Tuesday, 17
Agriculture and the Government - History Matters Blog Day

Having entered the ELS I was pleased to receive a letter from the CSL (Central Science Laboratory) requesting feedback. I got to page 2 with little trouble; it was then that I came to question 12 - Conservation Work On The Farm.

Part a) asks; “Did you carry out any conservation work on your farm prior to your current agreement?”

A “Yes” or “No” tick box is included.

For those answering “Yes” there is a box into which you should specify. This box is less than one line long.

I don't quite know where to begin on this. My first reaction was to start writing a mental list but as this ran to pages and pages the only way it would fit in the CSL box would be with micro dot technology. My neighbours would have similar trouble too as I guess would most farmers and landowners. But here we are; the government with not a clue as to what is actually going on asking us to list what we’ve done in less than a line. At best it is illustrates their prejudicial ignorance, at worst its gratuitously offensive.

In the event that anyone from the CSL reads this, just for the record our conservation work only gets included in government schemes when it is clear that the government’s scheme will actually add to the conservation benefit, rather than hinder it. Sadly that isn't that often.

The ELS - History Matters Blog Day

Our application to enter the ELS (Entry Level Scheme) has been accepted. I would have liked to include skylark plots in the scheme but the rules on their creation are daft. Drilling a field means following a line through the soil that your previous drill pass created. You drive at 5 mph looking 30 metres in front of you for hours on end. In a big field its difficult to know exactly where you are but under the scheme you are expected to create your skylark plots by stopping drilling at the appropriate place, lifting up the drill, leaving three metres and then carrying on. This is to be done at well spaced intervals throughout the field. Not easy, not convenient and not therefore included in our scheme.

Much better to jump on the quad, identify your skylark plots in the emerged crop and spray them off with a touch of Roundup. It’s what we’ve always done and will continue to do. Too easy for the ELS though.

History Matters Blog Day

Today is blog day in the History Matters project. I am afraid I have been away from this blog for a couple of weeks as I have been trying to sort out issues with our ISP (internet service provider). Its the usual story. A small business offering personal service is taken over by a larger rival. This then merges with another rival and before you know it, chaos ensues. You hang on the line for hours waiting to speak to someone only to find out that all they can do is offer to send an email on to somebody else. Progress indeed.