A hardy breed

It is at times like this that the resilience of Yorkshire’s farmers is taken for granted. While it now only takes a few snowflakes to close schools and disrupt council services, this hardy breed are going to extraordinary lengths in all weathers to sustain their livelihoods – and the wider food industry.

This is illustrated by the Micro Lamb Twitter feed that Gareth, 22, has composed in tribute to one of his new arrivals which also explains the climatic challenges being faced by the farming fraternity. It begins: “I’m Micro Lamb, I was born on 24/03/2013 and weighed only 1.004kg. It was too cold to live outside so now I live in the house.”

A piece of fun, perhaps, but it also brings into sharp focus the way in which those in the agricultural industry are having to adapt to the challenges before them. Our thoughts are with all farmers in these tough times. If only other sectors of society had as much backbone.