When I was young, James Herriot took us on a journey in to the world of British farming.
His vivid description of the farming , the animals, the ups and downs in the life of farmers made me feel I am with him experiencing what he was describing. Being a vet, his chronicling of the experiences in treating farm animals more often than not bought tear to your eyes.
I now posit that Jeremy Clarkson is now doing the same to the reels generation. His Clarkson's farm (3 seasons) gives me the same experience as Herriot's books.
Though light in tone and hilarious in parts, it provides a window in to the modern British farming.
The show highlights the trials and tribulations of farmers in Britain (Many of it applies to farmers everywhere too). The finicky weather and climate change wreaking havoc on the crops, the rising cost of everything - seeds, fertilizers, farming equipment, rules and regulations. Jeremy shows genuine concern about the state of farming and farmers. The show also tries to highlight new methods of sustainable farming,
Add to this, Jeremy's mis-adventures with the tractors, his banter with Kaleb, Charlie and Gerald, his run ins with the council to protect his farm shop and restaurant, attempts at rearing animals, creating new avenues to maximize the output from his farm and failing spectacularly makes it such an entertaining watch.
More importantly, every initiative, attempt that Jeremy undertakes is solely with the motive of maximizing the revenue from the farm. There is no pretension that farming is a social service enterprise, feed the nation - which is an important lesson to farmers elsewhere.
Also who knew that the Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear and Grand Tour, can get emotional and tear up at the sight of his farm animals being sent to the abattoir or dying at birth !.
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