Archives for October 2010

This video was shot in April 2009. Tom Graham (Tom Archer) and Amy Shindler (Brenda Tucker) talk about their characters, and the unhappy break-up following Brenda's interview with the Serious Fraud Office.

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The discussion of morning sickness in The Archers made me so angry I just...Grrr! I intend to raise it with @BBCRadio4

Re Morn Sick - I'm among women who r completely incapacitated it, ended up in hospital last time. Helen's 'it's all diet' attitude is wrong!

That was property guru Kirstie Allsopp on Twitter. Her tweets about Helen may have helped to get us "trending" on Twitter on Sunday morning. Kirstie got plenty of responses from people sharing morning sickness stories

@KirstieMAllsopp Agree re morn sickness, but suspect #Archers storyline meant to show Helen barking mad on food front, rather than right??

R4 retweeted and responded:

@BBCRadio4: *trembles a bit* -> RT @KirstieMAllsopp The discussion of morning sickness in The Archers made me so angry! I intend to raise it with Radio4

The huge debate about Pat's "complicity" in Helen's pregnancy has been picked up again on the messageboard.

Pat seems at a loss with how to cope with Helen and her default position to date has been to back off and humour her. Now, of course, it's all gone too far and she's starting to appreciate that may not have been the wisest cause of action. I also think she got a bit caught up in the Male vs Female confilict that broke out when Helen first announced her intentions and in her rush to defend her own principles she may have forgotten to apply some common sense.

I think this SL has been thoroughly enjoyable over the last few months. Helen is clearly (to me) completely loopy and we are hearing her loopiness being played out over the months. Helen's actor is wonderful, the scripts are hilarious and the reactions of Helen's family are sublime. Five gold stars to the prodteam.

[Twitter] Loved the Helen/Emma scene in #thearchers. Emma would clearly rather eat her own baby than attend birth classes with Helen.

[Twitter] That baby will end up being cared for by Pat and Tony. You mark my words.

[Twitter] Good to see Helen back to her irritating best #thearchers

Kathy's attempts to curb Jamie's bad behaviour are equally praised and critisised. There's been plenty of advice for Kathy and Kenton - and quite a few parents who have commented that it's all very close to home.

There is also a thread of over 140 posts titled "bluddy holly!" in which they've very disappointed in Kenton - he was doing so well untill Holly reappeared... The thread also sparked a huge debate over men dating younger women (is it mid life crisis stuff or some sort of "evolutionary"/"primaeval" "need"?!)

[on Twitter] Kathy, just buckle Jamie into a stroller when you take him to school to complete the image

Kathy is coming across as needy which is the last thing Jamie needs - he needs her to be strong, calm and supportive.

I have little sympathy for Kenton here - the last time Jamie and Kenton were in that situation, Kenton immediately dumped Kenton and chased after Holly. He did the right thing tonight, but from Jamie's view, maybe it is too little too late?

Trouble with Kenton is he wants to be all things to everyone. Wants to have gravitas with Jamie and be a contemporary (or a 'mate'. Kenton ends up being nobody and help to no-one.

Jamie is seeing Kenton as he really is for once, feckless and immature.

The odd couple

[on Twitter] Yes, Harry does seem a bit too good to be true. Wonder what his hidden agenda is? [on Twitter] I think I love Harry

[on Twitter] "still going for man of the year eh? Mr Ambridge 2010" best. line. ever. Jazzer you're a star!

I'd be outraged if somebody disposed of my chips before I'd made a butty. Shame on Harry.

[twitter] Class war kicking off on The Archers as man expecting chip buttie is offered museli

I adored the "You're Paying" comment!!!

I think that the Harry-worm is turning. He's being sorely provoked

Is love in the air? Twitter think Kenton's longing for Kirsty, Mustardlanders are pairing Kenton up with Jolene

[Twitter] Is it just me, or are Kenton and Kirsty's heart-to-hearts leading somewhere?



[Twitter] Harry & Fallon, Kenton and Kirsty... I see Cupid is active in Ambridge as well as the stork.

Kenton and Jolene? Yep, Kenton seemed mezmerised for a moment there.

In other threads/tweets

Is it just me, or did Nic sound like she was giving Clarrie the sanitised highlights of her 'little chat' with Will. I wonder what, exactly, has been going on in the Little Cottage In The Woods.

Line of the night - "My Jake's gonna be a little rat"

[Twitter] Am genuinely delighted that #thearchers Christmas panto is on the radar again. Makes me feel Christmassy.

[Twitter] Listened to 4 episodes of #theArchers this morning and been feeling part of Ambridge all day!

[someone responds] << me too!!

There's more conversation about The Archers via our Discuss page.

