Farm on the M62: Moors ablaze but people don't care - Jill Thorp
The world seems to be burning at the moment, from Scotland to Spain, France, Italy and Canada. A national emergency has been declared in Spain, announced on our news channels whilst the people of Scotland scarcely warranted a mention. Homes, livelihoods and businesses going up in flames yet no mention of help coming from the military. Our own local fires that we have witnessed for over a month have finally been contained thanks to the overwhelming skill, stamina and know how from our wildfire units, keepers and farmers.
It has been a joint effort, knowledge shared all with the same goal in mind; putting the blaze out. I can’t begin to imagine the sheer toil involved in working out on the moor fully suited up in their turnout gear in blistering temperatures, hour after hour, day after day. The task will have been exhausting and frustrating but they’ve kept at it without complaint. More fires have sprung up, more idiots with BBQs, fireworks and zero respect and still these heroes keep going and keep working in unbearable conditions.
It isn’t just the moors that are ablaze; farm machinery, buildings and this years hay crops also going up in flames. Is it really that hot...are we really to believe climate change is the culprit here? Or have we now reached the point of no return where our once civilised country and it’s people have become so out of touch with right and wrong, with so little fear of repercussions that everything and everyone is fair game. This country is in dire need of having it’s moral compass adjusted.
Our straw run to Doncaster is done and dusted in what can only be described as a record breaking time. The little guy pulled himself away from his mountain bike adventures long enough to join his Dad on a couple of trips down to start the long and slow journey back home with all the bales. Despite having rain last week, it barely touched the surface and although things certainly looked fresher it’ll take a significant downpour to really sink into the ground and work it’s magic. Although we got a good supply of hay earlier in the summer, we need that second cut to justify our rent bill and have some to sell to make it worth our while. Talk of a big drop in hay prices due to bumper crops has already begun. It was the topic of conversation at a horse show we attended recently and despite me explaining about fuel and fertilizer costs, rent bills and the lack of a second cut, I still came away with the feeling of being seen as a “greedy farmer”
Our swallows have all fledged and are flying further from our yard now. They line up on the wires, observing their parents and gaining strength and speed in the air. It’s so quiet without their noise and chatter, their nest empty and no sleek, glossy bodies dive-bombing us in the yard. Their huge voyage south will begin in the next month or so, leaving me hoping that every single one makes it safely to warmer climes for the winter, but more importantly that they all make it back to our little house on the prairie next year.