SIR, – Reading James Porter's question on farmers being put out to pasture, reminded me of when, three years' ago, I decided to turn the page on to the chapter headed retirement.

Having developed heart problems and the next generation unanimous in suggesting how much safer it would be if mum and dad moved to a bungalow, in town, near the GP surgery, given I had come from such a distant generation that I had the memorable experience of having seen Hendrix, Cream and Joni Mitchell, live in concert, I decided to leave the next generation to get on with it. Although we only moved a couple of miles in to the melting pot that is Soham, it initially felt like we had landed on another planet, surrounded by bunches of other marigolds, who seem to have come from every conceivable walk of life, all of whom have a very commendable zest for life.

I have to say it didn't take long for us to become really rather fond of Soham and its people.

Some of our fellow marigolds and we have taken to venturing to the north Norfolk coast to enjoy the sea air, sea food and, hopefully, a chance to chat and have a drink with local fishermen.

Some of our fishermen are none too happy. They seem to think that the temporary deal on fishing rights with the EU might not be so temporary, and that no-one cares, which is sad – we should care.

As we sat on the quay side, enjoying some lovely recently caught and prepared shellfish, watching the fisherfolk of Wells-next-the-Sea tending to their lobster pots and nets, I wondered if farmers were to get treated the same way as fishermen, would anyone care.

Other than those who were directly involved, did anyone care when the UK started filling up with foreign cars, trucks, agricultural equipment, household appliances, or clothing; did anyone care when shipbuilders, steel workers or coal miners, lost their jobs; did Jacob Rees Mogg care when he told all and sundry on national television that American beef is about half the price of British beef without telling the whole story; will anyone care if the UK supermarkets start to fill up with cheap foreign food.

The truth is, o-one can be forced to 'care'. To care is an emotion that is deep and has to be earned.

I convinced quite a few of the marigolds to join us on a visit to a major vegetable grower and processor near Ely who was hosting an open farm Sunday. They were all thoroughly impressed, as I am sure the many thousands of the public of all ages who attended the event would have been.

I take my hat off to G's farming for organising such a fantastic event. Initiatives like open farm Sundays may well help to convince the public that UK farmers have earned the right to be cared about and supported.

Given the time scale, I had hoped by now that credible, responsible, interested parties who cared, would have gone a long way to painting a picture on the blank canvas that is Brexit, of an agriculture and countryside that would be sustainable and fair to all. I don't see it yet.

I can only assume the clock will soon start ticking faster and louder, which is unfortunate, as in the words of one of my heroes from the 1960s, Bob Dylan, 'the times they are a changing'.

John Maxwell

Soham,

Ely,

Cambs.