Share farming’s everyday story, says Farmer Tom during Harvest Lunch address

Tom Martin thanked GAJ members present at this year’s Harvest Festival for fighting farmers’ corner and speaking truth to power.

Farmer Tom – as he is widely known – has gained widespread recognition for his innovative ‘Farmer Time’ initiative, which connects classrooms with farms, and his vibrant presence on social media, where he educates and engages a broad audience about the realities of farming.

Before returning to his family farm in Cambridgeshire, Tom enjoyed a successful career in the film industry. Today he is a respected advocate for farming and rural life.

During his address as this year’s guest speaker, Tom maintained his belief that we live in a golden age of farming but acknowledged that many farmers are currently feeling “clinically fed-up”.

However, he maintained that all farmers are optimists, despite the challenges.

“After the wettest winter in living memory followed by a late, wet spring, terrible conditions and extremely bearish market prices, would any but an optimist plant again?” he said.

: Farmer Tom addresses BGAJ Harvest Lunch 2024

: Guild members enjoy the Harvest Lunch

: St Brides Church

Sharing stories and connecting with farming’s greatest supporters – the general public – is essential moving forwards, he added.

“What we do when we all share our stories, when we take part in Farmer Time, is we use our greatest weapon; we put a face to a name, a person under the label.”

: Pre dinner drinks allow Guild member the chance to cath up with colleagues and friends

: The Harvest Lunch is held at the grand Stationers Hall

: Farmer Tom presented the Guild awards to our many worthy winners

Being ‘clinically fed-up’ disconnects farmers from their support networks. The antidote to this is gratitude.

“Gratitude reconnects us. Gratitude wakes us up from our slumber, it lifts our heads, it gives us renewal and energy,” he said.

“At our harvest services we give thanks and express gratitude. We’re thankful for sunshine and rain, and the produce of our land. We’re thankful for our homes, our vocation, our families and our health.

“And when we think about journalists who fight our corner, who share our story when we’re often not good at it ourselves, and who speak our truth to power, I – and we – are very grateful to you.”