Latest news with #dairyfarm
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Defiant French farmer who sprayed travellers with manure fears ‘reprisals' as he speaks out after slurry stunt
A FRENCH farmer who sprayed manure at a group of travellers camped on his land now says he fears "reprisals". Shocking footage shows farmers using tractors to douse dozens of white caravans with liquid fertilizer on a field in the Vosges region of north-east France. 4 4 4 Pierre Richard, 37, set about spraying liquid manure on a group who had set up camp without permission on his family farm near the village of Le Syndicat. The field, passed down through five generations, is used to grow hay for Pierre's 50 dairy cows. He claims police told him there was nothing they could do about the situation, forcing him to take matters in his own hands. As the tractors approached, people inside the caravans were seen running away. The group was reportedly en route to Grostenquin - about 90 minutes from the Luxembourg-France border - for an annual evangelical festival. The furious farmer told the Mail Online: "I'd simply had enough. They want us to simply shut our mouths and let them squat on our land. But this year I refused." He claimed that the 250 caravans ignored a designated traveller site nearby. Pierre said: "They preferred to stay here on my land. It's a beautiful place, in the mountains, next to a river, and with fresh green grass. "They arrived at about 8pm on a Sunday night. When I heard they were there I went down there, but it was too late. "They had broken through the barriers and set up camp, hundreds of them. Farmer who found lost German backpacker in Outback reveals moment she found the tourist who 'slept in a cave to survive' "The following day I went to the police, but they said there was nothing they could do. "So, on the Tuesday we went out with the tractors and sprayed the rest of the prairie with slurry to make sure no more of them would come. "As you can see from the footage, we stayed a minimum of 10 metres from the caravans." Pierre said he now feared "reprisals" from the people living in the encampment. The religious event, organised by the evangelical group Vie et Lumière ('Life and Light'), is scheduled for August 24 and 31, at the Grostenquin airbase. Around 5,000 caravans and between 15,000 to 20,000 people are expected to attend, according to regional news outlet The return of the event has reportedly sparked controversy, with some local officials calling it "unacceptable" and farmers claiming it affects their work during the busy late-summer season. However, rights groups argue that this reflects long-standing discrimination against the travelling community in France. It comes as another French farmer, Loic Madre, shared a video online showing a similar protest. He claimed that he sprayed the encampment of travellers with manure on his farm as police did not act. In the one-minute clip, up to six tractors can be seen spraying slurry - a mix of manure and water - across the field. Last year, Brit farmer Jack Bellamy used the same method after discovering a camper van parked on his land. 4
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Labour of love for three generations of Cornish farming family
It takes up to 100 hours a week to run the Jones family dairy farm on the Devon and Cornwall border. BBC Spotlight's Victoria Graham spent time with them to find out what keeps them going. Jayne Jones never imagined farming was going to be such a huge part of her life when she met her husband on their farm near Launceston, on the Devon and Cornwall border, is a far cry from when she worked for women's tailoring brand Jaeger on Union Street in Plymouth."You can't help who you fall in love with," she now works alongside Andrew on the farm with their two sons, Harvey and Oscar, as well as Andrew's father, Roger."It's in our blood," says Andrew as he heads out to do the milking. The Jones' are not only a family, they come across as a tight-knit and her sons talk me through a typical day and, the truth is, there is no typical example, they rarely eat together, they eat when their job is done."They all need feeding," she says, referring to the "boys" in her family."They come in for breakfast, whenever that may be."Oscar chips in: "There will always be a plate waiting in the oven for tea, and when one plate goes out another one goes in." Then there are "the girls" - in other words - their cows. The livestock comes first - the cows cannot wait, they have their the herd at the heart of it, monitored 24/7 on CCTV around the farm, the family is always on there is the weather, if that is not on side they still have to get the job done, particularly at harvest time. "If that means getting your head down at 3am and then rising again at 6am, so be it," son Harvey says."Sometimes you'll just work through the night. You have to stay on top of things."Harvey, the elder of the brothers, returned to his roots after university to work on the family farm."You can't just clock off at six, it just doesn't work like that, you can't just call it a day," he says."The more you do, the more responsibility you take on, the more enjoyable it gets." As well as the manual labour, the feeding, milking, harvesting and maintenance, a lot goes on behind the scenes - something Harvey's younger brother Oscar is heavily involved includes farm assurance, welfare standards, a passport for every cow to track movement and health records."This is what sets British produce ahead of other countries," says Oscar. "There may be a lot of paperwork, but we pride ourselves on adhering to the incredibly high standards that are set."It's not a chore, it's a necessity." What is the secret to working together as well as living together?Jayne and her sons agree some time apart is healthy."It's nice to have space to be honest – when you're working together all the time you just need to get away," she have smiles on their faces."There is tension, we work together, live together," Jayne says."We have to compromise on things and just adapt and make things run well for the sake of the farm." There is no-one on the farm who knows the value of hard work more than Harvey and Oscar's grandad, 80, he still works on the farm six days a week and has a work ethic the boys have huge respect for."You can't keep him away," says Harvey. "He works from before seven in the morning until after seven in the evening and is still a very important part of keeping the farm going." Oscar says: "It's an honour for three generations to work alongside each other, not many people get that opportunity."It is not the life Jayne ever imagined herself to be a part of, but the pride she has in the family is clear to a love story, to a labour of love. It is the love that keeps this farm ticking.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cow Cuddling Business Brings Comfort and Healing