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Pip's abandonment by Jude has brought back terrible memories for her aunty Elizabeth, who paid a far greater price for loving an unworthy man. This tale shows how lucky Pip actually is.

Alison Dowling (Elizabeth Archer) in happier days

Handsome Cameron Fraser bought the Berrow Estate in Ambridge in 1990, immediately becoming the largest landowner in the area. At first this plausible Scot appeared charming, but he soon showed his arrogance and impatience with those who had to work for him.

Elizabeth Archer (later Pargetter) was smitten, and didn't let the fact that Cameron had struck up a relationship with Caroline Bone (later Sterling) stop her from flirting outrageously with him. As a journalist on the Borchester Echo, she found any excuse to interview him. By September 1991, they were going on dates, and soon sleeping together, although Cameron never appeared particularly caring toward his new girlfriend. Shula worried that he was just playing with her sister.

In November, clingy Elizabeth was sulky when Cameron announced he was not taking her on a business trip to Madrid. She was even more upset when she rang his hotel room and it was answered by someone called Ingrid.

On his return, he assured her that Ingrid was a banker who happened to be in his suite of rooms for a meeting, and presented Elizabeth with a Spanish leather handbag to prove that he was thinking of her. But he couldn't bring himself to say "I love you" as he had only ever said that to one woman in his life

Elizabeth spent that Hogmanay at his estate in Scotland, although she was surprised that the property was much smaller than he had given Ambridge folk to believe.

After a hunt ball, Cameron started to raise his game when he realised that he had a rival for Elizabeth's affections in Nigel. He took her to Beachy Head, a favourite haunt of his on holidays from boarding school, he claimed. He blamed his caution in love on a woman who had callously rejected his proposal of marriage. Elizabeth was completely taken in.

Pregnant

By March 1992, Elizabeth was feeling sick. Debbie soon realised the reason. She took her to a remote pharmacy, and the pregnancy test came up positive. She couldn't keep the secret from Jill for very long, but Elizabeth insisted that she wanted to tell Cameron before Phil heard the news.

Elizabeth persuaded herself that Cameron would be delighted with the news, but the reality was very different. He coolly assumed she would have an abortion - at his expense, of course. Elizabeth could not countenance such a thing.

Her family were much more supportive than the father-to-be. Phil insisted that under no circumstances should she feel pressurised into marrying Cameron. And he extolled the virtues of Nigel, by now Elizabeth's employer. Elizabeth was marketing manager at Lower Loxley and Nigel was immediately practical, caring and supportive as they discussed maternity leave. It left Elizabeth very confused about her feelings.

Under pressure from Elizabeth - and from other sources it seemed - Cameron announced that he and Elizabeth needed a holiday - a mystery trip. On the journey to the airport she talked excitedly about life after the baby was born. Cameron grew increasingly quiet as she babbled on.

Her new found appetite made her persuade Cameron to turn off the M40 for food. He disappeared to the toilet and 15 minutes later had still not returned. When Elizabeth asked the waiter to go and look for him, he told her "chap in the Jag" had driven off.

Cameron had abandoned her.

Alone

Elizabeth returned to Ambridge in deep depression, to discover that much of Cameron's supposed wealth was a sham. He was more con man than country gentleman, and the "holiday" was actually a flit from his creditors.

Despite infertile Shula's insistence that she would be happy to adopt and bring up the baby, Elizabeth soon disappeared. She returned after a couple of days with the news that there was no baby any more.

She had had an abortion after all.

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So Tony wants to buy a replacement mower conditioner, although Tom thinks they can manage with the old one. This piece of farm equipment is rarely mentioned in The Archers - indeed this may well be the first time - so here's a brief explanation of what it does.

A mower conditioner (commonly called a "MoCo") is tractor-towed machine primarily used in haymaking. This method of making winter fodder from grass is very vulnerable to bad weather. The cut grass has to be left on the ground to dry in the sun before it is made up in to bales. If it is damper than about 20 per cent moisture content, the hay can be of poor quality, subject to mould and infection. It can even spontaneously combust, because of the heat produced as the damp hay respires.

In a temperate climate like Britain, rain at haymaking time (usually late Spring) is common, so anything that speeds up the drying process is a boon to the farmer. A mower conditioner takes the grass as it is cut, and crimps and crushes it so that it dries more quickly when left on the ground.

There are two main methods. Roller conditioners pass the grass between opposing steel or rubber rollers with a pattern of zig-zag grooves, which crimps the grass. Flail conditioners beat the grass against the top of the machine, removing the grass's waxy coating.

Video of a mower conditioner in action

Detailed article from Farmer's Weekly

Image: FWI

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