Hello everyone, it is I, your Feisty Indian Aunty who decided (on her son’s advice to his father who loves gardening and growing vegetables) to watch Clarkson’s Farm. What? Jeremy Clarkson, best known as that crotchety old motoring expert on Top Gear (which I also love), now wants to be a farmer? Has this sixty year old lost his passion for cars? I know he had a falling out with the BBC and tried his hand at other things. But farming? Has he any idea what he has taken on? Apparently not.
The incredible thing was that Clarkson didn’t just take on this insane challenge, but he stuck with it too. And boy was this series a blast. I enjoyed all nine episodes thoroughly, often falling of the chair laughing my head off at his arrogance, his stupidity, his determination to get things right, and his utter lack of knowledge of the rules, the SOPs, and the regulations imposed, not only by the Farming Association of England, but also by the county in which he resides.
This is a guy who loves grease on his hands. But none of his previous experiences had prepared him for having to deal with complicated farm machinery, muddy soil, sheep shit, and having to birth a lamb.
Watching Clarkson berate himself – and be berated by all those around him – was an absolute delight.
These nine episodes showed us everything that Clarkson tried. And frankly, Clarkson was incredibly lucky to have the wealth he had before he began this thankless endeavour. With 1000 acres of farm land, and absolutely no idea about timings for ploughing, planning, and harvesting the crops, he was going in completely blind. He had no machines. He had no idea how to use the monstrous tractor that he bought. In fact, his only saving grace comes from the group of people around him who cared enough to make sure he didn’t fail.
There was the calm and collected Charlie Ireland who watched over his finances, his girlfriend, Lisa Hogan, who helped with his shop, Ellen Helliwell the shepherd, and Gerald Cooper the handyman who no one could understand. Even with the subtitles on. My favourite of his sidekicks was the 21-year old Kaleb Cooper, who Clarkson hires as his farm hand. Kaleb, who at 21 has more experience than Clarkson in every aspect of farming, spends most of the season yelling at this TV icon. To Kaleb, Clarkson is an “idiot” who knows nothing and keeps messing up.
The only reason Clarkson succeeds at all is because of these people. These people who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of farming. These people whose quiet genius puts food on the table of millions.
I cannot stress how important this series is. It is a must watch for all of us who think that our meat and vegetables come from the cooler section at the supermarket. For those of us who have no clue how difficult farming can be and what a thankless job it is. Clarkson’s Farm is a must watch because it makes you realize that like every vocation, farming too is a passion, and one that can not and should not be taken lightly. The return on investment is depressing, and despite government subsidies, farming remains one of those essential services that is grossly under-appreciated by the masses.
The moral of Clarkson’s Farm is simple. Be kind to farmers. Appreciate their efforts. Because theirs is a hard life that makes ours a lot easier.
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