Thread #105: Curtains for Emma, Hilda - Joe? Red carpet for June Spencer on her 100th birthday, we hope! Discuss the rich tapestry of Ambridge life here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads and @DadDadDad for being our resident statistician and keeping the ball rolling when Pseudo stepped back a bit.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to be Susan's best friend or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to LillianGish and BuckingFrolics for ideas for this thread title. I went with the less Rabelaisian of LG's ideas!

On 14th June it will be the 100th birthday of June Spencer, who has played Peggy Woolley since 1951. I hope the BBC has a lot of special tributes lined up to celebrate this remarkable achievement.

I wondered if she was suffering from low self esteem.

Nah!

It’s just the SWs doing draaaaaaama.

I want Kirsty to win the £500,000.

Or Jazzer.

Or Rex.

I find it odd that she wants to live in an off-plan new-build on an estate that has taken a chunk of land out of organic production.

Yes, there's that too. She should be going for a self build cob house, made from mud and straw. I've seen some beautiful new ones, and of course, there are still some around that have been standing for centuries.

Surely Pat and tony have been doing just what Peggy is now so keen to encourage? And have been doing so for decades?

Well exactly - no wonder Tony is feeling ticked off,

What did Tony mean by saying it was his ambition that meant Tom was sitting there now?

Anything other than (a well deserved) reminder to Tom that Tony has run a busiensss TYVM

It was Pat and Tony’s determination that meant the farm has stayed organic all this time. There have been times when it looked a bit marginal- but they stuck to it- even in the face of mockery. From, I may say, members of their family among others.

I think tony and pat are a bit complacent.

yes they farm organically, but in essence it's conventional farming, use of heavy machinery etc. just minus they non organic fertilisers/pesticides. they could do more.

I don't agree that Gnasher is "bonkers". Woodland and orchard villages do exist and in some countries get significant environmental subsidy

I was referring to the house warming party complete with what appears to be a full size Cuban flag and bar man.

There's nothing particularly novel or original about community woodland initiatives. Her idea hardly makes her Ambridge's Rachel Carson.

I wish Peggy would bung Emma £50k.

“Her idea hardly makes her Ambridge's Rachel Carson“

The flat was originally tiny. Christopher Carter fancied it as a bachelor pad. Then Helen moved in and the box room barely big enough for a campbed became Annette's bedroom. Then the boxroom became Henry's nursery. Now the flat is home to Tom and Gnasher, presumably the box room is a Carrie Bradshaw style walk in wardrobe, and the flat is big enough for a salsa dancing housewarming party with a bar.

I envisage the fire escape stairway to be in the style of 'a streetcar named desire"

I was referring to the house warming party complete with what appears to be a full size Cuban flag and bar man

Oh that? Fair enough I agree its way over the top.

The trees idea does make her Rachel Carson but I'm not seeing much Carson like behaviour in the past from either of the other two elgible farms (especially Brian who has consistently opposed even the mildest green idea from Adam). The nearest either of them have done is a small scale rehash of ideas T&P were using long ago.

Peggy's plan is ridiculously divisive and completely ignores what P&T have done for decades. I'm still not understanding how its legal unless some other org is going to snap up the prize.

Doesn't make her Rachel Carson8 that should be!

Oh why can't we have an edit button instead of a YANBU button?

Who would look after all these trees? Even if they invested £200k that is a lot of trees. DH spent a fair amount of his gap year up ladders pruning fruit trees. He says they needs a fair amount of manpower to pick the fruit.

Didn't Jamie Perks train as a tree surgeon?

Mutters "wouldn't you have a Cuban party AFTER you have been to Cuba, rather than BEFORE".

I'm waiting for Harrison to arrest somebody for drunk driving on party night BTW.

yep natasha seems all meetings and websites and not enough core business.

Are apples her core business?

Nice one, MUM

Knight - that's what I was going to say. You've pipped me at the post.

Are apples her core business?

Hmm ... Now that Peggy has set the cat amongst the pig and chicken keepers something, something core business ...

Needs work ...

You've got me in peels of laughter

I guess if apples are your business, then you are looking to produce a large turnover.

Sorry to interrupt the flow of apple-related puns.

But,

Just being an organic farmer really isn't all that, when it comes to being eco-friendly.

A permaculture approach would be much more radical/useful.

Making the farm a sustainability centre which demonstrates best practices and case studies.

And you'd have to stop rearing livestock. Apart from bees & chickens.