The Archers Friday 23rd March 2012
- Kylie has good news for Helen
- Bridge Farm doesn’t know when Sunday is
- Annabelle wants Brian to stick with cows
- Tony feels good
- Reminder that the clocks go forward
Kylie has good news for Helen
Kylie calls Helen. Helen starts apologising for “opening old wounds for Sharon”. Kylie agrees that Sharon was very upset, but:
[Kylie] “What happened happened. But. In a way, that’s what was needed … mum said that Eamon can bring Rich down to Bridge Farm on Sunday, if you want, is that okay?”
Bridge Farm doesn’t know when Sunday is
First Tom – who has to ask if Sunday is the day after tomorrow.
[Tom] “Wow!”
Seems Sharon has also told Rich that Pat and Tony are his grandparents. And that he had already met them. He wants to meet them again.
[Helen] “Tom, we did it!”
Thankfully, Tom and Helen tell Tony and Pat (rather than making Rich’s visit a surprise, which would only lead to Tony having another heart attack).
[Helen] “he’ll meet you properly, as your grandson”
Tony and Pat also have to work out when Sunday was, but then:
[Tony] “No no, I don’t need any time to think … I think I can speak for both of us Pat, the answer is yes, we do want him to come on Sunday. Thank you”.
One can only hope that Rich turns out to be as nice a lad as he seems.
Annabelle wants Brian to stick with cows
She’s really not convinced about the pig plan.
[Annabelle] “There would be the same objections as with the dairy unit over animal welfare”
[Brian] “The idea of pigs being housed indoors isn’t anything like as bad as cows”
But Annabelle reckons that the protestors already hate, and want to attack, BL. They won’t stop just because BL are going to permanently house, en masse, another type of animal.
[Annabelle’ “I can’t seem then just giving in and rolling over because we tell them it’s pigs and not cows … moral crusade against any and every intensive farming”
Annabelle also thinks that it won’t do him any good with the BL board to:
[Annabelle] “be changing horses midstream … That kind of flip flopping always looks weak … the board loses confidence in the Chairman, and you’d be edged out”
[Brian] “That’d be a disaster”
(aye – just like when Matt was edged out …)
[Annabelle] “Convince the Board you’re right, Brian”
Tony feels good
[Tony] “I feel as fresh as a daisy today, well, sort of”
Ah, that’s better than feeling worse.
Reminder that the clocks go forward
This time, from Pat:
[Pat] “And don’t forget, we lose an hour on Sunday with the clocks going forward”
Cheers Pat!
At least my van clock will be right again!
The Archers Thursday 22nd March 2012
- They shouldn’t have laughed at the llamas
- Bartleby’s brass gets a polish
- Usha isn’t gossiping
- Damsons make Joe a happy chappy
- Lilian bosses Brian
- Tony wants to ask Lilian first
- Alan and Usha have an old hot water system
- Green burials are noisy
- At last – someone mentions Shula and Alan
- What about Karl?
- Blondes can be clever sometimes
- James will get Lilian for his birthday present
- Pigs not cows
They shouldn’t have laughed at the llamas
Seems they’re doing a grand work of Alan and Usha’s lawn.
[Usha] “I still do a double take every time I come home and see lamas on the lawn”
[Alan] “They’re doing a fantastic job … best investment I’ve made in a long time!”
So they may have laughed at Lynda offering the llamas during the promise auction, but it’s all worked out right. Which I’m glad about. I thought the Ambridge folks were very cruel to Lynda (apart from Alan, of course).
Bartleby’s brass gets a polish
From Alan, helping Joe out with a random act of kindness for lent.
That’s nice for Bartleby.
Usha isn’t gossiping
When she told Alan about Vicky getting Eddie to work an extra four hours for free.
[Usha] “Not a bit of it. I think to like of it as more of reportage”
Damsons make Joe a happy chappy
He and Jim and co have been planting them in the hedge of the community orchard,
[Alan] “Joe sounded really chuffed seeing his old orchard all restored”
Lilian bosses Brian
Brian’s still worried about farmers abandoning The Mart because of the protestors.
