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This Farming Life

This Farming Life: Episode 1

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Episode 1

BBC Radio 4 - This Farming Life, Episode 1

Charlotte Smith follows several farmers' lives beyond the five-bar gate through autumn.

Charlotte Smith follows several farmers through the highs and lows of the autumn season, on and off farm, to explore what modern farming life is really like.

What is modern farming life really like? Do you picture rich landowners simply banking cheques from Europe or aging men struggling to produce food with no time off? In the first of a two-part series, Charlotte Smith - more commonly found challenging ministers on Farming Today - looks beyond the farm gate and follows the lives of several farmers through the Autumn season.

Peter Alvis' cheese-making business supplies an international market and is going from strength to strength. His brother Johnny runs the 1100 cow dairy, providing a large proportion of the milk but is paid the same rate as other suppliers. They want to increase cheese production by 50% but are desperate to find more local suppliers. 

It's a different picture for Bob Hall. A year ago his home and farm were deluged by the Somerset floods. The farming community rallied to help those affected but his 250 strong herd is now just 70. When Charlotte meets him at the market he's finding new store cattle are too expensive and the year is pretty much lost. It's not just farming rhythms but family rhythms that have been hit. For his wife Sue the worst will only be over when she's back in her home and can have the extended family round for Sunday dinner. 

Phil Dibble has a slightly more relaxed outlook, despite the pressures. He says his 180acre farm isn't viable like it was for his grandfather so he works part-time as a truck driver and he says his District Nurse wife is the real bread-winner. But their 19 year old son, Harry, has big ideas of how to turn the farm around and Phil's prepared to listen. His mum had hoped he'd see through his A-levels as a back up, and use his skill for Maths but Harry knows what he wants to do. 

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced by Anne-Marie Bullock.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Geoff Watts explores the science, history and cultural implications of gossip.

Charlotte Smith explores what modern farming life really means.

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