[SmallHolder]

Who watches it and what do you think of it?

Have you ever seen "Urban Smallholdings" Possibly my favourite.

[gavo]

It's good TV. Although it's lost it's original charm by turning into such a big enterprise. I think it's lost touch with ordinary smallholding types who don't have armies of staff to keep everything in order.

Cheers

Gavin

[SmallHolder]

yeah i agree, This tesco thing is good but they have to get back to normal people, Normal smallholdings,  Giving tips rather than A bunch of high rated companys.

[Hilarysmum]

Wish they could give me the tip of how they and Jamies Farm sell at such high prices.  P l  e   a   s   e

[Fluffywelshsheep]

My Husband really HATES and i mean hate that program and HFW. he laught at the tesco thing with the chickens and coments everytime we see the chickens in the supermarket.
I do feel that these 'celebratity' chefs are taking it out on the wrong people and they should be talking to the councils/government etc to get the general public growing their own and then we wouldn't need so many supermarket and more of the specialist place which are dying out.

Linz

[rustyme]

I originally liked to watch it . Although it was a bit twee, but I thought it was meant to show it was possible to get away from  the rat race and have a different way of life . Well sorry HFW to my mind you just created a rat race in miniature. Everything that is done, is done with the help of god knows how many  'Good Friends ??' who all just happen to be experts in the particular field of activity of the day. They also do all the work for a few hot dogs or pigeon pies or strawberry sorbets ?? That can work sometimes, but not every time !!! And as for just turning up here there and everywhere and selling veggie garden soup or whatever at a market ? Just try it ....you will end up with health and safety climbing all over you . Not to mention the cost of setting up all the required conditions and areas to make these things and then having all the required licences or qualifications. I know he is a chef come journalist, or the other way round , but the whole setup just does not work and for anyone wanting to 'get away from it all' well , it is just a case of frying pans and fires really. Ok if you are earning £50,000- £100,000 a year as a tv personallity and have a tv company to pay for everything , but the whole thing is just a fantasy really . I think it is just a case of a good idea gone out of control . I know people have to earn money to live , but to my mind the whole thing is to smallholding, what TESCO is to super markets. A good idea gone wrong .... That is just my opinion , and I may well be very wrong . I can only look at it through my eyes as it were, and with my view of smallholding . I realize that not everyone will operate the way I do , very VERY few would !!!, but I also know that very few (if any ?) could operate like RC , without something like the income from a tv company to provide a very large % of the money required.  All that said , good luck to HFW, I hope he is happy doing what he does . He seems a very likeable bloke and the program is good fun , but is it about getting away from the rat race ? downsizing ? self sufficiency ? whatever you want to call it , no ....not to mind . ( You see !! I am just a grumpy old man!!!).

cheers

Russ   

[Fluffywelshsheep]

lol rusty the inhouse grumpy old man

[northfifeduckling]

I used to really love it, when he started off. He got a bit too much into killing things for my taste. But that's my personal thing and also my dilemma, I just can't kill things bigger than a mosquito. I still enjoy watching RC. As you can imagine, I really hate "Kill it, cook it, eat it", people getting a buzz out of killing...

[SmallHolder]

I used to look foward to seeing it, And yeah I agree about the Rat race, They Should get back to self sufficiency, River cottage was supposed to be about getting started with smallholdings and a How-to, it just spiralled out of control, I was expecting much more about how-to but it was Excellent the first 1-2 series, Now im just watching over the good ones on Youtube. And i dont mind "Kill it cook it eat it" it informs people But thats JMO (Just my opinion)

[Hilarysmum]

Whe we first came to France the number of people who only wanted saddleback pigs, Hugh type sheep and chickens was amazing.  It seemed that unless you had the right breed of chicken, sheep, pig you could not succeed.  Its almost designer smallholding. 

New Grumpy old woman!!!!

[woollyval]

I too am a grumpy old woman I have been a smallholder for all my life and whilst the river cottage phenomenom has much to be praised for getting people thinking about where their food comes from and how its produced it has now become a 'brand' and I'm not so sure about where its heading......

[Blinkers]

  I love it.   and sure wouldn't be here on our wonderful smallholding in South West Wales if it wasn't for HFW giving us the incentive to "have a go". .   He's responsbile for us giving up our highly stressful jobs in manic West Sussex, and living the good life here in peace and tranquility.  

[woollyval]

Exactly Blinkers it HAS inspired loads of people.....and thats great.....just hope it dosent lose its identity etc and become totally commercial. Many people I know cannot afford their courses, prices etc......difficult one

[northfifeduckling]

I think HughFW and Jamie are doing the right thing to get to us as the consumer. If you want to or can take it on is your business. The programmes do make a difference (however controversial people find them), as school meals have improved (a little) and I saw an affordable free range chicken today at Morrisons. Most folks think everything's fine with what they buy and the Supermarkets certainly think everything's fine as long as they can sell it.

[doganjo]

HFW is an invert snob  IMHO

I asked him once why he deliberately mated a Springer to a Weimaraner (I think, but might have been another breed) He was promoting cross breeds on his website. I suggested that there were plenty of pure breeds already and that to mix two together deliberately was not very helpful. He told me I was a pedigree snob.  Weims are known for being sharp, Springers for being just plain loopy and quite often destructive, both are high powered working breeds so a mix of these, or other working breeds is a recipe for the hottest wildest gundog ever.  There are a number of designer type dogs that would actually contribute to the dog gene pool but not this!
I do actually know what i am talking about in dogs - I'm a Champ Judge, breed trainer, assessor, presenter and I work my dogs.  He said he wasn't impressed and to go away and play with my little pets(his words)
However, that said, I used to like the programmes too but feel as said in previous posts that they have got away from the original theme.