Country diary: A nearby farm may never be worked again

Long Dean, Cotswolds: It's up for sale, but such is the premium on land here, it's unlikely to remain in agricultural useI'm just back from the dairy farm up the hill. Unfailingly helpful, John has agreed to collect a 10ft roller we've bought from another neighbouring farm which is on the market, with equipment being sold separately. I'll repay him with sausages, our customary form of exchange. Commercial feed rearing the latest porkers has cost double what it did last year. It's a familiar story. Furthermore, the drought has meant lower forage yields but also limited grazing - many cattle farmers have been feeding precious rations for weeks. There's a long, expensive winter ahead.The roller is needed for our soft river meadow where hooves compress the soil, leaving it dented and uneven. Access from either end is practically laborious, so to keep one permanently in the field is ideal. The solution, however, is bittersweet. Continue reading...