A Farm for the Future

Last night I came across a BBC 2 documentary call “a farm for the future“, I found it very informative and inspiring.

Milk & Autism

I found this story on Channel Five News this evening and found it really interesting.

Three months ago in a Five News investigation we told you about a possible link between drinking milk and the behaviour of children with autism.

Some scientists believe most of the milk we drink in this country can make the symptoms worse.   Since our report, there has been growing interest in an alternative.   We reported how some scientists believe one special kind of cow’s milk may help with the effects of autism.   Yet getting your hands on this kind of treatment isn’t as easy as popping down to the shops to buy a pint.   You might think milk from one cow would be much like milk from any other.   But actually different breeds make milk that contains distinct varieties of milk proteins.   Most milk sold in Britain comes from cows producing a form of of protein called betacasein A1. But these Guernsey cows mostly produce a different type, betacasein A2.   The research is still hotly debated, some scientists believe drinking A1 milk may worsen the symptoms of autism: so switching to A2 milk could help improve the conditions.

CSA Meeting

This evening I went to a meeting about Community Supported Argiculture and the possiblity of setting something up locally. I hadn’t heard of CSA before but there is a very good one in Stroud which is quite local.

“There are many different ways a CSA can be set up .  It all depends on the decisions of the people forming the membership.   One way is for a group of people join together and form some sort of association.  They find some land and employ a grower to grow their veg.  So the income generated by the members pays for the land rent, wages and seeds etc.  In collaboration with the grower the members make the decisions about what they would like to have grown. It guarantees an income for the grower and food for the members.   In some CSAs around the country meat and poultry are also raised, and the farm has become a resource for the community having open days and harvest festivals when people can come and bring their children to get involved in seeing how food is grown and have some fun. 

The CSA s are very individual because each one is controlled by its’ members so they decide how they want to run it and what they would like to happen.”

A local farm has offered some land that could be used for something and I think it would be really nice to have be involved in a like minded group.

It was a really good meeting and I’ve put my name down to be on a steering group

12 Sheep Shot

This is a very disturbing news story Hunt for sheep slayer, not lest because it is very close to home. I’m a member of the River Cottage Forum and a neighbour of the farmer has posted saying that the police where just not interested until the press where called in.

Last year we had three, possible four, sheep shot with an air riffle. Luckily no ‘real’ damage was done but the police weren’t very willing to help in that case either.

I blame the ‘media bubble’ that we live in today, where everyone has their own lives and do not want it to be touched by others. As with the ewe we rescued the other week (who is doing fine) it’s always someone else’s problem to deal with.

In the news

A Thai journalist being sued by Tesco. 

I’m not a big fan of super markets and at the moment Tescos is trying to build ‘mega-store’ in one of my local towns, there are two arguments, Tesco’s will bring much need employment to the area vs Tesco’s will kill of the small, ex-mining town centre. Seeing as I have no desirer to work for Tesco’s, I’m in support of the latter, the town alread has two supermarkets (a co-op and a Lidl) and if people really want to shop at Tesco’s they could take the free bus that Tescos provide.

Health and safety experts are investigating the death of a woman who died after being trampled by a herd of stampeding cattle in Suffolk.

Stories like this always make me worry that there’s going to be an up-rising against farm animals, and there have been two stories involving cow recently, I know the people involved have been hurt (or in this case worse) but I always find myself thinking “what were they doing?…” possibly wrong of me.

Measures designed to curb the power of major supermarkets and improve choice for consumers have been announced by the Competition Commission.

I’m in two minds about the really price of food, I do think that supermarkets should be paying producers the true cost of what it costs to produce food, but I’m not completely sure we’d (the family) be able to afford to eat if it wasn’t for supermarket own brands

Sheep Shearing

I first read about this story on the river cottage forum, it’s just stupid, does ‘joe public’ honestly believe that sheep are happier carrying all that wool round with them all summer?

A sheep shearing competition that has been the centre of county life for years has been scrapped over concerns that the clippers may harm the sheep.

 Where as wales are trying to keep the skill going:

A new scheme aims to ensure the survival of the traditional skill of sheep shearing in Wales

Remembering the past

The 2001 foot and mouth outbreak was a very important time in my life, it was the most unpleasant time I have ever been through but it has played a big part in shaping who I am now and what I believe in. It was a truly horrible time for many, who like me probably had their blood run cold when they heard the news of last years outbreak, but for me good did come from it and that is why I wanted to add these links to here so as hopefully other will know and understand a little better.

Sovereignty Visit

Warmwell memorial service

Wales set to ban GM crops

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/countryside-farming-news/farming-news/2008/03/18/wales-set-to-ban-gm-crops-91466-20637380/

Wrong cow is culled for bluetongue

http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=16684