The Archers Friday 2nd March 2012
- Schmallenberg
- The return of Clarrie
- Brian bought Clarrie for Jennifer
- Clarrie’s not gossiping
- David’s being mean
- Chris owns his own business
- Long term recovery for Tony?
- Brian uses Tony to grind down Adam
Schmallenberg
The Schmallenberg virus has really passed me by.
Clarrie came across Ruth feeding a lamb. Though it was a bit shy from eating, Ruth was just glad it was healthy.
Which was when they started talking about the “nasty virus”. Seems Bill Oldfield has even told Pip she can’t go ahead with the Hassett Lamb project (celebrity lamb and such) until next year.
Seems the Schmallenberg virus doesn’t affect humans, but does damage unborn lambs, causing deformity or death. In adults, it causes diarrhoea, fever and a decrease in milk yields.
(more low milk yields at Brookfield – though also in the lambs is a bit much)
Seems the virus has come from Germany, and will cause problems for some time to come.
Who’d be a farmer …
The return of Clarrie
Ruth was telling Clarrie that David was at Bridge Farm helping out again, and that Tom and Helen are just about managing.
Clarrie’s just worried for Tony.
[Clarrie] “I thought about going in to see him, but didn’t want to be in the way”
Adam’s over at bridge Farm later on offering to help drive tractors and the like. He was also surprised to hear that Brian had been helping with the veg boxes.
[Pat] “From what Helen says, I think he quite enjoyed it … he’s offered to come and do it again”
Helen and Pat are later talking about everything they have to work at. There’s the café launch, so Tom will need to get his ready meals sorted, and they the Ambridge Organics produce.
[Helen] “We’ve managed so far, but only by the skin of our teeth”
Seems Susan is also working evenings, but can’t keep that on indefinitely.
[Helen] “I don’t see how we can do it mum, not with things the way they are”
Especially with Tony not able to work, and Pat having to spend most of her time looking after Tony. Helen reckons they need extra help.
[Helen] “Someone who knows what they’re doing and can get straight back to work”
[Pat] “You mean Clarrie … we can’t just ask her now, out of the blue, after everything that’s happened?”
But Helen’s quite right that Clarrie hasn’t got work yet. And it’d make sense for Bridge Farm to ask Clarrie first, rather than having to hunt down someone completely new.
[Helen] “It might be easier coming from me. Less complicated”
(meaning that Pat treated Clarrie abysmally over the e coli outbreak)
So, Helen goes round to see Clarrie, who is delighted to see her.
[Clarrie] “I’ve been thinking about you all, wondering how you was managing … poor man … I can’t tell you how glad I am Helen.
(that Tony is okay)
“It was such a shock when I heard. And then waiting for new, I just didn’t know what to think … I wanted to ask, do you think he’d mind if I popped down to seem him?”
[Helen] “I wanted to ask you a really big favour … do you think you’d be able to come back and help us out … it would be p great for us if you could, but only if you really feel you’d like to …”
[Clarrie] “Helen, you don’t have to ask, well of course I will. Of course I’ll come back”
Clarrie is desperate for work, and we know she’s not one to hold a grudge, but there is something distasteful about how Helen and co treated here, then take her back when it suits them.
And how are they going to afford the extra wages again? I thought they were still skint? Or does Tony have insurance (can claim off the Government as well?)
Brian bought Clarrie for Jennifer
As we know, but Clarrie now has to do some swotting with Bert to make sure she knows what she’s talking about to Jennifer.
Just like Eddie.
Making only half a promise auction …
Clarrie’s not gossiping
Clarrie’s telling Ruth and David that Sabrina paid £85 for Harry, and that Sabrina wants harry to wait until the weather gets warmer to do the work in her garden (as we already know).
[Clarrie] “And we can all guess why …”
But Clarrie suddenly stops talking, and rushes away.
[David] “She’s done it to, given up gossip for lent!”
David’s being mean
In my humble opinion.
He’s on at Ruth again to talk about the farm. More specifically, he wants her to agree with them that they have no choice but to get rid of the dairy herd.
[David] “We’ve got to sort out this stalemate”
[Ruth] “Sorry David, I haven’t got time for this”
But David later corners her again.
[David] “Every hour, that you spend working with the cows, you’re doing it for nothing. Making a loss even. You’re gaining us one step closer to going bust … so we need to stop and make some time and come up with some answers”
He gets a bit aggressive, though also sounds upset. He wants Ruth to tell him what their plans should be, as she doesn’t want to sell the herd.
[David] “So what is the alternative … where do we go from here?”
[Ruth] “I just don’t know what to do”
[David] “Okay, we’ll take some time and have a think about it but we need an answer soon. You say you can’t live without the cows, alright, so you tell me, how can we afford to live with them?”
