Jeremy Clarkson gives concerning update on future of his farm after 'worst year ever'

Irish Independent

6 days ago

The former Top Gear host (65) admitted it looked like it will be the 'worst year ever' for his 1,000-acre Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire.
Clarkson said they have been struggling with a 'shocking' harvest due to the heatwaves and drought sweeping across the UK.
"I mean, if there are any farmers here, they'd tell you the same thing,' he said at the Hawkestone VIP Summer Party at his pub, The Farmer's Dog, per GB News.
"Last year, it was the second worst recorded ever, and we think this year is going to be even worse because it just hasn't rained.'
The Clarkson's Farm star added that his farm manager, Kaleb Cooper, couldn't be at event - despite being billed to meet guests and host a cider tasting session - because it had rained for the first time in four months.
"We began the harvest over at Diddly Squat this very morning, and set off about 8:30am, Kaleb for the first time ever with his new combine doing the combining,' Clarkson said.
"8:45am, his combine broke down. Got the combine mended and then - and this is true - for the first time in four months, it rained.
"So that soaked all the oats that we were supposed to be harvesting.'
The motoring journalist went on: "So I've rushed over here and he sends his apologies.
'He's sitting waiting for the moisture levels to drop so that he can get cracking because we know that we're on for a shocking harvest this year."
In June, it was revealed farmers could be facing another terrible harvest after the hottest spring on record and the driest conditions in decades.
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) think tank warned climate change is already having a 'devastating' impact on farmers, food security and shopping bills, and the recent extremes will have a negative impact on the harvest.
Elsewhere at his summer party, Clarkson showed guests the banned advert for his Hawkestone beer.
The Grand Tour star filmed his first commercial to flog the beer, hiring a 34-strong choir of British farmers to sing the opera classic, Flower Duet.
'It's difficult to put into the spoken word how hard it is to make Hawkstone lager, so instead I've put it into a song for some farmers to sing,' Clarkson says at the beginning of the ad.
But instead of singing the original French lyrics by Léo Delibes, the farmers sing: 'F**k me, it's good.'
Speaking to The Sun, Clarkson blasted 'the fun police in their beige offices' for the advert not being compliant with broadcasting regulations.
He launched his Hawkstone beer and cider brand in 2021, offering a range of premium British beers and ciders.