Joyce Campbell talks social media

I’m a big fan of social media and regularly post to Twitter and Facebook with my day-to-day farming life. Social media can reach a very wide and varied audience. That diversity in views can occasionally put you in the firing line when you dare to put your head above the parapet.

James Rebanks, a farmer, author and a very active member of Twitter, with over 112,000 followers, is one of the most recent casualties of the trolls.

James wrote a brilliant book called The Shepherd’s Life, which topped the bestseller list for weeks. I was brought to tears with his honesty when he wrote about the struggles he and his family faced while farming in the Lake District with his beloved flock of Herdwick ewes. He advocates sustainable farming methods and is proud of the landscape, with its hefted flocks which help to maintain the countryside for the masses of tourists who regularly visit the Lakes.

His departure from Twitter came with the words “I’m done”. He had received a barrage of online attacks after he had been named on a review advisory panel of England’s National Parks. Environmental campaigners thought the panel was skewed in favour of the farmer.

I miss the posts from @herdyshepherd1 as they were honest, straight from the heart and he knew what he was talking about, which is more than can be said for some so-called experts.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. For me if you can’t say it to someone’s face I don’t think it’s acceptable to become a keyboard warrior and vent your spleen from the comfort and safety of your armchair just because you can.

I’ve had a few attacks myself from environmentalists, animal rights activists and vegans, some of whom seem to have a very low opinion of livestock farmers, especially sheep farmers.

Two ladies wanted to come up and live with me for a couple of weeks and shadow me at my work as they were vegans and needed to understand what I did.

I explained that it was impractical from a health and safety angle. I offered them a two-hour trip around the farm, but I suspect when I sent them my postcode they realised we were a long way from anywhere, with no public transport.

Sadly last week we had to put to sleep an old dog named Sam. A larger than life, full-on NZ Huntaway, who would have filled the shedder to me with thousands of sheep over the years. He had a long and happy retirement at the house charming everyone who came to visit.

I was overwhelmed by the kindness of my Facebook and Twitter followers when I posted that Sam had been put to sleep.

That more than makes up for the lady who sent me pictures of dead dogs in China, destined for human consumption, with the message “you are no better for putting your dog down”.

I suppose, as in life, it takes all kinds and that’s why social media platforms have mute buttons. Something we could all use at times!

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I don’t think it’s acceptable to become a keyboard warrior and vent your spleen from the comfort and safety of your armchair

Sam, a larger than life, full-on NZ Huntaway.