Clarkson's Farm shows the need for farmers to diversify
Clarkson’s Farm shows the need for farmers to diversify
The long awaited second season of Clarkson’s Farm is finally available to watch. Series one of Clarkson’s Farm was a hit for Amazon Prime, reportedly being its highest viewed show ever. Whilst the first season shone a spotlight on the realities and difficulties of running a farm, season 2 demonstrates the absolute necessity for farmers to diversify if they’re to survive.
The magic of the show is undoubtedly introducing the general public to the world of farming. Clarkson is not a farmer, so as he learns from scratch from the experts around him, so do we. The show really hammers home the difficulties of producing food, and the almost impossibility of making any profit in doing so - Diddly Squat made £144 in its first year. The locals and farm workers of Chipping Norton, such as Kaleb and Charlie, are the stars of the show - showing off knowledge and skills that are entirely unknown to the majority of watchers.
Within the first two episodes of Clarkson’s Farm, we’re introduced to a number of new ventures on Diddly Squat: from growing new varieties, such as durum wheat for pasta, polytunnels of chillies, increasing the beehive for honey, brewing their own beer, and bringing in cows. Clarkson opens up to organic practices, using his chickens to tred cow manure into his soil: a sensible solution to the shocking increase in the price of fertiliser - his costs going from around £255 to £675 for the fertiliser stored in his barn.
Aside from showing challenges from unpredictable weather to rural crime, the biggest issue facing Diddly Squat is the loss of £82k of EU subsidies. Clarkson comes up against huge public resistance and council restrictions in his attempts to diversify. Whilst the first season focused on the opening of his Diddly Squat Farm Shop, season two follows his attempts to open up a restaurant to sell his own produce and also give work to local farmers. The local dairy farmer tells us how they are losing their herd to TB, whilst the pig farmers cannot even afford to pay themselves a wage. Their stories make the objections to the restaurant even more disheartening.
Putting cameras into the heart of Diddly Squat shows the highs and many lows of farming life - but most importantly that farmers in the UK are desperately struggling, and urgently need support from both locals and government. With each new venture, Clarkson takes it on with great enthusiasm - and a little naivety. Despite the discouraging state of affairs for farmers, Clarkson’s Farm brilliantly highlights all the reasons to protect and support British farming, and it’s exciting to watch each new episode bring a new diversification project. Perhaps in season 3 we could see a container farm land at Diddly Squat…
