The Archers #93: The Flower and Produce show - who's going to get their just desserts. Freddie? Ellis? Russ? Pass judgement here.

[DadDadDad]

No, that's not a jokey exaggeration, this is really the 93rd thread in a series started by PseudoBadger five years ago! In fact, post number 90,000 in the "official" count will be made on this thread.

Lovers of The Archers welcome (along with the rest of us who have a more complicated relationship with the "TA" ).

One rule we try to stick to: No mentioning of future episode plotlines published in the Radio Times etc. However, once an episode has aired, say what you like!

What is going to happen to Freddie? And are we ever going to hear from Lily again?
I also am wondering what it will take for Kenton to apologise to Fallon...

Oh dear thanks Bolleaux The script was quite machiavellian in it's complexity though, R4 and I have that excuse

Blimey Dad I hadn't realised I posted soooo much. I do have large gaps though ,one is approaching, next week.

Blimey, DDD, you need to get out more.:o

Splendid stuff.

Sorry DDD, but that incredible analysis only goes to show your role as FatherThread is assured. My suggestion is Freddie’s doing porridge, Tom gets his oats, but will Home Farm be toast? We’ll have to wheat and see ... Serial production is in full swing in Ambridge (black grass notwithstanding)

Wow that list really underlines how many of the "regular" names have changed over the years. I've been mainly lurking since the beginning and used to have a much clearer picture in my head of which poster was which (and some seriously knowledgeable, helpful people you are too) but have lost track of many of you with the name changes. I still enjoy reading the analysis though, thank you!
PS DDD is totally right about all these excuses not to start a thread being like dads who make similar excuses not to look after their kids. Of course any one of us can start a thread, it's not difficult. We're all strong, independent women (unlike Helen). Although I bet Helen would happily start a new thread...!

Possible next thread ? “ Josh is milking it, Tom and Hannah are doing it, and Lizzy is bricking it! Come and find out all about it!

Go on then Elph I can't because I'm often not on line at all at the specific moment.

Lilian's is a good suggestion

Oh good one too Mrs Grindah.

See Dad all that emotional blackmail has paid off

Yeah, it wasn't very subtle was it?

I like Lillian's title suggestion (the first part otherwise it's a bit long).

Seconding Lilian's suggestion for its relevant arable - ness.

I like LilGs too and it looks like it’s my choice I may have to set it up a bit early though as I tend to lock myself out of various corners of the internet for large blocks of time so I can get other stuff done.

Lil G’s is fab - loving the multi-grain goodness!

no replies yet to my query about lowfield - is it gone for good? nothing on there since August. we won't be able to solve future disputes by looking up the entry

Just seen an article in the Times that a recent study shows women who suffer pre-eclampsia are more likely to get dementia and immediately thought of Helen Archer!

@witchmountain - yep, it looks like you are the prime candidate to start the next thread. Pseudo used to wait until 975 posts, but there's no reason you can't start it now if that suits you.

And (those who wimped out, take note), all you have to do is click on "Start a new topic in this thread" and create the thread. You can walk away after that. Someone else can even post the link in this thread, if that's too hard.

Caffeine here (admittedly city not rural) the council offers alarms to people at risk of falls, wear it around your neck, press it if you fall, council workers come rescue you

My relative had one of those buttons - we all thought it would be her lifeline in emergency and was worth paying for. In her area it simply triggers a call to relatives, they don't send anyone out. The day of the accident it wasn't working and we now know that in rural areas there are often intermittent holes in coverage. So whilst I think she should keep it we need a back up.

That was very sneaky and unpleasant of Josh

It seems sneaky but we don't know if he was only motivated by self interest or was looking for mutual benefits. Johnny wanted experience and is getting what he wants out of the arrangement so its not entirely one sided.

Josh on the other hand is expected by David, Ruth and Pip to put his own business and future to one side to look after Pip's interests in the farm whilst she is on mat leave (but staying close enough to snipe at him constantly and belittle what he does).

I reckon Josh has learned that skill from his family.

I see l am in the middle, just the right place to me lMO. It looks like l’ll have this name for ever more as l’ve forgotten my pass word - l know there are ways round it but l don’t have time just now and probably am not sufficiently bothered to deal with it.

37 >> C8H10N4O2

Bloody hell, I have been spending far too much time thinking about TA. I'd more or less drifted from TA discussion groups - I can give it up any time.

Regarding the "was it Justin or Lilian" who called off the wedding. I may have a close friend who still has the omnibus podcast from that week who may just listen to it again when I'm back home from work travels. The close friend wears a brown paper bag over their head you understand.

Josh on the other hand is expected by David, Ruth and Pip to put his own business and future to one side to look after Pip's interests in the farm whilst she is on mat leave (but staying close enough to snipe at him constantly and belittle what he does).

Agreed. I am team Josh. He has shown initiative & a willingness to work hard & make a success of his business. He lacks maturity & has a lot to learn but I hope he does well. I so want him to tell his family where to stick it & leave & do his own thing. They don't value the things he does & they berate him for the things he doesn't do, he will never win with them.

Josh needs to leave Brookfield and let them cope without him, David seems to be driving him away. The important thing is that the milking is done.

Yes, it's a win-win-win situation. If Pip has thought of it they'd be singing from the rooftops! Josh's primary motive is getting out of the milking but that doesn't mean it's a terrible thing to do!

Do we all think he is going to shut the hens up or will he forget? OR, will he ask someone else to do it and they'll forget, like Pip and the dodgy fence.

If Pip had thought of it

I think David did have a point on this occasion - Jonny is not employed by Brookfield and was not being paid, and it was clear that he was still learning with an unfamiliar herd, and Josh left him unsupervised. What if something had gone wrong?

If Josh and David were both willing to talk to each other as grown-ups, they probably could have found a sensible compromise...

Josh: "Jonny's looking to build up his experience of milking, and has agreed to come again this afternoon. If I leave him to it, would you be able to pop in and check he's doing OK?"

David: "Sure - it would be great to have someone familiar with our setup who could do some relief milking while Pip's on maternity leave."

I agree that it does seem pretty irresponsible to leave the herd in charge of an inexperienced miler. I'm wondering if there was a bit of warning in relation to Josh saying they didn't always mark out the more temperamental cows. Is that a pointer to Jonny matching Tony in sustaining some horrendous bovine-related injury?