Mud, Sweat & Tractors: The Story of Agriculture

In this four-part documentary series, the social, economic and technological changes in British agriculture throughout the twentieth century has been told through the home movies shot by farming families in the east of England. Several generations of the families have been interviewed; their recollections provide a fascinating insight into the ways in which the industry has undergone a complete metamorphosis, especially since the end of World War II. Perhaps the series' most interesting aspect is the way in which it traces two contradictory paths: on the one hand the farmers themselves have welcomed many of the changes, which have rendered the industry less labor-intensive while maximizing the yield from the fields. Through the use of improved chemical treatments, it is now no longer necessary to leave fields fallow for one year to allow them to recover. On the other hand many interviewees - especially those of a certain generation - yearn for a lost world of community values and shared concerns, which has been lost due to the march of progress. Sometimes the narrative becomes over- technical (the expert comments of academics are often confusing), but Charles Collingwood (from the BBC Radio soap opera THE ARCHERS) delivers a convincing performance as the narrator.