'He's barely out of the county...'

Minutes into a trip abroad, Adam’s superstitions are realised when things go awry on the farm. It’s all hands to the grindstone, proving that there's never a dull moment for Tessa Waugh

FOR many years now, and we have lived here for 14, Adam has been wary of going away. Not because he doesn’t enjoy a change of scene, but for fear of what might happen in his absence.

It is an old farmers’ superstition – tried and proved by many more seasoned farmers than him – that you leave the premises at your peril. No matter that there are perfectly competent people on hand to deal with whatever may occur, invariably all of hell’s fury will be unleashed upon the farm of a farmer who goes away. At calving and lambing time, you can dial this threat up to 10.