Showtime

Wednesday 13th July 2011

Call me demented but I decided to take the children to the yorkshire show yesterday as if I haven't got enough to occupy my time! However we enjoyed it very much, starting off with a visit to the livestock pens. Every animal was pristine, gleaming coats and polished horns greeted us at every turn and also beaming smiles from the proud owners and farmers. It was a wonderful indication of the health of our meat industry, rare breeds aplenty, raised with care and love, who could possibly deny the benefit of shopping at your local butcher when faced with scenes like that. It was enough to help me quell the feelings of irritation as we inevitably chanced upon the big player supermarkets trying to muscle in on the home grown movement. George wished to see what was going on at the Asda stand, so I reluctantly entered with him, only to be accosted by a young chap enquiring if we knew how broccoli grew? I bit my tongue and managed not to blurt out that I'd just planted 100 of the buggers so had a fair idea, and we made a hasty exit. I really don't think they should be allowed to be there, but I suppose am biased! Another highlight of the visit was weaving willow shapes, very theraputic, I shall have to persue a few courses in that over the quieter winter months.

"Agriculture not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own"

Samuel Johnson