Growing up on dairy farms, Amanda Klein and Lisa Buccieri discovered just how calming being around cows could be. So they began offering cuddling sessions with the animals to bring joy to others. Here, they share their story. After yet another stressful day carrying an endless workload at her corporate job, 43-year-old Lisa Buccieri let out a sigh of frustration. 'There has to be something better out there for me,' she blurted out loud in exasperation. Suddenly, memories of her past growing up on a dairy farm filled her mind. She had always gone to her cows when life got her down. Just a simple hug, their sweet grassy smell, the calm in their loving brown eyes as she just sat with them in the quiet, was all it took to give her just the therapy she needed. What if there was a way to start a cow cuddling business where others could feel that same comfort, too? she asked herself. For the last few years, she had been pitching in part-time at Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery in Easton, Pennsylvania, with Amanda Klein, a friend she had met through 4-H when they were younger. The two often shared stories of growing up on dairy farms and their passion for the animals. Excited, Lisa couldn't shake her wacky idea and ran it by Amanda, who was immediately on board. It was something the two loved to talk about, thinking someday it could be worth a try. Then, out of the blue, Lisa was laid off due to a site closure. This is fate taking the wheel and steering me in a very different direction, Lisa realized. 'The time is now,' she told Amanda, finally sure of what to do. 'Let's get this cow cuddling venture off the ground!' Following a new calling By June 2024, Lisa and Amanda had launched La Farm Girls, and cow cuddling sessions were open to the public. After getting permission from Klein Farm's owners and working out the legalities, they revamped a portion of the hay shed, giving it a rustic, homey feel to make it inviting for cuddling sessions. They decided to offer 15-minute, 30-minute and 45-minute sessions on weekends for $15 to $25 per person, with the money going toward caring for the cows and keeping the farm running. Once Lisa and Amanda got the word out on social media and posted a booking link on their website, not only did they attract an array of new clients, but the media caught on and covered the story, bringing in even more business. Before they knew it, they were fully booked for the summer months. Cow cuddling offers hugs and happiness As each session took place, the outcome was even better than Amanda or Lisa could have imagined. People traveled from hours away just to experience one-on-one time with the cows, often leaving in tears and feeling profoundly changed by the miraculously soothing experience. One man, who came to the farm with his family from Reading, Pennsylvania, grew emotional. He had grown up on a dairy farm, but after the livestock was sold, he never thought he'd have the chance to lie down with a big cow like he did when he was a boy. 'I never thought I would have this opportunity to feel this comfort again,' he said, choking up. Another woman and her boyfriend brought her grandparents to cuddle a cow. Her grandmother's health had been deteriorating, but because of her love of cows, she booked a session as a special gift. The grandmother made her way into the cuddling pen, sat down on a bale of hay and joyfully cradled the cow's head in her lap with a big smile on her face—bringing tears of joy to everyone's eyes. Yet another young woman booked a session and broke down crying after the heartwarming experience. She had been going through a difficult divorce and found solace and healing by petting and hugging the calves—something she couldn't do anywhere else. Making a dream come true To date, La Farm Girls has held more than 300 cuddling sessions and plans to keep going strong, with hopes of hosting events for birthday parties, weddings and other big celebrations. They also dream of offering educational classes on the farm, as well as visiting schools to teach students about the dairy and agricultural industries. Most of all, Lisa and Amanda plan to continue giving everyone a chance to find solace and happiness by cuddling calves and cows—a sense of peace they've always been grateful for. 'Cuddling cows can literally take all of your stress away and help keep your focus on positive things,' says Amanda. Lisa nods with a bright smile. 'Many people looked at us like we were crazy when we had this idea,' she says. 'It just goes to show, don't give up on what you're passionate about. It can be life-changing!' For more inspiring stories about animals, keep reading… This Special Needs Pup Couldn't Walk—Now He's Spreading Joy to Thousands With Every Wobble A Little Boy's Big Heart: His Lemonade Stand Has Raised $35K to Help Shelter Pets in Need A Daughter's Grief Became a Gift: Her Nonprofit Helps Pets Stay With Ailing Owners Solve the daily Crossword
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Dorset: Life as a farmer's wife in Martinstown
