I'm a farmer... here is what Clarkson's Farm gets WRONG and right

Release time：2024-05-20 17:38:17 Source：International Infusion news portal

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been chronicling life on his Cotswold Diddly Squat farm for three series, but now the petrol head has told viewers he can charge £40 for mushroom powder. 

The Amazon Prime show has been praised by many in the farming community for its ability to highlight the issues facing those who make a living from the land. However, for others, relying on mushroom powder to break into profit may be a step too far. 

One of those who is sceptical about the proposal is Jamie Blackett, 59, a dairy farmer from Galloway in Scotland. 

Writing in the Telegraph, the Mr Blackett questions whether customers would be willing to pay for such a luxury. 

Viewers of the hit show watched as Clarkson, 64, converted a disused bunker on his 1,000 acre farm to grow several varieties of mushrooms, such as Grey Oyster, Lion's Mane and Speckled Chestnut. 

Farmer Jamie Blackett has questioned Jeremy Clarkson 's latest venture into mushroom farming after the Clarkson's Farm star devised the idea to sell mushroom powder for £40

Among some of the varieties growing in abundance at Clarkson's 1000-acre Diddly Squat Farm, based in the Cotswolds, are Grey Oyster, Lion's mane and Speckled Chestnut mushrooms

In episode six, on one run to move mushrooms to the farm shop, Clarkson's partner Lisa Hogan comes up with an idea to dehydrate and grind up any unsold Lion's mane mushrooms into a medicinal powder and to then sell it. 

She suggests that it would allow him to make significantly more money than if he were to sell the lion's mane mushrooms as they were - in fact, he could sell 30 servings of the powder for £40. 

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However, Blackett believes Clarkson's idea to sell the mushroom powder is unrealistic, as the steep price would deter farm shop customers from regularly purchasing it. 

Comparing Clarkson's Farm to 'Chelsea,' the dairy farmer wrote: 'The area around Chipping Norton where Clarkson farms probably now has more in common with Chelsea than with where I farm. 

'No one around here would think of hiring out goats to local celebrities to rid their wildflower meadows of thistles.'

Blackett added that if he were to open a farm shop, it would be very unlikely that customers would be lining up outside the door to purchase mushroom powder in particular. 

He said: 'If we were able to start a farm shop, there wouldn’t be many customers around here prepared to pay £40 for 30 servings of lion’s mane mushroom powder to go in their coffee. And we would struggle to find anyone to work in it.'

Despite this, Blackett praises Clarkson's 'refreshingly blunt' approach and ability to inject humour and 'raw honesty' while running his farm - an aspect he considers is 'increasingly lacking in British rural life.'

In episode six, on one run to move mushrooms to the farm shop, Clarkson's partner Lisa Hogan comes up with an idea to dehydrate and grind up any unsold Lion's mane mushrooms (pictured) into a medicinal powder and to then sell it (stock image)

Blackett believes Clarkson's idea to sell the mushroom powder is unrealistic, as the steep price would deter farm shop customers from regularly purchasing it

He wrote: 'Jezza's satirical take on the humourless edicts of the "pig police" provide a welcome counter narrative to the endless stream of directives confronting farmers in this country, though not necessarily elsewhere. 

Blackett also admires Clarkson for taking responsibility during the latest series of Clarkson's Farms despite facing backlash for allowing hunting to take place on his estate.

In April, Gloucestershire Badger Office and Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs decided to take action because they believed Clarkson permitted The Heythrop Hunt group onto his farm.

However, Blackett insists that 'a lesser man' would have avoided talking about it on camera, yet Clarkson has earnt his respect by 'being willing to stand up and be counted as a shooting man.'

It comes after hundreds of Jeremy Clarkson fans formed long snaking queues at Diddly Squat Farm earlier this month with some people being turned away, following the release of the third season of his Amazon show. 

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