Kaleb Cooper’s new book focuses on positivity in agriculture
Kaleb Cooper © Supplied by Kaleb Cooper Agriculture may be facing some of the biggest challenges ever right now, but trying to focus on the positives can make an enormous difference – both in terms of improving mental health and making the sector more appealing to would-be new entrants.
That is the message Kaleb Cooper aims to get across in his entertaining new book, It’s a Farming Thing – the third book in just two years from one of the stars of the TV programme Clarkson’s Farm.
See also: Kaleb Cooper – from new farming entrant to the West End
“I wanted to try and highlight farming in a positive way,” he says. “There is a lot of negativity out there all the time.
“But this is the industry I chose to work in – it’s an incredibly hard industry. So let’s accept that and stay positive about it.”
While the book covers a lot of ground – from farming and machinery, to parenthood and pet ownership – Kaleb believes it will have a particular appeal to young farmers, hopefully providing them with some inspiration that “anything is possible”.
New entrants
Kaleb fears that other would-be new entrants are being put off by all the negative comments they hear about agriculture – especially from farmers’ own mouths.
“We need to stop being negative the whole time,” he says. “Even though we’re in a tough time as an industry, we’ve all chosen this same job for one reason – we all love it.
“Those positive vibes need to be spread around the world. We know it’s hard, but we need to work together to try and improve the industry, and accentuate the positives.”
Self-starter
Kaleb is nothing if not a self-starter and a “go getter”. So what advice would he give a would-be new entrant?
“Go and knock on a farmer’s door and ask for a job. No one can persuade you to become a farmer just by talking to you.
“You’ve got to have a go at it. I guarantee, if you go and have a go at it, you’re going to fall in love with it.”
But despite his natural optimism, Kaleb is very alert to the mental health pressures the industry is facing. And his solution?
“Just talking – it’s really, really important. Even if you just spend five minutes going to your neighbour’s farm and asking if they’ve got any bolts you can borrow, or if they’ve got any wheat in the ground. Chat all the time.
“Or if you’re feeling a little bit low in your tractor cab, ring up your friend who may be on their tractor as well – you can spend an hour just talking to each other on your tractors. Get your mind engaged on different things.”
As for the future of farming – well, Kaleb is naturally… optimistic.
“Farming is obviously going through a difficult time. This is probably the back of the third year of bad weather. It’s definitely tricky at the moment, and morale is down.
“But the one thing farmers are always really good at is problem solving. If I have to go out there and plant rice, I’ll go out there and plant rice.
“But stay positive and there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”
Kaleb Cooper: Q&A
How did you find time to write another book?
When I’m on the tractor, I have a little recorder. So I say what I’m thinking. I get it all recorded, and then in the winter months I have more time to type it out.
I then have someone who comes in to help structure it – in a Jamie Oliver kind of style.
What are the pros and cons of celebrity status?
It has opened a lot more doors for me. Life is a journey and that’s led me to here – writing three books, going on tour, trying to be an advocate for British farming. I can’t see many cons.
I still sit on a tractor all day. I guess, it does take me a little bit longer if I have to go and get something from town, as I end up chatting to people, then I forget what I went out to get in the first place.
What was your theatre tour experience like?
It was outside my comfort zone, but I’m a firm believer that you’ve got to have a go at things, to find out if you like it or not. I enjoyed it. I spoke to so many different farmers.
I was in Scotland and had an email from a farmer saying “do you want to come and look at my farm?”.
I did. The same happened in Kent – and now I know how onions are grown.
Tell us something nobody knows about you…
It’s a weird one…when I get home from a day’s work, I like walking round the house with one sock on and one sock off. It’s just comfy.
It’s like sitting in the tractor with both the air con and the heated seat on.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with, and why?
Nobody. It’s my worst nightmare. If it was with a cow – no problem. With a person, then it would need to be someone who is positive and inspirational. But it’s my worst nightmare.