Edna Philp
Bassets Column
Edna Philps
As I write this it has been one of the wettest days in Essex for a long while. A month ago it was completely hard and dry and our Opening Meet saw conditions under foot which I have never seen, or want to see again: resulting in many seriously lame hounds.
The Essex clay had set like sharp concrete after ploughing and ripped into pads like a shredder. Our poor Bassets were very sorry for themselves and their Huntsman felt very aggrieved for having done it to them too. Thankfully now the land has softened - in fact we are almost afloat after today’s rain - and we had a shoot which, considering the day, went very well, and the guns and keeper were all very pleased.
Scent is very spasmodic just now. It is too warm for one thing and with all the late drilling there is so little crop cover to hold scent, but it can only improve and the young entry are all working very hard in the pack.
This year’s weather has really taken its toll on farming, but we are lucky here in this region that we did complete our harvest - unlike the extreme West and North where crops may have been written off.
I have a friend who works for the Farm Crisis Network and their workload and requests for help has quadrupled this year. They help by mainly providing small sums of cash for livestock feed, or helping pay utility bills for farmers who are cash-strapped through no fault of their own. They also lend a friendly and sympathetic ear for what is a lonely and stressful occupation for many.
This time last year we were all very buoyant with better prices for our commodities, but now the situation is back to square one and the variable costs have rocketed through the roof. The icing very soon slipped off the cake.
Last month I ventured North to an annual event I have come to enjoy greatly: the Alston Hare week organised by the Weardale & Tees Valley Beagles. Several different packs are invited to attend and it is good to see how well they cope in different terrain to what they are used to. With two meets a day plus evening entertainment to enjoy it is quite an arduous few days but the breathtaking scenery is well worth the effort, and we were treated to some quite decent weather this year. With over 100 people following, think how this also boosts their local economy; the B & B's are bursting at the seams as are the hotels in Alston, and the local hostelries and shops all benefit through it.
We are still enjoying the vast consignment of Cumberland sausage I purchased to bring home and the black pudding enjoyed at the pre-shoot breakfast this morning. These days are a welcome break for me from my regular farmer’s wife duties, and meeting up with old friends every year is something I look forward to. I cook and freeze meals for my un-domesticated farmer who can drive the microwave satisfactorily, and our three sons do their bit in ensuring father doesn't starve. So I go with a semi-clear conscience and remind ‘his nibs’ I am not there for a few days to "Gopher". I am sure he wonders how it is that I go away for a few days and come home completely shattered from a rest!
This year I took Julia our meet card sec. Julia is attracted to water and fell into a bog with both feet almost up to her thighs. It was very wet in Cumbria this year and you feel for the people who live and work in the district: they must be so tough. It’s fine to spend a few days there but I would find it tough to survive all year I think. I did see our little springer who went to his new home in July; he looks well and his owner is very pleased with his progress.
Another of the same litter went to Kent and has recently been stolen along with several other gun dogs in the area. A mean and despicable act if ever there was one: to me, it would be like stealing one of the kids and I would probably commit murder if I caught anyone trying to steal ours. The owners as you can imagine were very distraught, and feel almost helpless at so little that can be done to get their puppy back, even Micro chipping does not prevent dog-napping.
This Friday sees our annual dinner at a nearby converted barn which is a great venue. We have over 90 for the supper, and Robin Page as our after-dinner speaker. I well remember his speeches at the pro-hunting rallies and his common sense approach to life and countryside matters all too often sadly lacking by the politicians who ought to know better. It should be a great evening and I am really looking forward to it.
Edna Philp