What The Flock! by Sally Urwin (Audiobook)

Sally Urwin gives a warts and all look at life on a working farm in the north of England.

Non-fiction is a rarity for me. When I do tackle non-fiction it tends to be something I can pick up and put down between fiction reads. The chance to try non-fiction as an audiobook seemed like an ideal opportunity not to be missed.

As the book opens we are introduced to Sally, fresh from university with a history degree that doesn't really prepare her for the world of work. With no career goal she falls into office life and eventually becomes a marketing executive for accountants. Unfortunately Sally realises pretty quickly that she isn't cut out for office life, she's happiest when outdoors.

In the early days of internet dating Sally is matched with Steve and their second date takes place on Steve's family farm. Sally isn't a natural on the farm but she is willing to give things a go and this impresses Steve. Eventually they move in together and Sally is over the moon when she's able to give notice on her office job and devote her life to working on the farm.

Life on a working farm isn't easy. Sally gives an accurate description of the hard work involved, along with the highs and lows of working with animals. Sally has a soft spot for those animals that would normally be euthanized as they are unprofitable for a farmer to rear so we have a variety of tales of "wonky" sheep, ponies and pigs and the trouble they cause.

Sally paints a very clear picture of how difficult it is for farms to turn a profit and the need to diversify in order to pay the mortgage. Pig breeding, glamping,  a tea room, brewery and wedding venue are just some of the projects that have been developed over the years. I really enjoyed the story of the tea room receiving a coach load of pensioners. Expecting a nice profit from a large number of afternoon teas Sally was left disappointed when the light-fingered pensioners acted like a plague of locusts stripping the tea room of anything that wasn't nailed down, even the toilet roll.

Two major events show how bleak farming life has been in recent years. Firstly, the foot and mouth outbreak which saw many farmers having to destroy their animals. Secondly, COVID, which prevented movement of any kind. Just one of these could be the death knell for a working farm. Sally covers both of these events with honesty and openness, showing that with determination and a positive attitude things can, and will, get better.

What The Flock! by Sally Unwin is available in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Thread Books for a review copy.