All cereal harvesting has been completed in South West France

Here in South West France, all cereal harvesting has been completed, with only sunflowers and of course grain maize yet to harvest. The weather is as one would expect in August; very hot indeed, and the occasional thunderstorm cracking as it passes by in the distance.

I gather the weather at home has been showery, but pretty good for grass growth. The in-calf heifers have been out grazing for a week, and it looks as if the cows will be out on my return.

The 100 acres silage should be ensiled by the time you read this, and a September silage cut looks very much on track, which will most likely be for the bio-digester. Another load of freshly calved heifers arrived last week, and I look forward to seeing a further 1000 litres a day in the tank on my return. As the autumn price for milk is much higher than in the spring (due to scarcity), we are now geared up to maximise that advantage.

We have had a relaxing week, with no work programme to be completed this year. We are down for two weeks and I decided that for a change, we would simply do nothing other than unwind; enjoy the weather and the activities that take place locally. It's also a good opportunity to read some books, political biographies and history books being my favourite. At home, I have a constant stream of papers that need reading, mostly policy papers and other agricultural documents; leaving little time for books.

I started with Peter Mandelson's book 'The Third man', just the sort of political insight I enjoy, although he has concentrated rather too much on the personal hopes, ambitions, sheer aggression and jealousy which pervades all political parties, with not enough on policy and achievements. No doubt, some diaries are being kept by members of the current coalition as I write, and they too will make for interesting reading in years to come.

Mandelson's well written effort highlights very clearly, how 13 years of Labour Government continued the trend of modern period British politics, serving people less well than our democratic system would suggest.

To quote Andrew Marr; the trend over the past 60 year has been; 'good people acting honourably failed to lead well'.

How many times was agriculture mentioned in Mandelson's book? A few references to both 'Foot and Mouth' outbreaks, but only in how well or otherwise certain individuals had performed.

During the Foot and mouth outbreak a telling comment was made in passing that it was beginning to affect tourism, and that tourism was much larger than agriculture; it was also noted how 'disappointed' Nick Brown must have been to be given Agriculture in the re-shuffle.

Visiting some of the local events and shows here in France, it is noticeable how very different things are here. It would be easy to say that it is how things were 50 years ago in the UK, but that implies that things are somewhat backward here, quaint or living in the past.

The truth is that somehow, rural France has managed to weave the family tradition, the simple pleasures of life, modern agriculture, and good old fashioned community spirit and fun together in a compelling way.

To quote my teenage nieces 'they are much more laid back here'.

They also value traditions, and no beaurocrat would be tolerated if he dared interfere. One cannot imagine anyone getting in the way of the celebrated events that take place every year.

Yesterday we visited a tiny local village which has a tradition of a 'Fete Nautique', featuring 'bateaux fleuris'. This consists of a large gathering of people who arrive paying 3.50 euros admission each, but crucially all children are admitted free of charge.

Temporary cafes are put up so that long leisurely lunch takes place at very reasonable prices, before the intrinsically and beautifully decorated flower boats are punted down the river towards us; hundreds of us on the bridge and lining the sides of the river.

There is a commentator, and the whole thing takes a rather comically, amateurish tone, as the jazz band strikes up and the commentator fills in time between the hesitating contraptions being punted down the river, attempting (not always successfully) to stop before hitting the bridge. Some have children on board, and others have adults carrying on in a carnival sort of way.

The warm up act consisted of a few swimming races in the river, and competitions to see who could catch some ducks, released on the river in front of the swimmers. A huge fairground was on the village green, and from past experience I can tell you that 'bumping cars' are allowed to travel against traffic, ensuring some real (and painful) head-on collisions.

French youths (and some not so youthful) have a technique whereby, they can rotate their cars at the end of a run, ensuring that no one can escape, and that further head-on collisions are plentiful. There were many other rides and stalls; one featuring shot-guns which could be fired (very noisily) at static clays.

It all ended with a firework display in an adjoining field, with everyone walking a few hundred yards to the other side of the river; it was now approaching 11.00pm and the crowd must be approaching 2000 people.

The firework display was lengthy and magnificent, and would only occur at major events a handful of times in the UK during the year. The French are very good at fireworks, and again, the ferocity and 'fusillade', was breathtakingly spectacular. This mixture of amateurish carry-on, with such professionalism, coupled with a memorable Sunday for all the families who attended, is indeed remarkable. Long may it continue.

On arrival as swimming began in earnest. It was noticed that my grandson had ringworm on his shoulder, a fungal infection which cattle suffer from periodically, and if left untreated, can grow and spread rapidly.

We took him to the 'Pharmacie', where they prescribed some cream, and suggested we took him to see the doctor as a precaution.

Due to the fact that everyone visits the Chemist shop first in France, the doctor's surgery is always quiet, and within a few minutes, diagnosis was confirmed and some tablets prescribed to help things along.

No swimming until it clears up was the instruction, and within less than a week it had cleared up and the river became our destination of choice again. However hard one tries to leave farming behind on holiday - it just comes along.