The good life.......

[organic]

But who would offer to present it, when they get ripped to shreds for it?

The simple answer would be "no presenter needed".

Jimmy's Farm.
Various Jamie Oliver things.
River Cottage.
Grow Your Own Drugs
etc.

All vaguely related programs narrated by the "star" and without any kind of presenter.

You'd just need the right people doing the thing and the right people behind the cameras.

I'm not really one for TV, but I would take the time to watch a show about a smallholding if it was done in a half-decent way.

[milkmaid]

i didn't really like the monty don programe,most smallholders didn't think it was very relistic
we have goats ,make cheese ,and have milk for the house raise a few sheep fleece and our own meat ,keep chickens ,geese, ducks and turkeys ,
we have a croft so cut our own peats ect and helped my autie with a smallholding in kent ,
we have a programe called beachgrove whitch is good and informative and we always tune into that

[Pumpkin Becki]

I think 'The Big Dig' was a brilliant format. Simon Mayo just did little linky bits and voiceovers, but the 'stars' were the real people, really doing it for real and not just for telly.

[HeyWayne]

Funny you should mention this Snadge, I was having a similar 'thoughtful moment' last night whilst reading a couple of books (The New Urban Farmer and The Practical Gardening Handbook).

The Urban Farmer book is very much to my tastes, and I could quite happily read it cover to cover. However, with the Practical Gardening Handbook (with Toby Buckland), I found myself skipping certain parts and only skim-reading others.

TV programmes have a similar challenge I guess, but they don't have the benefit of being able to offer 'other chapters/pages' at the readers discretion.

In terms of a Scottish Crofter - did you ever see Monty's Great Adventure (not the Don, some other Monty - ex forces I think). Brilliant programme.

[OverWyreGrower]

The BBC are looking for people for a smallholding experiment programme. Can't remember where I read that, but it sounded like an interesting premise for a programme.

I've looked into applying for this actually - on the first glance, it looks like a great deal, however, on looking more carefully into it, the whole thing is almost too much.

You have to relocate (your entire family??) onto one of the trial smallholdings and can only have limited contact with the rest of your friends/family. Looks like most of the SH's on offer are one thing only (e.g. apples, poultry, pigs etc), rather than a bit of everything, like most SH's are.

Plus, if you do win it, you have to agree to move onto and work a smallholding for a year, but you won't be told where it is until/if you win.

Not sure about most people, but for me what did it was the financial insecurity of it all. The majority of people (like myself) who harbour a dream of running a smallholding actually have jobs in the non-agricultural industry, making the whole idea of bogging off for 6/8 weeks in the summer, then possibly a full year, absolutely impossible.

Oh, plus the fact that the programme is filmed in the summer - just as everyones gardens/allotments etc are bearing fruit - rubbish timing!

[Pumpkin Becki]

I still think 'they' should make a series about us - it'd be brilliant!!

[bobleponge]

A sort of X Factor smallholding?
Reality tv gone bonkers surely?

[HeyWayne]

X-Farmer!

Genius.

[Alison]

There was the progamme with Dick Strawbridge and family called Its Not Easy Being Green where Dick and his family grew their own veg and converted a stream to provide electricity. I did enjoy the show.

I met Dick Strawbridge's wife, Brigette, last summer at Glastonbury and she was a lovely woman. Really friendly and bubbly.

pjh75 james martin digs deep is on good food channel monday at two oclock followed by grow your own veg with carol klein a new series i think

The James Martin thing is OK for the cooking bits but terrible from a gardening point of view. Seem to remember there was several bits of incorrect information and lots of bad practice which wasn't really justified / explained as a mistake

[OverWyreGrower]

Just looked out the ToR for the smallholding programme (BTW I still have the application forms if anyone is interested!)

Short listed applicants will be required to attend an interview at a location to be confirmed. Any expenses incurred for this process will NOT be covered by Splash Media or BBC.

Eventually 10 couples will be selected to take part as contributors in the programme and they will have to spend up to 6 weeks away from home living in a caravan during Summer 2010. During this period you will have limited contact with family and friends.

One couple will be declared the winning couple and they will be offered their own smallholding to run for one year and nearby accommodation. The location of this smallholding will be non negotiable. Accordingly, please do not apply if either of you are not prepared or not able to enter into such a contract and relocate if necessary.

[HeyWayne]

Hmmm, spending the scorching hot summer we're forecast to have, in a caravan.

Yummay!

[pjh75]

pjh75 james martin digs deep is on good food channel monday at two oclock followed by grow your own veg with carol klein a new series i think

Ooh, thanks for that... missed the 2pm but have just set sky+ to record the repeat.

[elsie-scot]

In terms of a Scottish Crofter - did you ever see Monty's Great Adventure (not the Don, some other Monty - ex forces I think). Brilliant programme.

When I was reading this thread I was trying to remember the name of that programme. Didn't like it, he was supposed to be trying to be self sufficent - ha, he wouldn't have lasted a week, and the way he went mackeral fishing - what a joke, he spent more on diesel than he would have done to buy some. There was an article from the locals and it told you the real story i.e. how he spent all the time in the pub, ate there, slept there. Wouldn't have objective so much to the programme if he had kept going on about how he was living in the middle of nowhere and being self sufficent. As always the dog outshone the presenter.

But I would like to see a proper crofting/good life style show

[binley100]

pjh75 james martin digs deep is on good food channel monday at two oclock followed by grow your own veg with carol klein a new series i think

Can't get good food channel
but this week at ten o'clock on yesterday channel they're showing the wartime kitchen garden.

[Florence Fennel]

The BBC are looking for people for a smallholding experiment programme. Can't remember where I read that, but it sounded like an interesting premise for a programme.

This is what I mentioned last week Sarz. I replied to the thread that was posted and then wham bam away it went, so maybe you were the one that removed it as being inappropriate. I couldn't have applied anyway, I'm a singleton gardener, the OH is a TV sport surfer.