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derbyshiredowser
Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 980 Location: derbyshire
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 45468 Location: yes
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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Posted: Sat Feb 29, 20 10:35 am Post subject: |
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And guess what there was no snow when I got home, but I could see where it had been and was very white on the mountain tops, but our council boys do the roads well here-called overtime!
The kindling people are just starting lambing, so the kindling is taking second place for the farmer and his wife. I am going up there when I have finished here to do the netting up on my own if no one is there to help. My numbers are small compared to their sales; they have 2 outlets who in the "fire time" at Christmas deliver extra 600 nets to each of 3 customers in a week, apart from those who only take 50 at a time. It doesn't do the job as I did-all almost identical nets and hand placed in a net. These fall into the net and when it is full you turn the net holder round, and as the sticks fall into the empty net you take the full net, tie it off and put on the pallet of full nets and the next net is now ready to take off, hey presto an hour later and you have a 100 or so nets, replace the pallet and off you go again. My experience is to feed logs in, otherwise I would get tied in knots-an age thing!
The UK. may well be one of the richest countries in the world, dpack. but the real wealth is concentrated in a very small number of hands. I am not, by any standards, rich, but I have worked one way or another for money, from selling pansy plants and manure as a pre-school boy to firewood now, and never gambled. I see me as doing ok, but I can't justify affording a new car! I guess the 1960's is where it all started from the "gang" who had gone through the war-where austerity was the norm-and progressed to the 60's where it all took off with higher wages, rock and roll and discos! I guess the mini car was the start of mobility for many. My Dad bought a Ford popular, followed by a new Standard 8-the same engine as in the 3 cylinder Massey Fergusson tractor, one of which I have-full circle for me! |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 20 8:55 am Post subject: |
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Not quite sure if it was quite as many as 50 Dpack, as there were a number of singles. We had one man who said he wouldn't have come except for his child and the animals, so he is definitely not one who 'expects'. We do get the odd one or two, but the vast majority do only come to us if they are in dire straits, including some of our 'regulars'. We, like most food banks, will only give them parcels for 3 weeks running unless we are asked to do otherwise by a social worker or other responsible person referring them, so they don't get dependant on us. Of course with the roll out of Universal Credit, people are having to wait at least 5 weeks for money, and if they had no savings, anything they did have will have gone on rent, electricity and paying for a phone or other way to contact the Job Centre or DWP or they can't get anything.
Gregotyn, I am comfortably off too, but it was through work like you, although I didn't start until I left school at 18. I think the inequalities started in the 1980s with Thatchers ideas. Hopefully in the future history will see her and her followers for what they were and are.
Kindling machines are pretty good, but you have to start with lengths of timber, so no good for us. Most of ours is hardwood too, which isn't so good, although it might be a use for our small amount of 'must be useful for something' wood that is too large for stakes and too small for charcoal, if we could find a way to cut and split it efficiently. |
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 45468 Location: yes
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 20 8:13 am Post subject: |
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I know that inequality was far worse in the past, and because I live in the south of England, conditions are better here than in some other parts of the country, but we are definitely going backwards as far as that is concerned.
I was probably in the most privileged generation as I was born after the 1947-9 acts which gave us free education, including higher education, and free healthcare when it was all fairly new. My parents were born before that, and my father didn't get the chance to go to University because his parents couldn't afford for him to go to grammar school in spite of a partial scholarship. He and my grandfather also belonged to a friendly society so that if they or their family became ill, there was support. Our son didn't get free higher education, but because all our family had always been in work, and had done quite well with education, mainly day release and night school, and hard work, we were able to support him through. He also worked in countryside work through his college years on work experience, voluntary, and then part time, so got a good all round education, although he too worked for it.
