¶ Intro / Opening
You're listening to Monday's episode of The Archers from BBC Radio 4.
¶ Cricket Dilemma and Tractor Trouble
Oh you alright George? Oh Tom. Oh what you up to? Just getting some uh udder wipes and milking gloves for Meadow Farm. Yeah. How's it going? It's good. Yeah, it's really good. I like it. That's great. I know mum and dad have been really relieved that Esby's got someone in to help with it all. Yeah, I really hope it gets made permanent, you know.
Uh well while I have you, I wanted to ask you about the cricket. The cricket? Yeah, did you hear that we're forming a new team? A pub team? Uh yeah, yeah, Tracy told me. So? What do you reckon? I mean, you can do what you want, can't you? Uh I I meant do you want to join it? Join the team. Yeah, yeah. How how can I play for the pub cricket team when I'm barred from the pub?
Aha, right, yeah, no, I I didn't think about that. I mean, d do you really think anyone from roan here would actually go for that? Well, I dunno. I I'm not sure, but Let me talk to people. Honestly, Tom, don't bother. Well, if you could play for us, would you want to play for us? Er I dunno to be honest, I dunno. Well, have a think about it. Let me know and then I'll go into bat for you if you want.
Sorry for the pun. Actually, I don't need to think about it. I I don't want anyone round here doing me any favours. Well, you'd be doing us a favour, since you're one of our best and youngest players, but yeah, no, I I get you, I get you. And Tom, I mean When I came out of prison, you didn't want me working for you at Bridge Farm, did you? You uh turned me down when I was completely desperate. Well, to be fair, it was tricky back then. It was
Uh but things have moved on. You've moved on, Alice has moved on, we all have. Well yeah, maybe. I wish you well, I do. You're just saying that'cause you want me on the cricket team. No, don't be silly. I think I just need to keep out of everyone's way, Tom. Honestly. Glory! What are you doing? It's stop! Stop! Stop! Turn the engine off! What?
On earth are you doing? Sorry, I'm sorry, I don't know. I told you not to drive anywhere near this end. I expressly said, don't drive the tractor over here. I warned you it's like a bog. I know, I know, I don't. distracted. Distracted? Yeah sorry. I I'm really sorry. Okay, okay. Um no just hold tight. I'm gonna get the other tractor. Tow you out
¶ Esme's Financial Crisis and Advice
Hi, uh is it okay if I make myself a brew? You don't have to keep asking, George. I know, but I feel bad interrupting your work. I told you it's fine. Can I make you one? Yeah, lovely thanks. How is it going? I just hate staring at a screen all day. Isn't that basically your job? Yes. Why do you think I want to run a farm instead? You still not heard from your landlord? No. Well he's out of order, I reckon. Dragging it out.
I just wanna know what the rent's gonna be. Of course you do. It's it's basic. I'd love to keep you on, George, if I can. Thank you. I appreciate that. I really do. Um You okay? Uh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh next Monday next Monday I need the morning off and it's a bit last minute, sorry. Uh sure. Sure that'll be fine. I can do the milking on Monday. Oh yeah? Really? Absolutely. Thanks, Esme. You're a great boss. No, no, no, I mean it. Uh can I just check?
Is everything okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's uh it's it's uh just the the dentist. The dentist. On Monday, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he said it could be bad a a bad one. Ah I'm sorry. But is that okay? Oh yeah, of course it is. Oh What? Well he's just emailed me. The landlord I mean. What's he say? Hang on a sec. Is it all right? Oh no. What? I can't afford this. I just can't afford it.
That's thousands of pounds, Rory. Well I have to pay for it. You? I mean I've got some savings, but if it's thousands of pounds, I don't know. No, no, no, no, you won't. Don't be taught. And it might be all right, it might not be that bad and But what on earth happened? Well, I don't know. My mind wandered. You know how important safety is when you're on a tractor. Yes, sorry. You need to be alert. You're on moving machinery around animals. Right. You can't just let your mind wander.
Who knows what might have happened to I really am so sorry. I I really I just I'm just not feeling that great at the moment. Okay. Don't worry about the tractor. You forget about it. We can't do anything about it now. We're nearly done here, so why don't we finish up and then go for a coffee? You don't have to be so nice to me, Neil. Why shouldn't I be nice to you? Because I might have destroyed the clutch on your tractor. That's it.
That's it, it's over. No, no, no, no. You just go back to him and say you can't afford two hundred pounds per acre. Well yeah, but he's just gonna say that's the price, take it or leave it. Well you don't know what he's gonna say, do you? I mean I can't afford to put aside twenty percent of the land to biodiversity protection either. Of course you can't. I mean I d I do believe in that, you know, all of that. But
It's the economics right now. I mean, y you could offer to work towards twenty percent, couldn't you? Yeah. But will that be enough? Ask him. You just ask him. Yeah, you're right. It's just it was more than I was expecting. Well, he's just trying his luck, isn't he? I mean, he's been really supportive in loads of ways. But at the end of the day, a landlord is a landlord. Cash is king.
