Kaleb Cooper: From new farming entrant to the West End
Kaleb Cooper © Plank PR Oxfordshire agricultural contractor and star of Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb Cooper, has taken a short break from farming to undertake a nationwide theatre tour.
Farmers Weekly was invited along to attend his show in London.
See also: Kaleb Cooper launches new charity farming single
The World According to Kaleb was designed to “put farming centre stage” as he talks through his journey into farming as a new entrant, starting out with a few chickens and selling eggs locally, before working on local farms and then expanding his operations into livestock and contracting.
Kaleb said: “I’m lucky to do what I love and am still busy farming and working hard. But as I always say, you never stop learning.
“So, I’m ready to push myself – literally – outside Chippy [Chipping Norton] and put on a show that’s full of fun and farming.”
The night itself started with Kaleb appearing on a big screen reading the markets pages of Farmers Weekly and commenting on the current low arable prices.
He then appeared live on stage on a little electric tractor to talk about his own journey and topics affecting farmers, as well as correcting a few common farming misconceptions, such as the difference between hay and straw to a largely metropolitan audience.
© Plank PR
Kaleb’s views
During a Q&A session, Kaleb was refreshingly outspoken on a number of issues affecting British farmers:
- Kaleb spoke in support of Welsh farmers and the ongoing protests, adding that they must make sure to establish a common cause that they are all pushing for
- The prices paid to dairy producers was discussed on stage, with Kaleb calling for milk prices to increase in the shops, and for more of that money to be passed on to farmers so they can make a profit
- He also supported Herefordshire farmer John Price, who was sent to prison for clearing a section of the River Lugg
- Kaleb agreed that more needs to be done to support rural mental health after sharing some shocking industry figures with the audience around suicide
- He spoke out against rewilding and said the government is now paying farmers not to produce food. This would impact young people wanting to come into farming the most
- Badgers were another topic of discussion, with Kaleb explaining how they spread TB to cattle and kill ground-nesting birds.
After a short guest appearance on stage from Herefordshire farmer Ally Hunter Blair, Kaleb rounded off the night with a crowd singalong of The Wurzels’ Combine Harvester.
The nationwide tour finishes in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire on 11 March.