The day The Farm Came to Harborough
On Saturday 9 August, in Market Harborough Town Square, The Farm Came to Harborough, to show a tiny picture of how farming today is changing.
As someone pointed out, the Blaston Agricultural Show is the place to see the bigger picture of different types of modern farming. I was in awe of the displays and businesses, set up to help farmers, now that farming has become even more complex if soils are to recover and crops improve.
Wonderfully, the Show was supporting Cure Parkinson’s which focuses entirely on research. A horrible disease that took my husband’s life some years ago.
Their chief executive, Helen Matthews, an inspirational person, was present, fundraising.
‘The Rural Crime Team’ was also present. I was shocked to hear of the challenges they and the farmers had to deal with: theft of very expensive farming machinery, fly grazing and fly tipping as well as theft of livestock were some of the challenges, as well as dog walkers letting their dogs into the fields where the farmers are growing crops for our food or worse still, chasing and killing sheep.
The lovely thing about our small event last month was that it gave people the opportunity to learn a bit about the changes that are taking place, some of which can transfer to people’s gardening. The majority of feedback was very positive, with visitors grateful for what they learnt and small children enjoying the opportunity to meet Charlotte the Highland cow and a sheep with her not so young babies.
Will we bring the Farm again to Harborough next year? We hope so and if you would like to help with it, please get in touch – faganjulie@yahoo.co.uk or 07985 780 204. Thank you.
Julie Fagan, volunteer, Sustainable Harborough Community and Eco Churches
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