I'm scared if I push back that he'll turn me down flat and I'll lose the farm. Well, you'll lose the farm anyway if the economics don't stack up. Oh George Grundy, how did you get so wise? Wise? Most people around here think I'm an idiot or something worse. Something much worse. I'm sure that's not true. And I'm sure it is true. Well, you've been a massive help to me. Can I just say one thing?
Sure. Before you email your landlord back, speak to the Tenant Farmers Association. Get some like proper official advice. That way you're covered, you know. Okay. Okay, I will do.
¶ Pregnancy News and Emotional Reckoning
Hi Rory. How are you? Hiya, Charm Tom. How's it going at Barrow, Rory? Yeah, it's good. Yeah. I actually really like working with pigs. Ah yeah, pigs are great. Ah, I told you, didn't I? You said I'd fall in love with them. Yeah, but you didn't believe me.
They're so intelligent. Oh, absolutely. And you couldn't have a better teacher than Neil. And you're right there. He's even treating me to a coffee in your tea room. Oh, well, you should try the cinnamon buns. They're delicious. Anyway, I better be off. Yeah, bye Charles. See you.
I'm sorry, Neil. Me and tractors are obviously not a good mix. Why do you say that? Oh, I had this stupid thing a few months back at Home Farm where I thought a tractor was on fire. And it wasn't on fire, I mean. But I called Alice in a panic. I felt such a fool. Was it just condensation? Yeah. How stupid am I? Well you're not stupid at all. You just don't have enough experience yet. Look who it is. George. Oh. Hi grandad. Hello. Hi Rory. George?
What brings you here? Just finished at Meadow Farm. Thought I'd come and buy Amber one of those cinnamon buns. Oh, that's nice. She's a bit obsessed with them. They are good. Yeah, weirdly, it's like the only thing she can eat at the moment. Pregnancy's so weird. Pregnancy. Yeah. Amber's pregnant, didn't you know? Uh no, no, I had no idea. Congratulations. Thank you. And I'll be a great granddad, imagine that. Wow. Yeah, a amazing.
Do you fancy joining us, George? Um I could do, yeah, but uh is that all right with you, Rory? Me? Yeah. Well why wouldn't it be? Well, I don't know, just, you know, sit down, charge. I'll go and order you a drink. What do you want? A hot chocolate? Do you want anything else, Rory? Oh er no, no, I'm fine, thanks, Tim. Go on then, I'll have a hot chocolate. Right.
I'll get amper that uh cinnamon bun and all Oh no, don't worry, I'll get that. Uh please, George, sit down. Let me buy a cinnamon bun for the mother of my great grandchild, eh? Okay, thanks. How are you anyway? Me? There's no one else here. Oh, sorry. I mean, who else would I be talking to? Yeah, sorry, no, yeah, no, no, I'm fine, I'm fine. How about you? Yeah, yeah, good. I mean... Sort of mad that Amber's pregnant, you know.
But it's all good. Like all the tests and that say the baby's really healthy, low risk and everything. It's good to know. Yeah, yeah. And the scan, you know the scan they do at twelve weeks, that was uh that was amazing. I was like really emotional. So um Amber's twelve weeks now. Fourteen, actually. Fourteen. Right, fourteen. So yeah. Are you all right, Rory? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. W uh why? You look a bit pff what? I dunno. Just Natasha's bringing it over in a sec. Oh, thanks.
Have you got that scan picture with you, George? Yeah, I do actually, yeah. Ah, Susan said you were showing her the other day, but I missed Abe. Oh, yeah, sure. It's in my wallet, just a sec. Oh sorry, Rory. Why are you saying sorry? Oh no, no, no, no, it's fine. Here you go. Ah! Oh George. It's mad isn't it? It's so mad. Do you um do you know if you're uh having a boy or a girl? No, we don't know yet. Right. Fantastic.
I think this could be the making of you, George. Let's hope so. Uh do you want to have a look, Rory? Uh uh yeah, yeah, sure. You don't have to. Oh no, no, no, I want to. Here you go. Wow. You know, I keep thinking Imagine if I'd died on New Year's Eve. Don't say that. I could have. But you didn't. My kid would have grown up without a dad. Oh, sure, it's like. Think about that. Come on. Let's not be morbid, eh? I brought poor Rory here to cheer him up, sorry. No, it's fine.
Oh I didn't even think. What? Sorry. Sorry, Ruri. What? Well Yo about your mum. Oh for goodness sake. No, no, no, no, it's fine. It's not it's not fine. That was a really stupid thing to say in front of you and and I'm sorry. Don't worry about it. Yeah. Give me the photo, Rory. Oh yeah. George? Oh thanks. Don't wanna lose that. No
I am sorry, George, uh about what you went through. I'm sorry that happened to you. It must have been terrible. Thanks. Thanks, Rory, for saying that. That's really good of you. Thank you.