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Agriculture This Week: Farming always evolving

When you have grown up on a farm in the 1960s and ‘70s it is almost beyond belief the changes in farming we see today. 

It was a mixed farm for me, and that meant pigs and grain. 

In my youth I hauled a lot of ground grain to feed the pigs using cleaned five-gallon pails that originally were filled with some weed spray, or another. 

Looking back over some 40-years it seems like it was such a crazy thing, but repurposing the pails was pretty standard. I’m pretty sure potatoes came from the garden to the cellar bin in similar pails. 

Of course I clearly recall Dad taking plugged nozzles off the sprayer, his gloves getting soaked in the process, and then simply blowing out the nozzle with his breath. 

Knowing what we do now it’s a wonder what health problems were caused in a time we didn’t know better, or were reluctant to change. Dad lived to a considerable age, his heart giving out one day, but one wonders. 


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In Memory Of Gladiator | THE BEST RAM EVER!

Video: In Memory Of Gladiator | THE BEST RAM EVER!


This video is in memory of my favourite ram of all time, our Suffolk ram Gladiator who was, and will always be, the best ram ever! He had a huge impact not only on our flock by producing so many replacements for us and was our most asked for ram as a sire for both ewes and rams going to other farms. He was also popular with visitors who were amazed by his size and kind disposition. He truly was a gentle giant who people liked to get their photos with. He passed away at home at seven and a half years old. We vowed he would stay here forever and he did. He will be greatly missed and he is irreplaceable in my eyes! Love you Gladiator