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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think I didn't deserve abuse for this?

66 replies

QuestionableMouse · 22/09/2019 13:30

The lane where I walk my dog borders a arable field. It's had a stack of square bales on it for the past few days and a couple of spots of loose straw where the baling has failed. This morning I walked past and saw that one of the loose stacks was on fire. It was quite close to the big stack and the wind was blowing sparks on it. I rang the fire brigade who came out and dealt with it.

I posted on the village Facebook group so someone could let the farmer know so he could come over and speak to the fire brigade if he felt it was needed.

I got an absolute load of abuse back from him saying that I'd over reacted, that it would have burned itself out and a few of the other villagers agreed. It got go bad I deleted the post and blocked them all.

I don't think I over reacted. The pile of loose was quite large, well alight and the wind was blowing bits of flaming straw and sparks over the entire stubble field, including onto the large stack of bales.

Wibu?

OP posts:

SchadenfreudePersonified · 22/09/2019 16:04

I would have done exactly the same - I HAVE done exactly the same re: fires in fields and in woodland, and also once when I found a bullock wandering down a road (the only reason it wasn't a busy road was because of the tie of night, but traffic still did come down it, and it was a black bullock and someone could have hit it). No-one has complained to me. Twice I have actually been thanked (bullock occasion was one).

It is a sensible precaution to ring the fire brigade - especially after the host summer we've had.

(I found a road-wandering horse once, too. They're easier because you can get hold of their mane, and they also respond to being steered. It didn't belong to the farm I took it to (the nearest0, but he put it in a field and said he'd find the owner. so I felt very virtuous.

)

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 22/09/2019 16:15

I'm married to a farmer and I'd have called the fire brigade too. Stubble fires are bastards and you just can't predict what will happen.

Queenofthestress · 22/09/2019 16:16

We have literally just had a massive fire a week ago near mine when bales of hay caught fire. It took 2 days to burn itself out, you definitely did the right thing

INeedAFlerken · 22/09/2019 16:30

A farm on the edge of our village just had a huge mound of straw set on fire as well; burned and smoked four 3 days. Awful.

You did the right thing. Farmer and his friends are arses. Ignore them.

Mythreefavouritethings · 22/09/2019 16:35

You can’t cure stupid. Or worse, devious. Don’t worry, OP, you did the decent thing. Block and ignore.

MrsSlocombesPussy · 22/09/2019 16:59

When Jimmy (of Jimmy's Farm fame) first moved to his farm he got a few of his townie friends to help him clear some land. They had the bright idea of setting fire to it to speed things up. They ended up closing the A14!

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 22/09/2019 17:35

My house backs onto said field too so I didn't want it burning right up to my garden.

I've never seen them burn the stubble around here. It's right on the outskirts of the village so is quite risky. There's also horses in the next field that could have been spooked or worse.

I don't think anything got soaked. It looked like they were using pitchforks and beater things to break it up.

OP posts:

Cheeseoncrumpets · 22/09/2019 17:44

People are so weird on local Facebook groups. I remember when someone posted a photo of some mouldy veg they'd bought from Morrison's on ours and said it was disgusting it was etc.

They got a barrage of abuse from some people claiming they were ruining Morrison's reputation and would cause less people to shop there. It was weird. I'd understand if they were talking about a local independent businness, but Morrisons are a large national chain and this was unlikely to damage them too much.

petbear · 22/09/2019 18:04

@QuestionableMouse

WOW, of COURSE YANBU. I live in the country and know a few farmers/farm workers, and no WAY would they have reacted like this.

I am so sorry you got treated this way. No reason for it at all. You did nothing wrong.

Mrsmadevans · 22/09/2019 18:07

'Ywnbu. Farmer sounds weirdly pissed off for someone helping save his bales. Maybe you ruined someone's carefully planned insurance job! Don't worry about it.'
I instantly thought this too
OP take no notice there's nowt queer as folk

Queenofthestress · 23/09/2019 13:34

@INeedAFlerken you're not in a place beginning with L and ending in H are you?

dollydaydream114 · 23/09/2019 13:57

My guess is that he either started the fire himself for some reason or other - trying to dispose of straw that was going mouldy or something - or that he was pissed off that water from the fire hoses waterlogged his field for a bit.

Either way - he's a dickhead and you did the right thing. Fires like that can spread really badly; I've seen it happen!

INeedAFlerken · 23/09/2019 15:53

Sorry, no.

RubbingHimSourly · 23/09/2019 15:57

I'd actually report this to the police / fire brigade........his reaction is so off it makes him look very suspicious.

Windydaysuponus · 23/09/2019 16:02

When our house adjoined a farm there was a barn fire. Dd rang the fire brigade.
Farmer accused ds as he knew he smoked!!.
The same awful man who left rotten sheep hidden under tarmac and told the environmental health it was our ddog's poo that's smelled!!
Yanbu to act responsibly op.
Agree to inform the police you have been harassed.

DamonSalvatoresDinner · 23/09/2019 18:10

We are farmers. We didn't bale straw but hay and you can bet your arse if it was on fire we'd want it put out! How ridiculous that people would take issue with that!

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