100 Years of Changing the Clocks – Why do we do it anyway?

This year marked 100 years of changing the time each autumn in the UK. Yesterday at 2am, on Sunday 30th October, British clocks reverted an hour, reverting to Greenwich Mean Time. It marked the official end of British Summer Time. We have to wait another 145 days (and about 18 hours at the time ofContinue reading "100 Years of Changing the Clocks – Why do we do it anyway?"

Brexit and the OECD challenge to subsidies

Every year the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) releases an 'Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Report' which looks at and assesses the various agricultural policies of the 35 OECD nations around the world, as well as 15 'selected partner economies'. The 2016 version was released back in June, but BBC Farming Today broughtContinue reading "Brexit and the OECD challenge to subsidies"

Conserving the Quantocks after Brexit

The mist enveloped the trees as I set out on a walk through Great Wood in the Quantocks. The autumnal environment of multi-coloured trees set the scene but this was augmented by conifers, established as part of this Forestry Commission mixed woodland. The trees stood tall and proud, pushing their way up through the mistyContinue reading "Conserving the Quantocks after Brexit"

Subsidies…dare we predict the future?

If you type in the phrase 'farm subsidies' into any search engine news feed you will find multiple references to the super rich receiving hundreds of thousands of pounds in subsidy for simply owning land. Under our current format of payments, driven by the Common Agricultural Policy, landowners receive payments for being just that, landowners. TheContinue reading "Subsidies…dare we predict the future?"

Reflecting on Big Questions through Local Places

On Monday I spoke to two groups about my book and the Tendring area of Essex at the Frinton Literary Festival. The Festival has been held since 2002, when it was founded by local literature enthusiast Philomena Dwyer, and is a wonderfully diverse yet compact celebration of the written word. Previous speakers have included SantaContinue reading "Reflecting on Big Questions through Local Places"