As much as David is right to force Ruth to make a decision, I don’t see how harassing and shouting at her will help.
Chris owns his own business
Though we didn’t hear it direct from Chris or Alice, Chris signed the contract today to buy out Ronnie.
Will that mean they can stop scrimping? Or is it only just the start?
Long term recovery for Tony?
Pat reckons Tony will have to just get used to sitting and being waited on.
Adam later tells Brian that he also thinks Tony is in for a long haul recovery.
[Alice] “From the way looked this morning, sat in his chair in the kitchen, I’d say it’s going to be a while before he’s back to milking twice a day … I really felt for him. And after all they’ve been through”
[Brian] “I suppose there’s a lesson there for us all somewhere .. .life’s too short. I mean a thing like that, it could have been any of us, it could have been me,. So make best use of your time while you’ve got it”
Brian uses Tony to grind down Adam
Brian again asks Adam to “bury the hatchet”
(sure Adam would be delighted to if it was a real ‘un!)
[Adam] “If it were that simple …”
[Brian] “It’s just like I said to you the other day. All we have to do is respect each other’s opinions and agree to differ”
[Adam] “You can't just wish these things away, Brian.”
[Brian] “But surely we can agree to shake hands, declare a truth, or whatever you want to call it. Come on, for the sake of the family!”
[Adam, obviously fed up with being badgered by Brian] “Okay … yes, if you want”
They shake hands.
[Brian], ever patronising] “Good man, Well done. It wasn’t so hard, was it? ... It’ll make life so much easier for the both of us,. And your mother will be thrilled when I tell her”
The Archers Tuesday 31st January 2012
- Bill goes for Hassle
- Bert and Joe have a night in
- David talks to Oliver than Ruth
- Neil and Susan have a night in
Bill goes for Hassle
Bill has something to do with Hassett Lamb – and he’s seemingly given the go ahead for Pip’s celebrity lamb.
They’re also going to give her some money to get it up and running.
Well done Pip.
Still not convinced giving lamb a personality will help it sell.
Isn’t it more a case of lamb being too cute to market?
Bert and Joe have a night in
(Bert Horrbin, rather than Bert Fry that is)
They bump into each other at The Bull and Joe suggests that as Bert is home alone for the night, he might as well come over and they share some of his cider.
Bert does readily concur.
They get a bit merry.
So, of course, decide to help Neil out with the tiling …
… when they finish, all seems well.
Just a small bit of grout oozing through.
Only one cracked tile. That they managed to stick back together and get it onto the wall.
And most of the border tiles are on the right way round.
[Joe] “Near enough!”
[Bert] “Ah. Job done, as the young ‘uns say”
Neil will be pleased …
David talks to Oliver than Ruth
David calls Oliver. He says he needs a word with him, and it’s something he can’t discuss with Ruth.
Oh dear.
Neil and Susan have a night in
We eavesdrop in just as Neil and Susan are finishing their bottle.
We don’t hear much about the promised chilli (and Tracey’s kids are there asleep, so no swinging off of chandeliers!), but Susan has a surprise for Neil.
After telling Neil how lucky she is to have met him (comparing her lot to Tracey – who, though had everything she wanted when she was a child, has struggled to find her place in the “real world”, including a decent man), she takes him upstairs to show him something …
… the doll house.
Though Susan has cleaned it up, Neil still reckons Emma won’t let Keira play with it. It’s still not in a good enough “state”.
A door is off of its hinges. The lino is coming up. It’s a sad wee sight.
Though Neil has plenty on at the moment, he offers to work on it – especially as they both agree Susan isn’t good at “fiddly” (*snort*).
[Neil] “It’ll be a nice little project, once I’ve finished at your dads … the end is in sight”
Ah – spoke too early there Neil.
The Archers Monday 23rd January 2012
- Ian’s too deep for David
- Brian just wanted his shopping
- Rufus is fast at websites
- Brian wants Adam to shut up
- Pip’s Celebrity Lamb gets the go ahead
Ian’s too deep for David
They’re chatting about Adam being on the radio, damning the Super Dairy.
Ian reckons Adam reckoned that he didn’t say much, he didn’t realise that may folks listened to local radio and that he wouldn’t be recognised.
But Ian also reckons that Adam subconsciously knew all of that. He just wanted Brian to actually hear him.
That’s what David found too deep.
Later on, David's talking to Adam.
Adam seems fairly unrepentant. He felt it needed saying.
[Adam] “Brian’s framed this debate in such a way, my quite legitimate objections keep being read as disloyalty to the family, and they’re not”
David reckons he sympathises with both sides.
(eh?)
But that Ruth is well and truly on Adam’s side.
(sorry – just to go back to what David said. He has sympathy for Brian’s plans? What what what?)