Many people aren't a lucky; where they live, using opportunities given, not being able to get work, sickness etc. and they are the ones that need the help now. They need help and encouragement and opportunity, not either being left to sink or being penalised for being sick, lacking the right sort of intelligence, and being told it is all their fault. The gap between rich and poor has been widening, and Thatchers 'there is no such thing as community' and her other measures was certainly a major turning point in things. |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 20 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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In many ways Thatcher was there saying that we should all be working-but she was not giving things away to help the "people", she was only giving away to get the already haves more, so they would employ more of the "have nots"- people on a poor wage. However "right" I am, it is no where near Mrs T. I have worked one way or another since I left college. I managed to get a job up here for 20 years, (minus one week which cost a whole years worth of redundancy), and that put me on my feet as the shop I had in a lovely little village would not keep me. I had redundancy from there and was glad I had not used the firewood money as it eeked the dole out well and paid off my mortgage. It took a year to get back into employment which was good as I sorted a lot of my house out at the time, so some good came out of the redundancy. I moved to the small-holding and I have been in my current job for some time and happily so, but it is getting harder, I was a late '47 baby so I am getting on a bit now.
I am still on the sticks at the friend's place with the tractor driven crosscut saw and a "Kindlet" stick chopper, lots of fun. I didn't notice that it was hard work. As the other partner is now lambing, he is glad I can go there as he doesn't want to commit too much time to firewood when there is a ewe lambing. He has a typical old hill farm. The other man who is with him is a lad I knew from his childhood days; he also has ground and 350 ewes to lamb starting soon, so I will be on the kindling machine and netting in a serious way, working with the wife of the farmer in the afternoons. They have 3 orders of 300 nets in the pipeline, and I am hoping I will be there to assist when they need another pair of hands!
You would think other woodland users would know whose is whose in the area MR. Once someone sees a worn area or track they are on it as fast as a rat up a drain! You need more signs around and some maps on posts to show where they must not tread!-best of luck with that. |
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 45468 Location: yes
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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Posted: Wed Mar 04, 20 7:35 am Post subject: |
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Glad you are getting on well with the log nets Gregotyn; a lot easier than by hand, but I hope they are going to pay you in money or log nets for yourself for all your work. If they have orders for 600 and are in the throes of lambing, they will not be able to do without you.
Husband got made redundant when he was 51, and although he got money for it, which we used to set up the business, it affected him rather badly. He had never been out of work since 15, and always with the civil service, so had no experience of looking for another job. Others were in the same position so not a lot for him. Luckily we are just keeping the business going, but we were hoping to retire at some point, and now can't.
I regret to say that I have very little good to say about Thatcher either. She started all this sorry mess. |
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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Posted: Thu Mar 05, 20 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Yes they are selling well, in spite of not being bone dry. I am not so worried about the money I need nets of wood, which is what is happening thank goodness. I have really enjoyed doing the work, not hard, and although I thought I would be tired, I wasn't, so happy about that. My customer has taken to them too. They have the same amount in them as the previous nets of mine, but are random in the much larger net, so look more but are not. They don't need any more for the weekend and as I am away, that is good news! I have a small stock at home "in case" when I get home on Sunday. I don't want money-just nets of wood is all I need.
It appears that my Dewalt saw bearings are not going to free themselves in the solution I have put them in, and worse my man who tried to get some for me says that size is no longer available which I find surprising, never mind for now. I will go to our local Bearing man shop and see if it is possible. If not I will surf the net as they tell me to do but not sure quite what they mean-I'll get some tuition from a librarian!
I am away tomorrow for the weekend at my Bridgnorth friends' home. I don't think there is anything special happening, as they never tell me when their birthday's are; I tend to do them well at Christmas and ignore b'days as they would have to remind me! I am lucky in that I can afford to do what I want and retire anytime. What is annoying is that I can retire, but my rates areĀ£1700 per annum or 8 week's pension!
See you all next week! |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013 Posts: 1733 Location: Tasmania Australia
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Posted: Sun Mar 08, 20 7:49 am Post subject: |
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Mistress Rose wrote: |
Cassandra, your Greens seem to be on the right track. Sadly sometimes they seem to see one side of a picture and don't look at the whole picture, as with many politicians. This can mean that they don't take into consideration the practicalities of working the land in whatever form it takes.
