Excellent piece. We need local food networks, support for small scale farming (the return of the tyddynwyr here in Cymru), farmers, growers and the community working together, community supported agriculture, allotments, all new housing with sufficient space to grow food, public spaces to include fruit and nut trees and a lot more. Honest education lies at the root of all this to get us out of the techno-consumer trap that lures folk in with its promise of cheap goodies that we don’t really need. I look forward to the next instalment.
Sorry, did something wrong! Meant to put thanks Helen. You might be interested in the work of Misrule and Steven W Jones, or Chimanimani, both here on Substack who provide practical applications and strategies for achieving all the above and more. Good luck with all you are doing.
I, too, wonder what it's going to take for the politicians to wake up and realize that you can't effectively use technology work with nature. It takes compassion--for the animals, the land, the planet and the community we serve. Small farms and preserving ecology should be the priority--not sacrificed to make a buck.
And what happens to the farmers forced off the land? Are we just expected to take some office job? Why would they rather have us behind a desk controlling the robot than in the field??? If we are to survive at all, money cannot be the driving factor behind all policies.
I couldn’t agree more: compassion is the foundation of good farming. It’s about more than producing food, it’s about stewarding the land, caring for animals, and being rooted in community. And yet, so many current UK policies seem blind to that reality.
What you said about farmers being forced off the land really resonates with me. It’s heartbreaking. Farming isn’t just a job—it’s a way of life, a generational responsibility, and a deep connection to place. Replacing that with an office job or expecting people to “pivot” into tech roles shows how disconnected policymakers are from the emotional and cultural value of land work.
Technology can be a tool BUT only if it supports farmers, not replaces them. Right now, it feels like it’s being used to strip the soul out of farming and centralise control. If we keep prioritising efficiency and profit over people and ecosystems, we’re headed in the wrong direction.
This reads like a protest song, a memoir, and a manifesto all at once - Me, My Pigs, and I could easily be the title. Your words are rooted in the soil and searing with clarity.
“Let’s not kid ourselves” should be on billboards. You don’t need a drone to tell you what a farmer already knows by heart. You need presence. Fair prices. Policies written by people who’ve stood in mud, not just in Parliament.
Change is possible. But only if we grow it together. And I’m rooting for that - and for you.
From one slow traveler to a farmer in the fight: Retired, Roaming, and Rooted
Excellent piece. We need local food networks, support for small scale farming (the return of the tyddynwyr here in Cymru), farmers, growers and the community working together, community supported agriculture, allotments, all new housing with sufficient space to grow food, public spaces to include fruit and nut trees and a lot more. Honest education lies at the root of all this to get us out of the techno-consumer trap that lures folk in with its promise of cheap goodies that we don’t really need. I look forward to the next instalment.
Thanks for reading Chris! You comment highlights everything I’d love to see in the UK. Let’s keep fighting for a better future in farming
Chi anima I
Sorry, did something wrong! Meant to put thanks Helen. You might be interested in the work of Misrule and Steven W Jones, or Chimanimani, both here on Substack who provide practical applications and strategies for achieving all the above and more. Good luck with all you are doing.
Thanks for the recommendation Chris I’ll definitely take a look!
I, too, wonder what it's going to take for the politicians to wake up and realize that you can't effectively use technology work with nature. It takes compassion--for the animals, the land, the planet and the community we serve. Small farms and preserving ecology should be the priority--not sacrificed to make a buck.
And what happens to the farmers forced off the land? Are we just expected to take some office job? Why would they rather have us behind a desk controlling the robot than in the field??? If we are to survive at all, money cannot be the driving factor behind all policies.
I couldn’t agree more: compassion is the foundation of good farming. It’s about more than producing food, it’s about stewarding the land, caring for animals, and being rooted in community. And yet, so many current UK policies seem blind to that reality.
What you said about farmers being forced off the land really resonates with me. It’s heartbreaking. Farming isn’t just a job—it’s a way of life, a generational responsibility, and a deep connection to place. Replacing that with an office job or expecting people to “pivot” into tech roles shows how disconnected policymakers are from the emotional and cultural value of land work.
Technology can be a tool BUT only if it supports farmers, not replaces them. Right now, it feels like it’s being used to strip the soul out of farming and centralise control. If we keep prioritising efficiency and profit over people and ecosystems, we’re headed in the wrong direction.
I agree 100%.
We all need to keep speaking out, keep fighting to preserve a) our way of life, b) that connection to nature, and c) REAL FOOD over fake.
This reads like a protest song, a memoir, and a manifesto all at once - Me, My Pigs, and I could easily be the title. Your words are rooted in the soil and searing with clarity.
“Let’s not kid ourselves” should be on billboards. You don’t need a drone to tell you what a farmer already knows by heart. You need presence. Fair prices. Policies written by people who’ve stood in mud, not just in Parliament.
Change is possible. But only if we grow it together. And I’m rooting for that - and for you.
From one slow traveler to a farmer in the fight: Retired, Roaming, and Rooted