Being a mum, rearing calves and running a diversification are some of the many jobs one female farmer does to help her dairy farm stay Marsh, from Eweleaze Dairy in Dorset, has been speaking to the BBC about life as a farmers for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs data shows that the number of female farm holders is at around 15%, but trending 32-year-old married into a dairy farming family in 2018 after leaving a graduate job in finance. Being called a 'farmers wife' is not something that bothers Chloe; "It has all manner of meanings and everyone is different but I think they are a master of all trades" she said."They can do everything from looking after the sheep to the cows, cooking meals, delivering meals out to the staff."Many may have a job off the farm to try and sustain the farm or they run a diversification like me." In 2020, Chloe started a milk vending machine in the Dorset village of shed, that sits at the bottom of the entrance to Eweleaze Dairy, also has an ice cream and local produce vending dairy used is from the cows that live on the farm that Chloe and her husband, Thomas, are running with his family."It is very much a family thing and I needed to slot into Thomas's family so I am working really closely with his parents who are my in-laws."Which I have been ok with, I get on with my mother-in-law really, really well but I know others do struggle because working with families is really tricky." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
RNZ News
01-08-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Raw milk faithful keeps dairy farmers on the hop
Faith Farm sells unpasteurised milk from an automated outlet south of Ōtaki Photo: RNZ/Sally Round Heading along the Kāpiti Coast's old state highway, you might spy a black and white cow on top of a shiny red shed. Not a real cow, mind you. It's a sign to pull off and pick up some milk, fresh from the cows grazing just over the fence. The customers come and go from Faith Farm Fresh, filling bottles and loading chilly bins at the fancy automated machines. Keeping the milk flowing here is all in a day's work for dairy farmer Stacey Faith, who, with her husband Andrew and farm workers, milks 360 cows at their farm between Ōtaki and Waikanae. Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts. "You know, it's all about being local and fresh," one of the Faiths' regulars said, topping up a glass bottle with milk from the dispenser. She was used to unpasteurised milk as a child - brought home in a bucket straight from the udder. Most of the Faith's milk goes to Fonterra, but 20 of the Friesians form the "raw herd", producing only A2 milk, and milked separately to supply the roadside shop with unpasteurised milk - also known as raw milk. Stacey Faith Photo: RNZ/Sally Round "We had no clue when we opened well over five, nearly five-and-a-half years ago now. I mean, we sat down with the bank, and they said, 'Oh, well, how much would you like to sell a day?' and we thought 100 litres would be good. And we average now 300 litres a day," Stacey Faith said. In New Zealand, the milk bought in shops must be pasteurised. Consumers are also allowed to buy raw milk, but producers must be registered, meet hygiene requirements, test milk for pathogens, keep records of sales and make sure consumers are aware of the risks of consuming raw milk. Faith said many of her customers have told her that raw milk helps them with ailments. "A lot of our customers come here because they're diabetic, they have psoriasis, they have skin conditions. I'm a dairy farmer. I'm not a doctor. A customer collects a week's worth of milk from Faith Farm Fresh Photo: RNZ/Sally Round "This is what our customers tell us, it's better for their health." The demand has surprised them. On the odd occasion, she said they've even had to close their doors, "because we had no milk until we milked the cows. And then it was just catch up that whole week, trying to get them back to milking three, four o'clock that afternoon." The big 18-wheeler trucks used to stop before the new highway opened, Faith said. They would take bottles of the milk to Auckland, but that's stopped now that the little red shed is on a side road. "We're allowed 30 hours to sell the milk, but we sell out sometimes before 24 hours." With the special hygiene and testing regime required for raw milk, it's all a lot of extra work for the busy dairy farmers. There is a strict cleaning regime for the raw milk herd Photo: RNZ/Sally Round One of them must always be available between 6am and 10pm every day of the year in case there's a coin jam or one of the pumps stops working. "So, you get a phone call, 'I've only got half a bottle of milk', you've got to come down and sort it out'." The cows must be specially cleaned at milking time too, taking at least twice as long as the main herd, which supplies Fonterra. The milk from the main herd will be pasteurised - heated to a high temperature to kill bacteria - once it reaches the processing plant. "As a place that sells raw milk, that's the only thing we don't have control of … people coming in and filling a dirty bottle. We do everything in our power to make it as clean as we can." The need to keep the milk taps flowing year-round means calving is an extended season for the Faiths. Stacey rears some 300-plus calves during the season Photo: RNZ/Sally Round On top of tending to the shed, testing and working as a swim coach, Faith will rear 300-plus calves this season, with the help of some automated feeding machines. Apart from the Friesians reared as replacements for the two herds, her meatier Hereford cross calves are sold to be grown on by lifestyle block owners nearby. While she takes it all in her stride, all the extra work the little red shed involves prompts the question - what's the point? "I just love the idea that we're getting rid of plastic because we've got glass bottles … how it used to be back in the day. The calves' feed is mixed and piped automatically to feeding stalls Photo: RNZ/Sally Round "It's great to see so many people bringing the bottles back to refill." She also likes supporting local suppliers and enterprises like the local MenzShed, where the bottle crates are made. "It's all got to be good for the planet and sustainability, supporting all the local people." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
