Is Farming in China Just as Full of Pitfalls as Clarkson’s Farm?｜Food Talk Vol. 15
In 2021, the reality docuseries Clarkson’s Farm, chronicling an irascible old farmer’s attempts to run a working farm, scored a stellar 9.6 out of 10 on Douban. Season Two is set to premiere on 10 February this year.
Why does wealthy, somewhat irascible old chap Jeremy Clarkson—who once hosted the world’s most famous motoring show, Top Gear—face one disaster after another returning to his roots to farm? Why are using a Lamborghini tractor to plough fields and drones to herd sheep such poor ideas? And after 365 days of back-breaking labour, why does the net profit amount to a mere £144?
In this episode, Foodthink’s live-commentary team will quickly recap Season One, then chat with you about how the lifestyle and farming depicted in the show compare to the reality of agriculture, and how it differs from China’s domestic farming ecosystem. We’ll also look at the pitfalls city dwellers encounter when venturing into farming, and examine how they differ between China and the UK.
This/Week’s/Hosts
Tianle
Foodthink’s founding editor and organiser of the Beijing Organic Farmers’ Market. Finds every farming acquaintance more entertaining than the cast of variety shows or stand-up specials. Has two expectations for agri-themed screen content: keep it real or make it funny. Will eat pretty much anything, save for an allergy to foodporn.
Wang Hao
Foodthink editor. Was a complete novice when Season One aired, but by Season Two was already comfortably bantering into a microphone.
Xiaojing
One of Food Talk’s hosts. While other agricultural documentaries might inspire you to quit your job, eat properly, or embrace your ‘field-ready’ inner self, Clarkson’s Farm simply makes you laugh.
For more food and agriculture-related films we follow, you can subscribe to Foodthink’s watchlist on Douban.
Timestamps
06:29 Clarkson’s first farming pitfall: buying a Lamborghini tractor straight after heading to the countryside. Where did the car expert go wrong?
08:04 Fun fact: The hugely successful “Lamborghini” actually started out as a tractor manufacturer?
09:17 A young rural farmer and agricultural expert, Kaleb: Rather than aspiring to city life, he embraces the role of a versatile modern farmer who can read the weather, understand machinery, and even code.
11:04 Why is the social status of farmers in China so low? How can this situation be improved?
19:44 Why do Chinese films and documentaries about agriculture and food always seem to have a filter over them? Have food documentaries like A Bite of China conditioned the tastes of Chinese audiences?
21:59 Beyond human missteps lie acts of God, and Clarkson’s farm has also been hit by extreme weather. Despite being a former motoring presenter now turned climate-vulnerable farmer, Clarkson remains deeply sceptical of his neighbours’ “climate change” rhetoric.
26:27 Season Two of Clarkson’s Farm is about to premiere. What “new schemes” has Clarkson got up his sleeve this time?
26:40 Beyond Clarkson’s Farm, what other agricultural and food-related films does Foodthink recommend?
27:59 How to farm without falling into traps? Join Foodthink’s“Ecological Agriculture Internship” project, aka the “Kaleb Mentorship Programme” — offering young people the chance to intern at experienced farms, learn from seasoned practitioners, reduce trial-and-error costs, and master farming methods more quickly. Applications close on 17 February!
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Podcast Production Team
Planning Production: Xiaojing
Podcast Cover Art: Wan Lin
Music: Ba Nong
Article Editor: Wang Hao
Contact: xiaojing@foodthink.cn