Jamie At Home - recommend/not?

[scared55]

Comments(not arguments,please)on a postcard or to this thread.

Statements of support only, then?

[Two_Sheds]

We get into trouble for arguing, so I'm not going to. I'm just going off to a corner to grumble quietly to the wall

[sewer rat]

I'm with you Polly
My 5 acre plot is home or playground to the following wildlife. Rabbits (shoot em, snare em, ferrets whatever it takes) Hares ( don't touch them) Pheasants (open season with the gun and the pup loves chasing them too) grey partridge (don't touch them either) mice (bait in tunnel and store) stoats (like them - they kill rabbits) buzzards (see stoats comment - do not believe all you read about them not taking live prey - have seen it on numerous occassions), pigeons (god bless the buzzard and the sparrowhawk), deer (get left alone), rooks, crows and hoodies(all fair game).
If I didn't contol the above I would not have lasted my first season. Whilst I can appreciate some people may strongly disagree with my point of view, unless they care to finance the entire 5 acre plot being rabbit fenced and caged from above, I will continue on my merry way, whistling all the while, as I tuck into my next rabbit or pheasant. If I shoot rooks and don't eat them, does that make me worse than HFW ?

[Flummery]

You can like HFW all you like - I don't have to.

[Flummery]

I'm going to come back on this one. I know that it is often necessary for people to kill pests which threaten their livelihood. I don't believe this was the rationale in the programme I cited. HFW was in his woodlouse frittes phase at the time and I think he was courting controversy to raise viewing figures. In my opinion he showed a contempt for life. Interestingly the main comeback he had was for his placenta pate. I had no problem with this. I do however, think he was looking for unacceptable things to eat and therefore killed with contempt. This is an attitude I cannot be having with.

[moggssue]

I'm with Flum - there's killing for neccessity (every species on the planet does this) and then there's killing for 'sport' or just because we can which in my opinion is wrong. I completely understand Rat's point of view and don't have a problem with what he does, that's a necessity for his livelihood, but killing for the sake of tv entertainment isn't on and shows a total lack of respect for life.

[scared55]

that's a necessity for his livelihood

Just like it was a necessity for a gamekeeper's livelihood to kill every hawk, eagle, falcon, kite or harrier that appeared over the land he was looking after?
There is almost always an alternative to killing. If, because of our way of life, we are unable to share the land with our fellow creatures, then it is surely encumbent on us to take steps to deter them. Done successfully this should have the added advantage of being a more permanent solution. Killing a batch of animals only allows others of the same or another species to extend their territories.

[Polly Fouracre]

Statements of support only, then?

No,no!!I only ask that things don't get aggressive(sorry)

[Polly Fouracre]

Sorry! I didn't want to stir up controversy,I am a peaceable person! I do know what you mean about the rooks Flummery,I have a soft spot for moles and magpies(they have never bothered me,maybe that's why!)
As to rabbits,we have Myxamatosis amongst our population and though they are a pest,undermining hedges,eating and souring grass and making holes in the field for my dogs to break their legs in,I would rather have a plague of healthy rabbits(and not only because diseased rabbits aren't fit to eat!!) They are piteous to see and the dogs do them a favour by culling them.
When I see this deliberate,man made horror,I think of A.I.D.S. though maybe better not to go down that road of thinking!
However,I will still eat (healthy)rabbits,grey squirrels,pheasant and pigeon,though I can take in the sentiments of vegetarians(though I do think sentimental vegetarians should be vegans!)

[scared55]

Polly - consider this a statement of support. Killing for food is valid - we are part of the food chain. Killing for sport is highly questionable, although if you are killing primarily for food that is a different matter. Culling is valid where, as in much of Africa, we have so degraded the habitat that the land left will not support the numbers.
Killing for spite I can't get on with. We are big enough and clever enough not to need to do that - even if we do tend to kill each other for spite at times.

[Flummery]

But seriously! Is the book any good?
Getting an Amazon order off shortly - got Seed Saving by Sue Thingy and Cutting Garden by Sarah Wassname on the list already. I suspect that even good recipes would annoy me if given with rubbish gardening lore.

[Alison]

Somebody at work had it the other day, had a quick look and wasn't that impressed. Had all the annoying qualities of JO (I know some of you like him but he just makes me want to slap him with all his televisual cockney stuff!) and the layout has been done in several other books I already own. There didn't actually seem that much stuff that I would be bothered to cook after work although no doubt several of the recipes would be very nice. Personally, I've found that one of the most used books I've bought in recent years has been the Abel and Cole cookbook - loads of simple and delicious recipes, have cooked over half of them now and not had a dud.

[Polly Fouracre]

But seriously! Is the book any good?
Getting an Amazon order off shortly - got Seed Saving by Sue Thingy and Cutting Garden by Sarah Wassname on the list already. I suspect that even good recipes would annoy me if given with rubbish gardening lore.

Oh,yes the book!!Spent half an hour looking through it in W.H.Smiths this afternoon and can honestly say I wouln't bother.
Yes,his recipes are good,but no better than anyone elses and his gardening knowledge could have come from any book.In fact anyone would get better advice from this forum.

[Alison]

Mentioning the gardening bit again, I was slightly horrified to note that he's got a section in the GW mag this month - not bought it but feel that there are 1001 people better qualified than him. Don't really like all this cross over stuff, fair enough have other interests but stop trying to take over the world.

Think maybe I've had a hard week!

[sewer rat]

Whilst I like Jamie for what he's doing for my business, I can't stand either him or his TV programmes. HFW on the other hand, I could watch until the cows (ethically raised natch) come home and his cookbooks I find are the dogs b*llox.
But hey, if everyone liked the same stuff, life wouldn't be the rich tapestry that it is !