Goodbye to the Cows
The
economics of small scale organic dairy farming has led Andy to the
decision to sell the milking herd. We marked this moment by writing
poems about the cows.
Artist in residence Tom Allsopp has painted a series of cows around the
yard.
Prudence is a cow
sculpture
created from milk cartons. At the recent open day visitors helped
finish the work and add the text of our poems. Prudence will be
visiting Exeter Playdays during the summer.
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Milk is from a Cow not a Carton
As you muse
Eating museli in a half dazed state
In between the worlds of sleep and wakefulness
Take a while to stop and think
of the white liquid, poured,
providing the the fodder for your thought
so easily brought
so much part of our lives.
We have grown on this white stuff
Its story is imprinted on our bones
Constructing our skeleton of being.
And yet,for most,
We are removed from its source.
We reach for the cartons of full fat, semi skimmed, pasturised pearly
white
With no effort,
No daily routine of milking,
No rain,no sleet, no howling gales.
We face no possible financial ruin
from this food of our daily growth.
The story of the small dairy farm needs to be told.
West Town Farm in Ide is 160 acres and farmed organically by farmer
Andrew Bragg and Herdsman Paul Holmes. Mike Radford is often contracted
in to help around the farm too.
Farming is far from little effort.
It can be hard, demoralising, tough, lonely and with little monitary
reward.
The times of huge profits are a dim and distant memory.
Supermarkets demand low prices, customers want value without the cost
but who really pays the price?
6 months ago Organic Milk was 22p a litre at the farm gate and 72p a
litre on the supermarket shelf.
It has now gone up to 27p but this is too little too late.
Over the last 4 years conventional milk prices have gone up by 27% but
Organic Milk prices have fallen by 8%
This has had a dramatic impact on West Town Farm. There has been no
money to reinvest or keep the buildings maintained. Life has been a
struggle.
Andy and Paul are 100% committed to the cows.
Organic cows are looked after with the help of homeopathic and herbal
remedies. They are given no growth hormones and are only treated with
anti biotics if they are really needed.
No harmful pesticides are used on the land and it has now been proved
that Organic Milk has 50% more Vitamin E than conventional milk, 75%
more Vitamin A and 2/3 x more anti oxidants.
Organic Milk is also higher in Omega 3 which is good for a healthy
heart ,supple and flexible joints and strong bones and teeth.
Despite all these benefits to our health and the cows well being West
Town Farm can no longer afford to keep the dairy cows. Organic Milk
production on a small farm is loosing money at an alarming rate.
Paul is having to face redundancy and both he and Andy an uncertain
future.
As consumers we should demand that Milk prices at the farm gate are
kept high. A few more pence for us is nothing for the farmer it can be
everything.
Unfortunately for West Town it is too late but for other small farms
out there we must campaign.
OrganicARTS is committed to raising awareness of these and similar
issues through the arts and education.
We feel honoured and proud to be based at West Town Farm. To share our
lives and dreams with Andy, Paul and Mike. We hope that together we can
make a brighter future for West Town.
We say a fond farewell to the cows and wish them well in their pastures
new.
Andy's Poem Jan 2006
Andy is sleeping-once in the day
At night - not much
Busy catching calves in his dreams
Rounding in the cows from the fields
Rugg the dog showing skills
Life without cows - Heavens above!
No more milking - Heavens above!
Lots more sleeping - Heavens above!
Then there's time to think.
Not so tired, all that work.
Feeding, milking, tractor working, bedding their barn.
Every day of every year, sometimes seeming relentless. Never stopping.
Oh cows I miss you!
Your characters, your looks, your antics.
Your gamboling, your pushing and your pace.
Your stubbornness and your slowness..
So now to the future, without one -
Wow! There is one
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