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MP Peter Mandelson challenged to spend day on the farm

Dec 20 2009 Sunday Sun

FORMER North MP Peter Mandelson could be swapping politics for pigs after being challenged to spend a day on a farm.

The one time Hartlepool MP and current business secretary revealed he would like to be a farmer after he leaves government.

In an interview with The Spectator, Lord Mandelson says he wants to become a farmer so he “can be close to the land” and grow his own food.

His rural dream includes looking after his own animals and listening to Farming Today.

He said: “If you ask me where in 15 or 20 years’ time I’d like to be, it will be probably on a farm somewhere close to the land, getting up early in the morning.

“I want to be near land.

“I want to be able to grow my own food.

“Look after my own farm animals, worry about the weather and get the timing of my harvest right. Listen to Farming Today.

“If I could live in the countryside rather than London now, I’d do it like a shot.

“If I had an old English country garden that I could tend, I would love it. If I had farmland that I could cultivate and animals to look after, it would give me great enjoyment.

“I care about these things.

“I like properly grown food from organic soil.

I don’t like processed and I don’t like packaged.

I’m not so good with pigs. But I would love chickens because I like fresh eggs.

“If I could rustle together some sheep, I would be very happy, or even the odd cow.”

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