[David] “You know how farmers talk. It’s probably bluster … old habits die hard … they won’t move and miss the chance of meeting up with farmers they’ve know for years”
David moves on elsewhere, but Lilian corners Brian in his place.
[Lilian] “Have you heard these rumours? As an investor, I’m very concerned … people are like sheep., it’ll only take a couple of farmers to go elsewhere and we’ll have a mass exodus!”
[Brian] “That’s arrant nonsense … and in my opinion you’ve being totally irresponsible, racing round like chicken licken saying the sky is going to fall down”
[Lilian] “Get it under control Brian, ASAP, before it gets out of hand!”
Oh Brian won’t like that. Being told by Lilian what to do? No wonder he’s increasingly desperate to find a solution to his Super Dairy woes.
Tony wants to ask Lilian first
All seems to be going very well at Home Farm.
The grass is “bulking out nicely”, according to Tony, which means the cows can get out towards the end of next week.
Tony also agrees with Tom and Pat that they should try and extend their interest free mortgage for another six months. And, he now agrees that Tom should try and get a loan to extend the poly tunnels. Seems it will pay itself back in three years (just like Brookfield’s new dairy system),
But, he wants to ask Lilian first. He doesn’t want to start spending without first paying back the loan she gave them.
So, he and Pat sit down with Lilian to tell her their plans.
[Lilian] “That sounds wonderful, but I can’t for the life why you’re telling me … Oh good grief, darlings. I’m in no hurry for the money … you can pay me once you’re properly back on your feet”
Recession proof, our Lilian is.
Alan and Usha have an old hot water system
So it would seem.
They can’t run the hot water in the kitchen without ruining Amy’s bath.
Green burials are noisy
Alan is getting ready for the first burial at the green burial site.
[Alan] “I’m told wicker coffins are noisy … they creak … wonder if I should warn the family?”
Sounds terrifying!
At last – someone mentions Shula and Alan
It’s Alan himself.
He mentions to Usha that Shula has offered her donkey, Benjamin, for Palm Sunday again. But this time, she’s even offered to look after him herself during the service.
[Usha] “I’m pleased for you”
So, the cold front is indeed warming.
What about Karl?
Something is building about Amy’s new boyfriend (or not, he might just be a mate).
Alan mentioned that Amy had mentioned Karl, but “didn’t say much else”. Alan reckons she’ll talk about him if he is important to her.
What’s afoot?
Blondes can be clever sometimes
[Tony] “So the ,lovely Lisa is not just a pretty face?”
[David] “She may look like a ditzy blond but she’s as sharp as a tack”
James will get Lilian for his birthday present
[Lilian] “Isn’t one’s time a better gift?”
Probably not for James.
Pigs not cows
Debbie has a cunning plan.
She’s going to swap large scale dairy for a large scale pig unit. Debbie reckons they’ll get similar benefits, but will be a more “mainstream” solution.
[Brian] “Why in earth would we shift our ground at this stage?”
And also why pigs, when other pig farmers seem to be struggling.
But – and this is where Debbie living in Hungry comes in useful (seems no one in Ambridge takes any heed of news reports in the TV, newspapers interest (etc) about that place they call Europe). She says that more European farmers are getting out of pigs because the new welfare regulations make them less profitable. So, there’s a nice gap for a large scale production.
[Debbie] “Just like the cow setup, it would be a large pig unit … but this time, there would be no need for outside suppliers”
[Brian] “We’d still have a very large animal production unit with pigs permanently indoors”
[Debbie] “It’s different with pigs, honestly, it’s all about perception. People are far more used to the idea of pigs indoors”
[Brian, warming to the idea] “At the moment I need all the get of jail cards I can get my hands on”
Well – I’m not sure Debbie is right this time.
Will Tom and Neil be supportive? Jazzer?
And with pigs being such intelligent animals (they play footy, don’t you know), won’t the protestors abhor this even more?