[David] “You can be sure of her support. She loves her cows …It’s very difficult when your head says one thing and your heart says another”
Ah!
Is David starting to think that his only option is to get out of dairy?
Brian just wanted his shopping
Brian had a shopping list from Jennifer, so he need to go into Ambridge Organics. He met Pat at the door, and wished her well for the new brand launch.
But that’s where the niceties stopped.
[Pat] “Our little enterprise must seem old fashioned and small scale in the light of all your new plans”
[Brian] “There’s a place for everyone in farming Pat”
[Pat] “Do you think so? isn’t this mega diary rather going to give a lie to that? It’s going to put all other dairy farmers at risk”
[Brian] “Not at all. There’ll be plenty of room for the kind of niche farming you do”
[Pat] “Niche farming? Is that what I’m doing? I’d prefer to call it proper farming!”
[Brian] “*Huff*, well that’s debateable”
[Pat] “Not to me. I’d rather run a niche farm than a factory!”
[Brian] “What we are planning is not factory farming, that’s grossly inaccurate!”
Though Pat did wangle out of Brian that while the Super Dairy will have ‘only’ 1,500 cows at first, they’ll increase that as soon as they get the chance. But:
[Brian] “We’re not going to be keeping them like battery hens, if that’s what you’re suggesting”
[Pat] “Cows are herd animals who chew the cud, they should be outside with other cows eating grass”
[Brian] “Come on Pat, this is 2012, not 1912!”
[Pat] “The cows haven’t changed”
[Brian] “Well everything else has!”
[Pat] “No it hasn’t”
[Brian] “Okay I agree, there is one thing that hasn’t, farming is a business and it always was, businesses have to change to survive, what else is your rebranding is about”
[Pat] “It’s hardly equivalent, but that doesn’t matter does it, as long as you can feel you’ve scored a cheap point .. we’re all entitles to our opinions, but you seem to think yours is the only one that counts, you can just railroad this through without any meaningful consultation with the local community at all”
Pat goes on to say that they all only found out about the Super Dairy because the Echo broke the story. Brian reckons he was about to do a consultation anyway. Pat reckons that’s nonsense. He’d have only done a consultation when it was too late. Pat goes on to say that the Echo has done a superb job in bringing the Super Dairy to everyone’s attention.
[Brian] “Oh, you’re praising the Echo now, are you … I seem to remember you felt rather differently about our local press in the summer … you’re not so keen on the Echo’s investigative journalism When they’re investigating you!”
[Pat] “Maybe I’m not, what possible relevance does that have to what we’re talking about. If you can’t debate your case without restoring to smear tactics …”
Phew!
I reckon Pat won that round.
But would seem Brian still went ahead and shopped at Ambridge Organics. Jennifer late thanked him for getting everything she wanted.
Rufus is fast at websites
He’s already got BL’s Super Dairy one up and running (though Brian did say “at last!”. He really does expect miracles!)
[Jennifer] “Makes the new housing sound like a five start hotel !”
But Jennifer is less impressed to hear about Brian’s run in with Pat,
[Jennifer] “On Brian, we’d agreed, we were trying to build bridges between Pat and Tony!”
But Brian wins Jennifer round (as per) with talk of how Pat is difficult, illogical, dogmatic. Jennifer can only concur.
He reckons it’s a complete waste of time trying to win round people like Pat. They need to go for “neutrals”.
Brian wants Adam to shut up
Though Jennifer claims Adam was not trying to cause trouble for him.
It sounds like neither Jennifer nor Brian actually heard Adam on the radio – just third hand.
And Brian seems to be taking it okay. He just seems more irritated than furious.
So, if Adam could kindly put a sock in it, Brian will be happy enough.
Pip’s Celebrity Lamb gets the go ahead
Pip was presenting to Hassett Hill today.
While they didn’t like the name of her Celebrity lamb – Hassle (!) – they loved the rest of her ideas.
So, can we expect Pip’s live to go viral soon? Or, will it just be like Tom’s pigs playing footie … no-where to be seen …
Enthused by the enthusiasm of Hassett Hill, Pip now also wants to do lamb recipes (in addition to the Hassett Hill lamb mint burgers).
Now Pip wants to do another lamb receipt (as well as the Hassett Hill mint burgers),
(doesn’t she sound just like Tom Archer … god help us all!)
BUT David reckons developing a new product takes money. Which Pip doesn’t want to hear, considering the amount they’re just about to spend on a slurry tank for the dairy side of the business.
[Pip] “£22,000 just to stay in the same place. Ugh, it just doesn’t make sense!”
From what David was saying earlier on, he’s starting to think the same.
Mind you – maybe he’ll change his mind when he talks to Ruth.
I think she’d choose her cows over David any day.
