I’m a farmer, ask me anything

[AskAFarmer]

As title! :)

Re the dogs...my aunt (farmer) had two working sheepdogs chained up in a shed outside... and three pampered corgis that lived inside, and were waited in hand and foot!

I've thought of a question OP.
When buying our meat from the supermarket, what else should we look for other than 'British' to get the best quality/flavour?

Same question for the butcher. Is the quality of meat in the local butcher usually higher than the supermarket and can you elaborate?

Thanks!

BogstandardBelle

Re the dogs...my aunt (farmer) had two working sheepdogs chained up in a shed outside... and three pampered corgis that lived inside, and were waited in hand and foot!

Same with my farming relatives, I found it quite heartbreaking to witness how differently they were treated.

I find this thread so interesting, thanks OP!

I live in a small island in the Caribbean and all our food is shipped from the US, with other imports from Tesco and Waitrose - I'm so distrustful of US food/meat/dairy standards that I try to eat a far more vegetable based diet, and don't eat dairy.

Do you have any knowledge of the differences in UK meat/dairy standards and the US? My main concern is the use of hormones and the humane practices in US, I don't buy US bacon, today I bought the Waitrose brand despite it being about $12 for $12 rashers here.

I was in UK for Easter and my family live in Horsham. Visiting farm shops for local produce and eating locally and ethically sourced meat made all the difference as I knew where it came from (and the difference in taste is immense).

My question is what are your thoughts, if you have any, on the USA farming standards versus the UK?

I've lived here over 11 years but the one thing that would be a plus in moving back to UK would be getting far better quality produce.

Re the dogs...my aunt (farmer) had two working sheepdogs chained up in a shed outside... and three pampered corgis that lived inside, and were waited in hand and foot!

That is absolutely heartbreaking.

Fascinating thread. I grew up on a farm in western Victoria, Australia (moving back to a cottage on it come October, can't wait!) 😁. Australia is having a huge problem with vegan activists at the moment, it's very frustrating just how wilfully ignorant many of them are regarding where their plant based food comes from...

Oh please let’s not turn this thread in to a vegan bashing one. I am not vegan but FGS there is a hell of a lot more ignorance regarding where sausages come from.
The environmental comparison is up for debate too.

See I don’t think that’s right - where I live it’s all family farms, I know loads of other people on family farms in other areas too. Long may it continue, I hope!

You get five figures of subsidy ;) I've been all over the country farming or working on farms - without exception the only family farms i know are supported by something other than livestock sales, be it holiday acvom, subsidy, prior city earnings, inheriting the farm and flogging bits off. A lot of larger operations attempt to play the game against agribusinesses and call a 3000acre operation which only just washes its face ' a family farm' because relatives happen to run it. All a facade during the death throes im afraid. Brexit will be a watershed moment....

Not vegan bashing at all, but breaking into people s farms and abducting animals which is what has happened in Oz is surely not on?

it's very frustrating just how wilfully ignorant many of them are regarding where their plant based food comes from...

Yes, I would class that as vegan bashing.
Still I am sure that no farmers or slaughter house workers ever do anything that could be criticised.

It just seemed a completely goady thing to post and a massive sweeping generalisation about vegans.

The ones that I know are pretty intelligent, clued up on environmental research and don’t break in to anyone’s farms

Do you think the Brits en masse will ever prioritise taste / welfare / etc over price when it comes to shopping for food?

No. Next!

Do you let the local hunt on your land and what are your thoughts on their place in fox control?

No, but that’s because they haven’t asked, we don’t fit in well with the rest of their country.
If they did ask though, I think I’d say no. I used to hunt twice a week and work in hunt service (pre ban) but left because I wasn’t comfortable with it. I don’t think it’s humane.
The current system of trail hunting (where adhered to..!) is much better in all ways.

OP, I walk through fields a lot and always stick to the footpath but on a couple of occasions have veered off slightly due to a) ewes and lambs all resting by a gateway, I went through an adjacent field to avoid disturbing them b) similarly walking through a field with new born calves and cows, dipped through a hedge to avoid antagonising them. I spent both times worrying that I would be yelled at for trespassing from a distance but wouldn't be able to yell back my reasoning. Is that acceptable in those circumstances or not?

I’d avoid cows and calves altogether.
Ewes and lambs you can walk through, they’ll just scatter and regroup somewhere else.

If I saw someone ‘off course’ I’d assume they were lost or scared of animals on the path, and I’d go see if they needed help.

