Cringle’s critique on not so foolish farmers;
I will not be ‘moo…ved’!
Article by Rachael Cringle, from Castle Rushen High School.
Rachael won the Supermanx Young Agricultural Journalist of the Year competition 2006.
Manx farming is not at all how it seems!
I have recently been informed that farming, is currently on the bottom of the social and economical pyramid! This is totally disastrous, devastating, appalling, horrendous, unspeakable, disturbing...UNACCEPTABLE news!!
As this is a subject, extremely close to my heart, I feel it is time for me to do something about it. So if you’re are one of the unfortunate victims of this slanderous misinformation, I’d advise you to read on…
Firstly, I need to state that out of all the jobs in the Isle Of Man, I feel farmers put in the most time and effort. My dad does not have set hours, nor does he have set holidays, and I personally, can never recall a day that my father has taken a off unless he has been severely ill, as in, close to dying! All those days when you are having a lie in... us farming families aren’t! Not even at Christmas time or on birthdays. For example, I spent my fourteenth birthday, not in my favourite stilettos but my beautiful, green wellies, fondling the rear end of cow… how lovely!
Again, from bitter experience, I know that farming has to come before a love life with certain young Manx farmers. Picture this scenario if you will:
It is the middle of winter, I have my new mini-skirt on, and I am waiting patiently on my village green, for the love of my life. It’s cold…very cold. No longer are my legs air-brushed tanned, but they are gradually going ever deeper blue! My mobile rings…
“Rachael…”
“Where are you? I have been standing here for the past twenty minutes!”
“I’ve got some bad news, I won’t be down for at least an hour! The cows got out… I mean I’ve been moving sheep… I mean dad made me go and order some new barley seeds…and then I was caught up behind Fred on his new tractor…I mean then I had to go and help Bertie with his new silage trailer…”
“Yeah, likely story…” BEEP BEEP.
He turns up at my house, hours later, expecting tea. He is unwashed and smelling horribly like the pigs he has been communing with all day.
Not too impressed; yet another farmer down the drain.
Anyway, I also feel that many great characters emerge from the farming background. For example, my Great Nana, who turned one hundred and two in October has always been fit and active, from working on the farm. Despite the fact that she has had a few close calls with various animals, she is one of the oldest ladies on the island. And then there’s my dad. He is built like Hercules, and is literally, as strong as our prize bull!
In my opinion, farming is the foundation of the Isle Of Man. Farmers provide the food, the land, and often the region’s water supplies are situated on their property. The animals that the farmers buy in, take up a lot of time and attention. By this I mean each type of livestock needs to have a segregated section of land, which has to be seasoned, therefore the animals have to be moved around. They also need food, transport when necessary and usually medication if they're ill. So as you can imagine, from each beast kept (for meat, milk or own use) there is not much profit or spare money. This takes a great deal of devotion and determination!!
So yeah, feel free to try and persuade me into thinking farmers are still on the bottom of the social and economical pyramid, but you will have an exceedingly hard job! And as deep down, you know they are hard working, decent people, that have been under-valued for far too long!!
END
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