The Robot Farmer

Farmers already do their work

exclusively with machines.

We have a traditional view of farmers

as men of the land,

with strong bodies and weatherbeaten faces.

However, I do a lot of work in the countryside

with farmers,

and I'd say that 90% of them are now

overweight and pretty unhealthy.

For the lowland arable / livestock farmers, everything is done from the comfort of a tractor cab, with various attachments

to do all of the work they need.

A lot of livestock is kept in sheds these days

so that the food can be set out in troughs

and the manure can be powerhosed clean.

Even the hill farmers go everything on quads.

Even livestock herding is done

by driving a 4x4 around a field

and shouting out the window at a sheepdog.

The only time they get off their vehicles

is to open and close gates.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time

I saw a farmer out walking his fields.

So, honestly, I don't think the robot farmer

is that much different from what we already have!