News
‘The cows beat the shit out of the robots the first day’: the tech revolution designed to improve dairy farming
20+ hour, 13+ min ago (440+ words) Automated milking systems are recognised as a more humane solution for both cows and farmers " but they take some getting used to Last October, Dixie farmer Darren Vickers completed construction of the 2.8-acre open shed that will house both his…...
Cemented locks and deflated diggers: the war over privately run allotments
1+ week, 1+ day ago (1278+ words) With waits for council plots in England decades-long, Roots is renting out green space " but some communities are digging in When police arrived at the field outside Bristol in October 2023, two old cars, wheels removed, were blockading the gates. Protesters…...
‘Doubling down on meat’: is the UK’s love affair with vegetarian food over?
1+ week, 1+ day ago (753+ words) McDonald's, Wagamama and others scale back plant-based choices in the UK in favour of "high-margin' meat-led dishes In 2021, vegetarianism and veganism were booming and menus reflected it. Restaurants and fast-food chains rapidly expanded their meat-free offerings, racing to meet growing…...
‘We’re not hippies’: why these Iowa farmers swapped pigs for mushrooms
1+ week, 3+ day ago (467+ words) Faaborgs rail against oppressive industrial agricultural system with unexpected evolution into indie artisan food firm "My older brother has worked with pigs his entire adult life, managing about 70,000 of them across five counties," Faaborg says. "But we got to a…...
Country diary: It’s extraordinary how much our orchards are founded on connection | Mark Cocker
1+ week, 5+ day ago (259+ words) Country diary: It's extraordinary how much our orchards are founded on connection | Mark Cocker'The Guardian Country diary: It's extraordinary how much our orchards are founded on connection Buxton, Derbyshire: From those who planted them, to those who pruned them, to…...
Peta calls for pork-free menus as Peppa Pig show rolls into Grimsby
2+ week, 1+ day ago (551+ words) Auditorium to remove bacon and sausages from cafe during stage run after request from campaign group Campaigners are calling on theatre bosses to stop serving bacon, sausages and ham in their cafes " at least while Peppa Pig and her family…...
‘We are hopeful’: small signs of recovery for Scotland’s rare capercaillie bird
2+ week, 2+ day ago (367+ words) Number of males at RSPB Abernethy rises to 30, after "huge amount of work" by conservationists in Highlands forests After decades of decline, there are signs of hope for the capercaillie, one of Britain"s most endangered birds. Populations of the…...
Country diary: Which farm produces the smelliest silage? I went to find out | Rev Simon Lockett
3+ week, 1+ day ago (253+ words) Peterchurch, Herefordshire: Some silage competitions are assessed in a lab far away, this one takes place in a noisy pub, with judges getting their hands dirty Tonight the focus is silage. Grass, maize and cereal crops, harvested last summer, have…...
Country diary: A trip to the sheep auction – interrupted by light and legend | Andrea Meanwell
3+ week, 2+ day ago (182+ words) Country diary: A trip to the sheep auction " interrupted by light and legend | Andrea Meanwell'The Guardian Country diary: A trip to the sheep auction " interrupted by light and legend Hawes, North Yorkshire: A stunning ray of sunshine, beamed on to…...
Country diary: Hay stocks are running low – this is the long tail of last year’s drought | Nicola Chester
3+ week, 4+ day ago (269+ words) Inkpen, Berkshire: We're paying the price now for a poor grass harvest, and the concern is that it isn't a one-off bad year At this point in the year, when the'growing season seems so far away, last summer's hay harvest…...