FARMING OF THE FUTURE
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| Does the Garden of England have a future? |
The South East is often referred to as the Garden of England, but with agriculture facing crisis point and the industry in decline, is England's garden going to seed?
Kent and East Sussex are blessed with some of the most fertile and productive fields and orchards in Britain.
Sixty years ago, before the days of mass production and pesticides, the fields of Kent and East Sussex employed 42,000 people.
During the war, South East farmers fed the nation, producing wagon loads of apples, pears, gallons of beer and tons of cereal crops.
But the golden age of farming could not last forever.
Farming in crisis
| FARMING FACTS |
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more people are employed in agriculture in Kent than in any other county in Britain
Kent grows 20 million pounds worth of strawberries every year
there are only two livestock markets surviving in Kent, one at Ashford and one at Maidstone
wild boar, llamas, ostriches and buffalo are some of the new livestock being reared in the South East
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The industry's steady decline of spiralling costs and falling profits has escalated in recent years as one farmer explains;
"Our family has worked this land for generations, through two world wars, but the last seven years have been the toughest," says John Oakeley.
"There's basically no profit to be had anymore."
BSE and Foot and Mouth have delivered a crushing blow to the industry and in the current climate, it is not surprising that many are leaving the land.
After two centuries of farming in the family, Robert Corfe has been forced to sell up, though it is not without regret.
"I miss the land but I would have lost my house if I had carried on," explains Robert.
"If I could earn a decent living I'd return to farming tomorrow."
Farmers of the future
The outlook for farming is not all doom and gloom as many schools across the region are proving.
Angley School in Cranbrook is one of a new breed of state schools offering practical farming skills alongside the traditional curriculum.
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| Sam may be a 'townie' but she is a talented farmer |
The farm is run as a money making venture and the vegetables and meat produced is used in the school's kitchen or sold to the local community.
Eleven year old self confessed 'townie' Sam Woods is one pupil who has shown a natural talent and passion for farming.
Sam may be an animal enthusiast but like all good farmers, she is prepared for the fate that awaits her beloved cows and pigs.
"The first thing we learn is that's what the animals are for," Sam says.
"We have a saying, make sure they have a quality of life while they're alive, but never forget what they are for."
With new technology, farmers of the future are as much at home with a spreadsheet as in their wellies.
"Kent is in a unique position. We have more schools than other county and we are producing some of the best young farmers I have ever seen," says Gill Collins of the National Farmers' Union.
Diversify
The outlook seems positive for farmers of the future, but what about farmers of today?
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| Farms of the future may include adventure play areas and even ice cream factories |
To survive in farming, many have been thinking above and beyond the profits made by food stuffs alone.
Recent years have seen farms expand into tourist destinations, gift shops, and even ice cream factories.
Lees-Court farm in Faversham has turned its attention to the beauty industry.
The crops grown on this farm become shampoo, soap and luxury body lotion. This exclusive range of grooming products sells alongside some of the most well known brands.
The future's bright
Whilst the future of British farming remains uncertain, what is clear is the abundance of enthusiasm and willingness to expand and diversify.
The farmers of the future may be stepping into the unknown, but with skill and initiative, the Garden of England should stay blooming for generations to come. | 
