Reconstructing the rural: contemporary approaches to the British countryside

Reconstructing the rural: contemporary approaches to the British countryside

Charles Rawding: Edge Hill University

Arable eastern England.

Horticulture in The Fens, Lincolnshire

Upland farming, Swaledale, Yorkshire

Recent additions to the farming landscape

‘Town and country have always been interlinked and during the twentieth century, the city and its countryside became virtually inseparable, during the twenty-first century we can even start to imagine that continued urbanisation will force us to redefine the distinction altogether.’

(Short: 2006:161).

Reconstructing the rural:

‘The credit for preserving what is left (of the countryside) must go to those who work on the land and take part in the activities which sustain it … although beleaguered by legislation, urbanization, pollution and prejudice, the country people of Britain are not doing a bad job.’

(The Countryside Alliance).

Differing perspectives

The new rural : a middle class playground ?

The new rural: a location for business ?

•The houseThe house•The gardenThe garden•Food and drinkFood and drink•AttractionsAttractions•EventsEvents•AdmissionAdmission•LocationLocation•Property to letProperty to let

•The houseThe house•The gardenThe garden•Food and drinkFood and drink•AttractionsAttractions•EventsEvents•AdmissionAdmission•LocationLocation•Property to letProperty to let

The new rural : an urban playground ?

The new rural : a shopping arcade ?

The new rural : the Ribble Valley, Lancashire

0 2km

The relocalisation of developed world agriculture.

A taste of Lancashire ?You don't have to go far to enjoy real Taste @ Clitheroe and in the heart of this attractive little town there is a great new delicatessen stocking personally sourced local, organic and Fair Trade produce. All your conscience free shopping is here in one basket at Taste @ Clitheroe!

Local dairy produce and outdoor reared meats are displayed here alongside organically grown fruits from the Yorkshire Dales . Taste @ Clitheroe's interest though extends far beyond the immediate region and there is a distinct Mediterranean flavour in the form of olives, avocados, hummus, fruits and around 70 glorious wines from around the globe; all organically produced of course and just waiting to tempt you.

At Taste @ Clitheroe they invite you to pick up your regular order of seasonal organically produced fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses, not forgetting that tipple of wine! Their small cafe and courtyard provides the perfect setting to meet up with friends and enjoy freshly made sandwiches, a selection of olives, a salmon and avocado salad perhaps and local cheeses. Bread and cakes are delicious, home made and here in abundance!Enthusiastic supporters of the Fair Trade Policy resulting in a continuity of supply from around the world, Taste @ Clitheroe extends this ethic to its own packaging, and containers which are recyclable and combustible.

Source: http://www.tasteatclitheroe.co.uk/

Clough Bottom Triumphs at Lancashire's Green Awards

In the North West of England there is a small group of farmers who work hard together to bring Bowland Fresh milk to supermarket shelves every day. Bowland takes its name from ‘Bous Land’ which means the land of cattle and for over 1,400 years the green lush meadows have been home to the finest dairy herds. This Area of Outstanding [Natural] Beauty enjoys abundant rainfall creating ideal grazing conditions for the Bowland herds to produce milk for Bowland Fresh.

‘In 2001, a small group of farmers from the Forest of Bowland formed their own company to develop their own brand of milk, providing local milk from their farms to the customer. Too often, milk is collected from many miles away before processing – even being imported from the continent – adding to the ‘Food Miles’ travelled and making it hard to trace where it comes from. The farmers felt that consumers today want to know where their milk is produced and would like to feel that it hasn’t contributed to climate change by travelling many miles from the dairy to their tables. Bowland Fresh Milk is collected from specially selected farms every day in its own tanker for bottling at a dedicated local centre. Because the farmers control the pasteurising and bottling part of the supply chain as well as who they sell it to, they receive a better price for their milk at the farm gate. This is crucial at a time when rock-bottom prices are driving many dairy farmers out of business. The development of Bowland Fresh has secured the future of many family farms in the area, as well as helped to protect the beautiful Bowland landscape for future generations to enjoy’ (www.bowlandfresh.co.uk) .

‘In 2001, a small group of farmers from the Forest of Bowland formed their own company to develop their own brand of milk, providing local milk from their farms to the customer. Too often, milk is collected from many miles away before processing – even being imported from the continent – adding to the ‘Food Miles’ travelled and making it hard to trace where it comes from. The farmers felt that consumers today want to know where their milk is produced and would like to feel that it hasn’t contributed to climate change by travelling many miles from the dairy to their tables. Bowland Fresh Milk is collected from specially selected farms every day in its own tanker for bottling at a dedicated local centre. Because the farmers control the pasteurising and bottling part of the supply chain as well as who they sell it to, they receive a better price for their milk at the farm gate. This is crucial at a time when rock-bottom prices are driving many dairy farmers out of business. The development of Bowland Fresh has secured the future of many family farms in the area, as well as helped to protect the beautiful Bowland landscape for future generations to enjoy’ (www.bowlandfresh.co.uk) .