Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has revealed the challenges his Cotswold Farm Park has faced this summer, including an early harvest, drought, and the threat of wildfires. In a video posted on the Cotswold Farm Park YouTube channel, he described the harvest as devastating and acknowledged the fire risk is "pretty scary".
Dry Conditions and Fire Risk
Large areas of central and southern England, including the Cotswolds, have seen no substantial rainfall for five to seven weeks. Combined with temperatures consistently above 30C, these conditions have created ideal circumstances for wildfires. While his farm has so far escaped fires, Adam noted that others in the region have not been so fortunate.
He said: "Goodness me, look at the dust. It shows how dry it is. It's quite a fire risk as well. We have to be quite careful with overheating engines and any sparks coming off anything."
Early Harvest and Poor Yields
Adam guided viewers around the farm to show the impact of the conditions. "It's been absolutely bone dry for over a month. And our lambs here are going to need to be fed hard food and we're going to have to get some silage because you can see the grass has just turned brown," he explained.
He added: "We've started our harvest probably 2 or 3 weeks earlier than normal. Last year was early because of the drought. This year seems to be even earlier. We usually wouldn't start the wheat until August and unfortunately because of all the hot weather and us being on quite thin stony soil, the yields aren't very good."
Farm History and Operations
Cotswold Farm Park was established by Adam's father Joe Henson in 1971, who also presented television programmes including the BBC's Animal Magic. Adam took over management in 1999. The attraction now features more than 50 flocks and herds of rare-breed farm animals, indoor and outdoor play areas, a restaurant, and seasonal events.
