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2. Decisions

After his grandfather's death, James Rebanks's family face a difficult financial decision about the farm. Read by Bryan Dick.

After his grandfather's death, James Rebanks' family face a difficult financial decision about the farm.

James is the first son of a shepherd, who was the first son of a shepherd himself. He and his family have lived and worked in and around the Lake District for generations.

An increasingly marginalised and precarious livelihood - it costs 拢1 to sheer a sheep, yet each fleece is worth only 40p - Rebanks' anger at the way small farmers are treated, and his passion for continuing his ancestors way of life, is palpable.

Through his eyes, we see that the Lake District is not a playground or a scenic backdrop, it's a working landscape that needs sheep and its farmers to survive.

Abridged by Sian Preece.

Read by Bryan Dick.

Producer: Kirsteen Cameron.

First broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 4 in April 2015.

15 minutes

On radio

Tuesday 08:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Reader Bryan Dick
Author James Rebanks
Abridger Sian Preece
Producer Kirsteen Cameron

Broadcasts

  • Tue 14 Apr 2015 09:45
  • Wed 15 Apr 2015 00:30
  • Tue 29 Mar 2016 14:45
  • Wed 30 Mar 2016 02:45
  • Tue 21 Jan 2020 14:45
  • Wed 22 Jan 2020 02:45
  • Tuesday 08:30
  • Tuesday 13:30
  • Tuesday 19:30
  • Wednesday 03:30

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Take our quiz and discover if you can tell your heft from your herd.

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James Rebanks reflects on the worldwide response to The Shepherd's Life.

James Rebanks: "People like us are married to the landscape"

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James Rebanks on his connection to the land and the farmers that went before him

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James Rebanks reveals some surprising facts about ewes, rams and lambs.

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