ON THE FARM

Farming has changed hugely even in my lifetime, becoming far more mechanised, scientific and specialised.

But Brookfield farmhand Simon Cooper (also a skilled thatcher - see Ancient Crafts, below) and farmer Dan Archer, grandfather of the current owner, prove that some things never change in farming. Animals will always produce muck, and that muck will need to be cleared away from time to time.

This scene from the 1950s can be still be seen today on countless British farms (although waistcoasts are no longer de rigueur in the cowshed - the fleece seems to have replaced that particular garment!) No doubt similar scenes will be seen on the farms of the 2050s, at least until the scientists produce a manure-free cow, but maybe that would be carrying GMs a little far.