MRS DOWN'S DIARY

What is interesting in the letter is the addition of a line or two about bio-security in the light of the re-emergence of the foot and mouth outbreak. They state, quite rightly, that they wish to observe any precautions we are taking.

It does beg the question, however, should they be going on to anyone's land, travelling from farm to farm, at a time like this, when no-one seems certain how the virus is being spread?

Once more, those farms that embraced diversification schemes encouraging public access must be questioning the wisdom of welcoming all and sundry on to farms. I have considered it but any ideas I have floated past John get short shrift.

What with all these health spas and keep-fit classes, we could offer a very nice line in mucking out sheds, speed-walking a field while roguing it for wild oats, or power-pulling noxious weeds such as ragwort in the two-metre strips around an arable field.

Lifting the weights on the front of the tractor or carrying a four-stone bag of corn up and down the granary steps would soon emphasise an office worker's six pack. And we could re-utilise our old sheep dipping trough by offering a line in mud baths.

Haylage wraps might be a superior offering to seaweed and silage might have beneficial properties for the skin . . . Or maybe not.

Then there is the livestock. The agricultural equivalent of a zoo.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette September 26