The final edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. In this final edition presenter Eric Robson gives three unique visions for the future of farming and the countryside. Standing in a field Eric Robson introduces the final edition of this series, this week looking at the ‘stresses and strategies that are moulding the countryside of the future’ by presenting three...

The final edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. In this final edition presenter Eric Robson gives three unique visions for the future of farming and the countryside. Standing in a field Eric Robson introduces the final edition of this series, this week looking at the ‘stresses and strategies that are moulding the countryside of the future’ by presenting three visions of it. Title: Farming 2000 From Mowthorpe Garden of Rest the towers of York Minster in the distance. Eric Robson speaks with Yorkshire farmer Robert Goodwill about his decision to diversify part of his farm into this woodland burial site. He provides details on how and why he started the business as well as how it is operated. He hopes, overtime, the site will become a permeant deciduous woodland. Views around the burial ground with tree sapling planted on grave sites and a gate closing on the car park. Mr Goodwill compares his burial site more favourably than those run by local councils, he has had a lot of interested from people looking to be buried in a pleasant part of the countryside where they can be looked after. He is making environmental provisions by splitting the site into smaller gardens, planting trees on gravesites and developing a woodland walk-through a nearby wood he also owns. He wants to make the experience of visiting a loved one a more positive. More questions are asked including if he thinks there is a future for farming itself. The cemetery doesn’t replace farming, but it is another source of income. He is asked if he is confident in the future of traditional farming. He replies that there will be a crisis with farmers coming into Europe from the former Eastern bloc reducing farming subsidies. On the outskirts of Ashington in Northumberland a building site for a new type of community venture on a 225-acre farm to which previous tenants suffered from problems of vandalism and conflict with locals. An excavator on site clears an area for future building work, a turfed roof training centre in already part way through construction. In the surrounding fields cattle grazing. Interview with Steve Manchee from Earth Balance about taking on this community farm where the ‘environmental idealists and the consumer forge a working alliance’. Once finished the farm will work closely with the local community in providing employment as well as training opportunities in horticulture and a visitor attraction. They are also looking to rebuild the local economy on a small scale with organic produce onsite being sold locally as part of a community agriculture scheme. They are also looking to produce willow as a renewable fuel as well as more traditional produce such as wheat on a typical Northumbrian eight-year rotation. Steve Manchee also talks about the educational role the farm has in bridging the gap between town and country. He has enquiries from people interested in replicating the site across the country. Steve takes Eric on a tour of the site pointing out future developments such as a storage pond where cattle are currently grazing, a commercial horticulture centre, the site for a refurbished wind turbine and a composting unit. High up in the foothills of Pennines purple heather blooms over the moorland landscape. Nearby several of ‘Britain’s worst rural vandal’ are grazing, sheep. Interview with Stuart Maughan, Head Gamekeeper on the Whitfield Estate and the issues of overgrazing and the link between the loss of heather and a reduction in grouse numbers. Grouse are important for the estate as they generate a large income from shooting. Stuart goes into detail about what he is doing, he is speaking the tenant farmers to see if they understand the situation. On part of the moorland a metre square fenced off areas where the heather in flourishing, this is something Stuart has instigated to show farmers the effect of overgrazing. There are several Countryside Commission and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) schemes available to farmers to help bring balance. In the distance several shooting butts, Stuart says that its important for everyone that the heather is kept healthy. The programme, and series, ends back with Eric Robson stands near to a county road. He concludes by saying that farming is Britain’s most versatile industry and that the countryside is a forgiving place. If there was a ‘golden age’ then it will probably be tomorrow. Credit: Camera David Leeder Sound Ken Davison Electrician John Mason Production Assistant Eileen Young VT Editor Charles Slater Researcher Eithne Beggan Director Malcolm Dickinson Producer Bob Farnworth End credit: Tyne Tees Television © MCMXCV