Pastoral Song is the second book I've read by James Rebanks and I enjoyed it.
What initally drew me to the author is his location in Cumbria as well as the stories about farming and family heritage. My GG grandparents lived in the same area but they were not farmers; they worked at the cotton mills. Many of the names he mentions such as Ullswater, Windermere, Solway Firth and others are familiar to me from my ancestors obits and writings so that was indeed an attraction for me to read about the land as he sees it.
Rebanks grew up learning from his grandfather about the ancient ways of farming, methods which worked then and had done for many generations. Then came the global revolution of a new way of farming using chemicals and "modern" ways of rotating field crops. His methods blend the two and this is what he talks about in this book. Well, anong other things and sharing personal anecdotes.
In his childhood he remembers a family friend called Anne telling his mother about how many grocery items she was able to purchase for less than it costs to grow them or purchase locally. The first large supermarket opened in Kendal and sold many items at low cost. She teased his mother about home baking as you could just buy a cake for less time and enegry spent. That's the way it is now with people wanting to support local businesses and do things for themselves but the tempting big stores make it so easy to buy for less. That said, she still had her vegetable garden, much to his father's irritation at digging it.
There are heartbreaking parts about animals killed by police snipers because of hoof and mouth disease. Some farmers felt they didn't exist because their identity and existence were tied to the daily work, markets and talking to other farmers about their livestock. They had no livestock to take care of and thus, no money coming in to support the farms.
Rebanks mentions a few classic farming books titled A.G. Street's Farmer's Glory and Henry Williamson's The Story of a Norfolk Farm. I may look for those at a later date but will be taking a "farming" break right now in my reading lineup.
Sharing with Joy for British Isles Friday.
I don't have the grit to work in farming. I don't think I could handle the necessary things that have to happen to animals sometimes. Other than that this sounds really interesting and does make the whole shift to farm to table thinking interesting as it sounds like it shows the original shift away from that!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I don't have what it takes either. I think you have to be raised in the environment and not think of the venture a hobby farm. These farmers do it because they love the life, the freedom and dedication.
DeleteI couldn't read this because of the animals. I can't handle animals being abused, or killed.
ReplyDeleteVicki, best skip it then. Rebanks cares well for his livestock but hoof and mouth was a killer for the farm animals and none would have survived. It was sad, but also gave a perspective on the process from birth to market. Most of only see the plastic wrapped packages of meat in the grocery stores. It was a eye opener reading this.
DeleteThat sounds fascinating. I wasn't listening to The Archers, back then, but I've heard that they were writing last-minute updates for their characters during the big outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. And that it was just harrowing for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI had a vegetable garden for a few years and enjoyed it -- but it's a lot of work!
Joy, that outbreak caused so much loss. As a matter of fact, a friend's husband who lived in England died while they were vacationing in France and he couldn't be an organ door there because of outbreaks in England
DeleteWe used to have a veggie garden and I enjoyed it. It is a lot of work but it's a good hobby and keeps you active. Plus when you can pick your own vegetables it's fantastic.
I guess you can get a lot of vegetables for less than you can grow them now, especially in rural areas they seem to have a glut in the summers in the stores ... but still I can see that the farmers like Rebanks grew up on the life and still do it. We like having our vegetable patch here though it is a lot of work, lol. You better take a farming reading break for a while. I haven't spoken to the neighbors yet with the livestock but will try to in the spring.
ReplyDeleteSusan, it is less expensive to purchase them than grow them, most times. But the hard work and being outside, picking your own veg and fruit is a good positive thing.
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