A rear guard action in defense of the rural heartland...

 The harvest machines have just asset stripped the adjacent field. Read the article here Feb 22 2009, "New season old issue". 20% more maze this year than last.we are told. Topsoil fines continue to spill into ditches and watercourses. toxic unsafe practice against the long term  of both the terrestrial hinterland, the ecology or sensitivity to the health and economy of fellow residents. Agribusiness interests seem to have obliterated any sensitivity to common rights.The aggressive over exploitation of out dated subsidy rules has led to a rush to" get it while we can". Whether by accident or design they eagerly dip their bread in the soup of corruption. Barely legal, doesn't make something morally right. Folk often form defensive attitudes in apology for not venturing beyond the historic habits of convenience. "Leave that the master isn't looking. Do this, there's a few bob in it for you. Nod,nod,Wink, wink. Say no more. Nods as good as a wink to a blind horse.Say nothing youth, dip your bread, we do. "
So the moral laxity is congenitally ingrained in the next generation at the home table or sitting next to dad in his tractor cab.
We have taken many photograph's yet to be collated, with maps and analysis of the demographic distribution of grant subsidies.An audit of minimum standard, exposing both worst and best or better practice. Duty of care of the common heritage  is an obligation that overrides financial considerations. The  legacy to the future may become a debt ridden desert.
We had a water crisis this year. the meadow grass was ploughed too late in the season, after the major rain  and frost had ended. the water level in the ridge dropped drastically, our garden panicked. The humidity was being sucked from below as the water evaporated and transpired in the growing maze field. It has been expensive on tap water this year in spite of heavy mulching. The  maze field has now been stripped. The bare earth allowed to bake in the sun. We have no choice but to pay our water bills to keep the kitchen garden alive. The potager is the mainstay of our domestic subsistence economy, we can't allow subsidised profiteering   to undermine that. "Corruption", covers a multitude of sins.Posing the question "why has it been allowed to get so bad?" leads one to some discomforting answers.A blind eye has apparently been turned on bad practice on the nod for years, c'est normal. Margins and regulatory codes of practice are being ignored. The Marie appears to silently condone by neglect obvious short comings in the local farming community.In 2009 we were sprayed with weed killer. This year dusted with white powder. the Round up spray killed all the grass in the meadow, to within inches of our garden. The grass died only to be replaced by Fat hen. The grass had acted as a weed suppressant. At one point the farmer claimed he had sown grass seed as a margin , no evidence exists that any such thing happened , he lied. There was maze where he said grass was sown.Seed sown within feet of major oaks, beneath their shading branches in fact,wasted. The farmer who sprayed us with weed killer in 2009 was/is a member of the local council . Representations were made in complaint to the Marie, as yet no reasonable recorded response.  This years assault was committed by a farmer whose wife I am told is also a member of the council. It would be a shame if we have to go to the extreme of an audit of service.Where does the buck stop.the complacent attitude of the mayor "there is nothing I can do or say about  it" suggests that the members of the council and the office of Mayor are failing in their sworn duty to represent the  common interests and rights of all constituent members of the commune,impartially not least is  the Marie's duty to ensure it's members are cognizant of the responsibilities within the privilege of their term of office.
At present we are collecting information from the publicly available records. The implication that the Marie may be indictable  has been voiced by other locals not well pleased,  If all members close ranks it will be evident that all individuals would be rendered, culpable of bringing the good offices of the Marie into disrepute.
 The fact that a farmer had to incorporate lies  to bolster spurious excuses and argument in denial of evident truth, is indicative of fraudulent posturing, i.e. Criminal cover up. At it's most benign, the evident lies may be symptomatic of a congenital illness. Who knows? We don't lie.
 There is much in this region that is worthy of promotion, the good news is upstaged  by the dominant personality of the asset strippers.
Small scale Biologic milk production fed on integrated meadowland. Healthy cows healthy milk and healthy land, no collateral damage. Bread makers who grow their own grain and bake in wood fired ovens.  a local biologic market garden is thriving  without unholy compromise.
 An effort is being made to create a representative association, the individual voice too easily ignored. Many new people have moved to the bourg and it's hinterland. From talking to folk we are confident there would be enough of a groundswell of support of closer environmental monitoring,promoting a more progressive and sensitive long term land management.
Three farms here abouts received 100,000 euros in subsidy this year alone, it will be interesting to see what the greater electorate will get for their money. I'm sure it won't be all bad, we prepare however to be disappointed.Hopes are frequently dashed,in whom may we trust to raise and uphold the higher ethical standard of integrated rural progress?Farmers are subscribing to methods of agriculture that by their neglect, treats La Belle France as a bitch whore.  Barely legal wholly immoral.
If grants are to be paid to subsidise farms , whether rented or owned, they should be conditionally proportionate to the degree of conciergerie. Trees need to be grown and planted, woodland managed, hedges reinstated. Farmers need to learn to contain their own ground water. At present the road gullies are being swamped with the spillage of the fertile mineral fines on the surface. Some over worked farm lands need to retire from commercial exploitation. Small change such as contour ploughing would reduce the rate of surface erosion.Dedicated respect to optimum margins . Topsoil is at present being washed down the river.
May I have it all wrong, looking at the shagged out field next door is all I need to confirm my resistant opposition to the subsidize agribusiness here about.
We are searching with a view to buy a small field in this region in the hope that we may establish economic family gardens and a tree nursery.
 Fruit harvest has been heavy this year. Buckets of cassis and  white currants. The late crop of raspberries was poor as a result of the water shortage. Last years kale has self seeded , We have enough carrots and many kilos of coco beans in store. The onions and shallots are dry, they look good keepers. Tonnes of good stuff, too much to write about. Two patch of leeks seem happy enough. The tool chest is growing,  We move forward slowly, we aren't grant aided. Enough o' this, I will get back to you soon. I.Wazir.