We'd being trying to guess what crops my neighbour Jean-Claude would be growing in the large field beyond our pool and pump-house.
As far as we were concerned, it was a toss-up between Maize and Sunflowers. Our preference being Maize as it offers several free meals in the height of Summer.
Unfortunately, we've now discovered that he's growing GRASS. There's no profit in Maize growing, and it seems as if the recent fashion for Sunflower growing is possibly coming to an end. The Sunflowers were always grown as a share crop, with too much of the profit going to the contractors.
Jean-Claude does have a few Cows, so Grass growing is logical, but it does seem a shame not to be growing something that the French consumer could consume.
My attitude may sound old-fashioned, but then I suppose it is. Local farmers used to grow 'consumer crops'; I myself grew a crop of Wheat one year.
Here's a picture of Billy, surveying his realm. He'd just been digging holes in the recently sown grass; round the corner, top left. Naughty boy.
27 comments:
In an ideal world I suppose I'd divide the field into three parts. One slice sunflowers, a flower which makes me deliriously happy; one slice maize (sweet corn) which is delicious eaten raw off the cob, in passing, on one's walk - and, yes, well, one slice grass. Grass is good. It's green. Easy on the eye. And remember, Cro, we can't make hay without grass.
U
Not so long ago the fields grew Wheat, Barley, Vines, Tobacco, Asparagus, etc. Now one sees none of these; well, maybe occasionally.
Everything is changing so fast now, we will understand everything in the perspective of time.
You'd think he would have second thoughts about the grass after this virus crisis, or did he plant beforehand? Grass makes hay, hay feeds cows and other animals. Hay ensures there's a filet mignon to go with your glass of red wine, a little camembert to wet the appetite, milk in your coffee.
But yes, after the list of crops that used to be grown, in your reply above, I can see that he had many better choices.
I imagine that next year's crops will be quite different.
It's all the fault of Brussels. They've made 'growing' unprofitable, and doing nothing 'profitable'.
One can but hope...things will have to change now..and more food for beasts and man will be grown relatively locally
Ah well, at least it will look pretty.
Grass? Isn't that a slang name for marijuana? I think we should all be prescribed a few ounces of that during The Great Pandemic. Jean-Claude is clearly ahead of the game.
I hope so. There's a lot of 'market gardening' to the south of us; especially fruit growing (plums, apples, peaches, etc). I think it'll have to change here too.
I suppose so, but Sunflowers are prettier.
Could this have anything to do with subsidies?
I've checked the seeds, they're the wrong shape! Actually, even the local dope-heads don't grow their own any more; I wonder why?
One neighbour is paid by Brussels not to use weed-killers on his abandoned field; so it's now become a field of Brambles. Well done Brussels.
Is he rotating and leaving this one fallow ( sort of ) I reckon your just miffed because you won’t get free veggies 😂🤣😂 XXXX
The EU will have to change before any of that can happen.
When life gives you brambles pick them. Make jam. Or a pie. No weed killer? Bonus.
U
PS Don't blame Brussels for idiocies we bring onto us ourselves..
Our old neighbour used to grow tobacco and sunflowers in his fields. Then he retired and the fields were left for grass.
Rather interesting that growing grass is profitable.
You never know what he might put to grass - might he keep a few llamas or alpacas?
Wrong type of Brambles unfortunately; these are the red stemmed variety that have no fruit.
I depend on him for my scrumped Maize each summer! It looks this years as if we'll surrounded by grass; no other crops at all.
I used to like seeing the fields filled with Tobacco; but I know it was very hard work for the growers.
He always keeps several dozen big round bales for his own Cows, then sells all the rest.
I do hope not. He has about 20 Blonde d'Aquitaine Cows, and nothing else; not even a Chicken.
I see. Two downers in a row. Yesterday's and today's.
U
Maybe because they have entered their dotage.
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