Archers thread #154: Cider with Fat Rosie, Meadow Rise to Candleford or The Darling Horrobins of September? Get your rural saga fix – Discuss The Archers here!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd be euphoric about getting a job in an abattoir, 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 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4888492-the-archers-spoilers-thread-8-cant-wait-for-702pm-join-us-here, 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 for the thread title suggestions. @HumanWetWipe came up with Cider with Fat Rosie and @BeardieWeirdie thought up Meadow Rise to Candleford. I wish I could have put in the Line of Duty mashups from the end of the last thread. Another time.

Heading for a ferry shortly, so nothing more from me for now. Over to you!

Thank you for new thread!

Thanks @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

I hope your ferry crossing is smoother than most of the Archers' characters' lives at the moment. May it be as quiet as the Aldridges have become of late. 😆

Signing in. I couldn’t relisten to last night’s episode during my insomnia break. Too much mention of animal blood.

Going back to abattoir - it wasn’t freddie getting a tour that was off it was the way it sounded like PR for abattoirs!

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. I thought the abbatoir tour was well done. The more people understand where their food comes from, the better. And it is a part of farm life.

I’m not sure if I share the strong feelings about Pip, she is annoying but she doesn’t make me angry (unlike Tom and Natasha).

Thanks @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g !

Thanks for the new thread and great title!

@OverArmour

Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee montbelliard

reading that was a great start to the day!

Thanks for the new thread Gasp and safe travels ⛴️

I was expecting much more abattoir gore after the reaction on the other thread. You big Jessies 😊 the worst part was Vince just listing parts of the abattoir! (In case anyone else has avoided listening for the same reason)

Thanks for the thread and awesome title!

The abattoir bit wasn’t gruesome - it just sounded like they’ve been paid by an abattoir for some positive PR with Freddie’s little speech

i agree that if you eat meat you can’t then close your ears to where it comes from

It sounded pretty much like the description of a local abattoir from someone I know, from a farm, who went to inspect it. Everything was done as humanely as possible and with respect. The animals were kept as calm as possible until the point where they were stunned. Perhaps some positive PR is required to counteract the (made up) horror stories which are put about. If you don't eat meat then I don't suppose anything the farm or abattoir did would be acceptable.

I'm vegan and read the thread before listening later to the episode last night. I thought the abattoir tour was pretty sanitised. And I think you would need a certain outlook to do anything in that sector.

My grandad had an abattoir in his back garden! Now I should think that was something else - but I'm not quite old enough to properly remember it! He did terrorise me with horrible bits of animal, usually between two slices of bread in a sandwich!

Freddie becoming abattoir manager is just ridiculous on so many fronts. Ridiculous! It wouldn't happen!

The custard cream references felt very laboured. I don’t consider Freddie sophisticated but even he wouldn’t rub his hands in glee at the thought of a custard cream. Chocolate digestives would have fitted better.

I agree the whole episode made him sound like a child- basically a 14-year-old on work experience.

Can’t believe we’re on another new thread! Thanks so much Gasp for keeping our show on the road at this very difficult time. Hope you are not too exhausted and while on your travels you come across a nice tea room with upcycled furniture in the corner where you can relax for a few moments.

I'm not convinced by Freddie the abattoir manager, either, but perhaps if it all goes wrong, that will be the end of Vince and Elizabeth.

why not?

vince could also suggest that freddy does a few courses to achieve acredited qualifications. unless vince wants his crew to be tied to his operation by not encouraging this...

So, let’s say Freddie really takes to abbatoir-managing. What happens when he finally inherits Lower Loxley? Even employing a team to run the place must be a fairly full-time job. Elizabeth can’t go on forever. Or are we just expected to accept that Lily will take over and Freddie will be heir in name only? or he just sells up at the earliest opportunity? Is that possible?

I agree, it sounded far too much like an educational insert. I hate it when they make these things too obvious, needs to be more of a slow trickle....

Checking in.
What is a once doing hiring Freddie? Is he so insecure in his relationship with Lizzie that needs give her son a job to cement it?
Freddie was utterly awful.
And he'll get awful ribbing from the other employees

Many thanks! Hollow laugh at thought of lovely tearoom. Avanti West Coast trains aren't noted for their relaxing vibe. Still, not long now before I'm home, I hope.

Perhaps Freddie will take LL in a very different direction. Rare breeds can stay but as well as a petting area visitors can watch them being slaughtered through a viewing window.

Not very many years ago (well, ok, maybe 20ish, but still this century/millennium!) they didn't use to close the deer park near us when deer were being culled. You could just wander through as usual with just a few signs warning you to be careful. Maybe Freddie will get more right wing as he gets older and take after his slave-owning and hunting ancestors: just shoot both animals and plebs on sight. That should be entertaining, at least for the people who don't get shot.