 for the Peach wine recipe. I will make that when I get some more demijohns. We have got 4 demijohns and two big plastic buckets on the go at the moment. Made the Bitter Brew 'Northern Brown' yesterday. It should start bubbling next to the Jeddah Gin today. I must be sad but they make me smile when the bubbles rise in the airlock. It's got to be better than watching the X Factor. What do you think about today's television Cumbrian? Is it time for smallholding, allotment and self supporting telly?
Thanks again for typing me the peach recipe. We have quite a few good wine and food recipes on here, don't we?
Television? We lived without one for 4 years, neither of us saw the necessity of paying the licence fee to watch an endless parade of meaningless rubbish.
Only reason we got one this year is that Mrs can't get about very much and likes to watch some of the nature programmes, so there's now a 42" idiots lantern on the wall opposite her chair with about 50-60 channels to choose from; why anybody should want even more is beyond my comprehension.
To be fair though, she's actually found a couple of programmes I enjoy, I saw snatches of the Victorian Farm series, and there's an hour called Country File (or Life) once a week I can't remember which channel or what day, think it's Sunday. And some of the "Fly on ther Wall" series are quite interesting, following police, customs or immigration officers on their daily grind fighting the battle against villans, smugglers and illegal immigrants.
And I know some of the sporting events are hugely popular.
I think there'd be a lot of interest in thr type of programmes you mention, showing "The Good Life" as it really is, warts and all. Might put a few people off, but I'm sure it would be an eye-opener for a lot of viewers.
I must admit Cumbrian I am a bit of a telly addict. Mainly because I like to watch Manchester United and because I live at least 5 miles from a pub, with no public transport. The joys of rural living hey?
I also like to watch the television programmes about farming, rock music, smallholding, allotments, England (Julia Bradbury Wainwright Walks, Country File, Hear to the Ground (irish farming programme) and programmes like a Place in the Sun and Escape to the country.... I even watch the X FActor. I am sorry to say.
Used to love the Goodlife and the Jack Hargreaves porogramme was it called 'Out of Town' series?
Sad also to say I am a digital satellite (mortgage)/monthly subscriber. Sky have even taken off all the gardening programmes. I complained but it fell on death ears I think.
Think your warts and all 'Good Life' would be excellent Cumbrian. We can film it on my smallholding if they want and you can be the wine and real ale and hunting/fishing expert. I will show them how 'not' to run a smallholding and to make sure you never calculate (write down) how much anything costs. Great ideas Cumbrian.
The newky brown real ales just started bubbling in the airlock.
I know I'm in the minority, most people love their TV, I've even heard programmes being discussed in the pub. It's just I've never really become interesred in any of it. I think the last film I watched was "Guns of Naverone" at a local cinema, probably late 60s; sport has never fascinated me; the soaps and chat shows are just mind-numbing; I fail to understand most of the game shows; some of the adverts I can't fathom what they're trying to sell; there's not much else apart from childrens TV and the News, most of which depressing.
Yes, a real-life documentary type look at the ways and people of the countryside without the gory bits being omitted or glossed over.
Some I've seen have wonderful men with brand new Barbour jackets, pristine green wellies, freshly ironed checked shirt with Field Sports logo, deer-stalker hat with impossible fishing flies in the head-band, and brown cord trousers, explaining the workings of a gleaming new Holland & Holland or Purdy and discussing the relative merits of No 4 or No 5 shot for pheasants or grouse, whilst standing in an immaculate field under a blue sky and warm sunshine.
Or the farmhouse cookerey lessons, in a pristine kitchen with gleaming pans, brand new Saboteur knives, immaculate worktops, and delivered by a chef in whiter-than-whites.
One programme I did see years ago was Hugh Fairly Witless living in a battered Land Rover and cooking things from the fields, woods and sea-shore such as squirrel and woodlice on a pedal-powered BBQ. He had, in those days, long unkempt hair and worn clothes. Bit of reality though.
I think a look at the down-side (if that's what you might call reality) of rural life would be a good idea if only to show people with no understanding what it's actually like.

I think your right about quantity more than quality with today's television. Even music programmes try (probably succeed?) telling us what music to listen to or even how to dress. I call this: Cultural Fascism.
Our hero John Seymour, used to love going in the pubs and folk clubs and having a good dance, drink and a sing song. Suppose that's why folk must appeal to so many because it doesn't matter what age you are or what clothes you wear?
Cumbrian. It's not working at the coalface but it's not for the faint hearted either. Anybody who thinks they can make a living from a smallholding is dreaming in my opinion.
Cultural Fascism, a good way of putting it, I think you've got a valid point, the TV seems to dictate our taste in everything from food to fashion, or tries to.
Think you're right, nobody can make a decent living out of a smallholding now, despite all the rose-tinted specs. JS got it right, why produce something to sell at a loss then buy other stuff at inflated prices? But nobody can produce everything they need, so we'll always be tied to the global monetary system.
I often wonder how things can be produced then flown halfway round the world and still compete with something produced a couple of miles down the road (New Zealand lamb is one example). I'm sure there's a reason, but the logic eludes me.
Just noticed today yet another well-established old town centre pub closed, and 2 more up for sale in Workington, there's not many left now for a town of 40,000, and most of them are "fun" pubs on the town centre circuit. My village also has one recently empty, the For Sale signs have gone up, we're down to 2 now for a population of about 5,000, and none of them really busy. So it's not just small village pubs suffering.
JS would turn in his grave if he knew, he'd have nowhere left to go, doubt if he'd like the town centre establishments with flashing lights, big TVs, loud "music" and no dart board. Wetherspoons try, but they're big soul-less impersonal places.
Just thinking back, an area known as the Marsh & Quay in Workington, between the railway line, docks and steelworks, streets of 800 terraced houses, about 60 allotments and had 9 pubs:- Prince of Wales, Lifeboat, Coastgaurd, Hope & Anchor, Steam Packet, George IV, Kings Head, Wheatsheaf, Stewarts Club, all well-supported. They dropped 95% of the houses in the 70s, but left 8 of the pubs standing; sadly they're all converted to houses now.
Managed to keep dry today but cool, bit of wind making up, feels for rain.
Raggy cat gone out early.
Hi Carole, thanks for coming back to my blog and thanks for signing up to be a follower. I will join your site and look forward to reading your posts. Thanks!!
Glad you like my: Cultural Fascism phrase. I often go to high streets looking for clothes and find that you have to be under thirty to wear them. Perhaps we should be like Tom and Barbara in the Good Life and weave and dye our own clothes? May be not.
You're right we are all connected to the global monetary system. I even notice 'organic' food wrapped in'real plastic' in our supermarkets, flown in from Israel. So much for carbon footprints. I am told (have read) that New Zealand farmers get no subsidies. Yet they can sell lamb cheaper than farmers in the EEC.
It's a very sad picture that you paint of your area Cumbrian. It sounds similar to West Cork in many ways. The big pub chains seem to think (probably correct) that only young people throw their money about and older people don't drink or spend enough. Here in West Cork most people don't go in a pub until at least ten at night. Then they have to pay for a taxi because there is no public transport. It's not safe too walk on the country roads (no lights) and it's too expensive. I saw a cheese and onion toasty on offer in a local pub for SIX Euros. Thinks its cheaper