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We have similar issues here with the vegans trying to dictate rural policy. As I have pointed out on numerous occasions farming without animal waste is counterproductive but they buy into the false science of the movement. That's basically why I have rejoined. We need to remind ourselves that if we want representation we need to make an effort to understand the practicalities of farming and soil conservation. My policy suggestion is that we propose linking Regenerative farming to drought recovery funding and incrementally make drought relief dependent on progress toward more sustainable farming measures (not to mention mapping marginal farming district which are mostly Crown Land leases and stopping farming in areas where it causes more problems than is solves.
It's been a busy week for me, what with driving call outs at the last minute which get me home at 7pm, phone calls from my job service provider to announce they have moved to a town which does not have Centrelink (social security) and won't be visiting our district for three months because apparently someone in Perth got us confused with the Oatlands in NSW and decided we were a fire-effected area. As a result I now have to find and print out the relevant form, get it signed, take it to Sorell for their records and then deliver it to Centrelink in a totally different town in the opposite direction. I did as him if he could post the form to me but that was apparently too hard.
On the subject of rain, we had a recent forecast that had one of my tame farmers dancing with glee. As it turned out it only delivered 35mm but that filled my tanks, and as it was a follow-up also moistened the ground a bit deeper than before. Not a drought breaker, but at least they will enjoy some pasture growth before winter.
The Hall had its market today which had its usual dramas, and was followed by the Meeting (which has been rescheduled to the same day to minimise madam's travelling and time constraints). Fortunately the Market Related dramas resulted in her early departure so we were able to greet a new member (who has missed the shouting), and get through considerable business in very short order indeed. The new member brings three years experience with the Red Cross in Cambodia so is a very valuable addition who might be able to set up a multicultural group for all our Asian Brides.
We were also visited by the Chief of Staff of our Local Federal Member who I treated to a tour of the Hall, a presentation of our improved governance, a description of our wish list and who I persuaded to provide a letter of recommendation. In addition the chap who was in charge of lighting at Sydney Opera House who is also married to a friend of mine, popped in and has offered to do our lighting pro-bono (well, we still have to pay for the materials).
We have also paid all our bills, leaving us with a bank balance that will be more than sufficient to address our April accounts with change left over, and that is before we count the Raffle money.
So the ocean liner is slowly but steadily heading in the right direction. And about time too. There has been general agreement to start lobbying our Treasurer to return to her elected duties which has my full support. I will teach her the methods and explain the necessity for record keeping and I am sure her friend (our new member) will encourage her to come on board. |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15578
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Posted: Sun Mar 08, 20 8:10 am Post subject: |
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Even in the UK dry farming methods are being used rather more. I am not sure what the long term results will be, but not really something completely new as I learnt about them in geography at school, and husband in rural science, way back in the 1960s. It certainly makes sense to take very marginal land out of farming unless the stock levels can be reduced to make it viable without being unprofitable. When I told our local Green candidate that the wood used for paper pulp was grown specially for that, and should be counted as a crop, he said sadly 'You do try to do the right thing!' Perhaps more of them need to learn more about real life.
It seems really stupid that your Centrelink can't accept either letters or scanned if necessary e-mails. It must cost a lot to do the travelling to say nothing of the fuel it wastes.
Glad you had some rain. We have just had too much this winter. We have no floods round us, but it is awful trying to go anywhere off road, and even some local roads are flooded with winterbournes. (Also called lavants round here.)
It is a pity that Madam hasn't retired to here regular home, but at least you seem to be working round her and getting other members of the committee to understand their responsibilities before they end up getting prosecuted. Well done with getting the lighting man on board; it will make it a much sought after hall for performances by the sound of it.
We went to a concert on Friday evening and had a great time. Fishermans Friends, who mainly sing shanties. A really good performance and we knew most of the songs in the first half so were able to join in. The claim to have made Sloop John B famous, but that was a bit tongue in cheek. It can sound amazing with the right acoustics and a good lot of singers, and their version was pretty good. |
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