I’ve been stuck indoors today, struck down by flu yesterday. There are a lot of things going around at the moment, and I was being optimistic and hoping that I wouldn’t catch anything this winter. Oh well! Hopefully I’m now over the worst of it but you never really can tell with these things. ItContinueContinue reading “The long awaited 25 Year Environment Plan”
Category Archives: opinion
The Thinkingcountry Countryside Review of 2017
2017 has been another busy and momentous year. The Brexit referendum seems a very long time ago now, way back in 2016, but the events of 2017 have certainly fallen within its shadow. This post looks back on some of the big events of this year, mostly within a countryside context, as well as reflectingContinueContinue reading “The Thinkingcountry Countryside Review of 2017”
Meeting Defra
Late night posts are never usually a good idea, but having just returned from an event down in mid Essex it seems right to pen my thoughts straight away, while it’s fresh in my head. This evening I went along to a Young Farmers Club event near Chelmsford, chaired by the ever inspiring Ed FordContinueContinue reading “Meeting Defra”
The Myth of England
To me, England is the country, and the country is England. And when I ask myself what I mean by England, when I think of England when I am abroad, England comes to me though my various senses – through the ear, through the eye and through certain imperishable scents. .The sounds of England, theContinueContinue reading “The Myth of England”
How crucial are direct payments for farmers?
In a recent policy document the NFU has suggested that continuing direct payments (at least in the short-term) in a new British Agricultural Policy will be crucial to help farm businesses deal with volatility. Before I read the report I must admit that I had become convinced that withdrawing as much support as possible isContinueContinue reading “How crucial are direct payments for farmers?”
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