat waste products from food processing
Humans are omnivores
Milk cheese and butter
Little Boy Blue's horn ( )
Grazing livestock on clover doesn't rely on nitrates or fossil fuels to produce food
Better for insect life and soil biology
A few light hearted ones while sitting on the tractor:
Wallis and Gromit (or rather Sean the Sheep) but Wensleydale cheese anyway
Cowboy films
Urbanization
The choice to be vegan or not
Recyclable clothing, shoes, etc
Converting plant cellulose into high nutritional quality protein.
Grass fields for public enjoyment such as scouting, Glastonbury, camping, shows, etc
Food security in time of crisis such as 1917 and 1942.
Modern 1st world living and jobs, built on the Agricultural revolution and rotations .
Created the economies of many modern nations such as Australia and New Zealand with exported breeds and know how.
Livestock also supports pastoral communities and landscapes in other countries from Lapland to Switzerland to Africa.

and worldwide, it is predominantly the poor who rely on animal agriculture for their living, so the wealthy here in the west telling the poor that the way they survive is wrong is just beyond the pale.

 

[Red Fred]

I tried out a short version on a vegan page but have discovered that Americans don't really do irony. As soon as I posted "What do farmers do for us? " with an ironic smiley, I had half of Hazzard County after me with virtual hunting rifles as they thought I was being serious, so I'll have to be more careful.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I tried out a short version on a vegan page but have discovered that Americans don't really do irony. As soon as I posted "What do farmers do for us? " with an ironic smiley, I had half of Hazzard County after me with virtual hunting rifles as they thought I was being serious, so I'll have to be more careful.

they probably took your page as a micro aggression