Farmer Anne-Marie Hamilton writes about the tradition of Plough Sunday which this year took place on January 12.
Plough Sunday denotes the official start of the new farming year. This year, it was lovely to wake up to a beautiful frosty morning with the sun just breaking through, after an interminable number of damp, wet days in recent months.
A sharp frost is always welcome as it not only helps to dry out the land, but also kills off bugs and diseases (as it does for humans) and it also helps to break down soil that has been cultivated but not yet sown, thus making it easier to work in the Spring when we prepare it for planting spring crops.
Having had such a spectacular start to the day, it was lovely to see our little village church filled to capacity later when farmers and non-farmers alike gathered together to celebrate Plough Sunday.
For the farming community, it was particularly heart-warming to have so many people there to celebrate the new start with them, particularly in view of all the uncertainly and stress that we are currently under following the disastrous Budget in October.
Although many politicians and treasury civil servants clearly have no idea where their food comes from, or the huge contribution that the farming industry makes to the security of this country by ensuring a steady and reliable supply of safe food, members of the public are far better-informed, and their kindness and support has meant a great deal to us all.
The National Farmers Union is planning to hold a National Day of Unity on January 25 to acknowledge this support and join with the public who have already generously shown their backing for farming in so many ways.
Many have taken the trouble to sign petitions, contact their local MP, or turned up to stand side by side with worried farmers at marches in London and around the country.
They fully appreciate that we must not allow agriculture to be decimated and permit this country to become totally dependent on imported food.
We would very quickly become ‘hostages to fortune’ as, indeed, we have just learnt that we are now with the shortage of gas in this country which will leave us either paying excessive rates to import it or enduring endless power cuts.
Thank you all for your help; we are very grateful!
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