Have you done the Young farmers dos? Is it very active in your area?

Yes and yes, I didn’t go in for it in a big way when I was younger as I did pony club, but I’m sure my feral lot will be joining. I do think the drinking/being an arsehole culture has got worse though.

For example the myths people believe about hormone and antibiotic usage to promote growth.
Threads like this do help, but if you ‘ruled the world’ what would you do?

I’d uphold our high welfare regulations - but crucially id apply them to imports too.

If the government has decided on minimum welfare standards, then it shouldn’t be ok for other countries to flood us with cheap low welfare meat and undercut uk farmers.

Australia is having a huge problem with vegan activists at the moment, it's very frustrating just how wilfully ignorant many of them are regarding where their plant based food comes from...

It really is.
I blame the woke millennials, social media, and children being raised on tablets. Total disconnect with the real world for too many kids these days.

I lol-ed reading this -

The ones that I know are pretty intelligent, clued up on environmental research and don’t break in to anyone’s farms

Straight after this -

a completely goady thing to post and a massive sweeping generalisation about vegans.

😂😂😂😂

Re the dogs...my aunt (farmer) had two working sheepdogs chained up in a shed outside... and three pampered corgis that lived inside, and were waited in hand and foot!

Ahh that’s sad :(
I hate seeing dogs chained up.

My question is what are your thoughts, if you have any, on the USA farming standards versus the UK?

There is no comparison. The thought of US meat making its way here makes me go cold.
Lots of the myths you hear about meat production usually have some basis in truth in the US, which says it all really.

When buying our meat from the supermarket, what else should we look for other than 'British' to get the best quality/flavour?

Ok....
I live on a sheep farm. But I don’t actually like lamb. So....I don’t know. Ketchup!??
Otherwise I suppose, buying in season will always be better, and different breeds definitely have different tastes. Independent retailers can help there, you’ll find them at agricultural shows.

Same question for the butcher. Is the quality of meat in the local butcher usually higher than the supermarket and can you elaborate?

Depends on the butcher. Some just buy from the same abattoirs, some buy locally.
They are usually knowledgeable and can advise you on cuts though and should know where it’s all come from.

What does the pet dog do while the others are working? Are they the same breeds?

Bark at stuff, chase the wrong sheep to the wrong places and then roll in dead badgers usually.
But she is a vital cog in our team and much loved, as we tell her regularly. I think she thinks the whole operation would collapse without her.

Really enjoying reading this thread! My questions...

• How/ when do you socialise and where do farmers date? eg did you ever do things like the Young Farmers (my Mum grew up in a very rural area with NOTHING to do so this was a great way to meet people apparently)
• How much do your family get involved in helping you on the farm?
• Do you own the land or are you a farm/ estate manager?

Thank you

Young Farmers is a wonderful organisation. So many different activities but it is the best dating agency on earth.

Fascinating thread! Thank you. I live in a small rural town in NZ surrounded by farms, mostly sheep but some cows, and find the big stations here fascinating, they are so huge. What do the young farmers grouos do in the UK? The agricultural industry here is really trying to promote young people joining the industry, they run 'agrikids' competitions where teams from primary age to secondary compete, in activities such as identifying breeds, reassembling equipment and machinery and even driving skills for older ones. Most of the high schools here offer horticulture courses and practical options too. There are also apprenticeships on the stations. Is this something you think would benefit the UK industry?

My dc attend a small rural primary that has it's own small farm (2 1/2 hectares) and they raise calves, getting involved with whole process of raising and selling them. Their science focus this term is around raising chicks, and redesigning and rebuilding the chook house. I know the farm and land isn't something that would be practical in the UK but getting more involved with the local area, or raising chooks etc could be. Do you think this would change attitudes?

What you said about being on tablets etc and removed from where food comes from really resonated with me, my dc have to bus to school but I wanted them to know how their local environment worked (and they would happily be on tablets at home all the time if given the choice!). I've taught at other schools and the amount of time on devices and not outside was shocking.

I don't understand how when I type a reply I use paragraphs, but when I post it is all in one...?? Anyway...

Just thought of another question, is there much difference between sheep farming in the UK and NZ? I know you said you follow more of a NZ model, in what way are they different?

There are sheep on the orchards here too at certain times of year, and it is very common at pet days for lambs to be brought in, so I think there are the massive stations vs the more small holdings.

I love the huge a&p shows here, and am always fascinated by all the breeds and types of wool on show. Are there still many agricultural shows in the UK and do you show at them at all?