What to get the person on your gift list who has everything, or never wants anything? Here are some memorable experiences in L.A. and beyond that will surprise and delight them.
Stumped for holiday present ideas? Food gifts have universal appeal: These are fun and practical at once. And even more meaningful because they’re from local small businesses including L.A. restaurants, bakeries, farms, markets and makers.
Who’s on your gift list? A chocolate lover? A Caracas-born chef in Pasadena makes her own hot chocolate mix from Venezuelan Criollo cacao. Coffee fan? East L.A.’s Picaresca Barra de Cafe roasts coffee beans and bottles its cinnamon-scented cafe de olla syrup. Tea aficionado? A Chinatown tea shop offers subscription boxes of thoughtful blends from China and Taiwan; some are rare finds.
And any farmers market regular would want to sport the Weiser Family Farm collab T-shirt emblazoned with a pink radish or Bonnie melon.
If you make a purchase using some of our links, the L.A. Times may be compensated. Prices and availability of items and experiences in the Gift Guide and on latimes.com are subject to change.
In next week’s episode of Fletcher’s Family Farm, Kelvin and Liz are hit with yet another farming emergency, having been forced to move off the property after a fire broke out
16:38, 20 Oct 2025Updated 16:39, 20 Oct 2025
Kelvin Fletcher’s family farm has been hit by fresh disaster
Kelvin Fletcher and his farming family are facing yet another disaster on their Cheshire land in an upcoming episode of their ITV show. The ex Emmerdale star and his family are back with a third series of Fletchers’ Family Farm – however, the show started on a sombre note when their farmhouse was destroyed by a blaze.
Unfortunately, the Fletchers’ troubles don’t stop there – with Kelvin learning in next week’s episode that their oat crop could be “devastated” by an infestation. Showing the cameras his oat field in the show, Kelvin admits that he’s “worried” about the crop after it loses his colour.
After enlisting the help of agronomist Ben, who has been helping the family with their soil, he discovered that leatherjackets have taken hold of the soil. Leatherjackets are the larvae of some crane flies, which can embed in lawns and soil before eating the roots.
“Ah, look at that – is that a leatherjacket?” Ben says as he goes through the soil. “A leatherjacket is like a little grub and they come in rings in the field and you’ll find there are bare patches in the field where they have just mauled and eaten the seed.
“There – there’s a leatherjacket,” he tells a disappointed Kelvin. “They’ll eat the root system of your grass and now your oats. These can be quite a problem.”
When Kelvin asks whether they will “decimate the crop”, Ben replies: “They really can be devastated but generally speaking, they’re in circles across the field.” Despite the alarming news, Kelvin and wife Liz will need to wait to see whether the leatherjackets have fully invaded the field.
“Ben won’t know the extent of the leatherjacket invasion until the crop is more established,” he tells the show. “If gaps or rings start appearing across the field, it’s usually an indicator that it has spread across the field.”
It’s not all bad news for farmer Kelvin and his first oat crop – Ben confirms that the oat seeds have taken hold in the soil. Elsewhere in the upcoming episode, Kelvin and Liz challenge their kids to make scarecrows to keep the birds and bugs at bay, while Liz comes up with a plan to whip chaotic chickens into shape.
It comes after Kelvin, Liz and their four kids were forced to leave their farm after a fire broke out while they were on holiday. Episode one saw the emotional couple go through the remains of the fire, with Kelvin admitting that all of his clothes had been destroyed.
“The way the year has got off to a busy start, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing,” he said. “While the animals have been thriving, at the end of last year, an unexpected and devastating disaster hit our farmhouse.
“The fire we think has started around there, and then it’s honestly gone up through the roof, and the roof’s completely gone.”
Fletchers’ Family Farm continues on Sunday at 11:30am on ITV1 and ITVX.
Offshore wind farm company Orsted, which was working on a wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island, announced Thursday it is reducing the size of its global work force as construction activity slows in the next two years. Pictured, construction on Orsted’s wind farm off Block Island, RI, starts in 2015. File Photo by Department of the Interior/UPI
Oct. 9 (UPI) — The offshore wind farm company Orsted announced Thursday it plans to cut its workforce by roughly one-quarter by the end of 2027 as it redirects its business toward Europe and Asia.
Orsted said Thursday that as a number of offshore wind farms are finalized and come online in the next few years it needs to right size its workforce to match a decline in construction activities it expects to see.
“This is a necessary consequence of our decision to focus our business and the fact that we’ll be finalizing our large construction portfolio in the coming years — which is why we’ll need fewer employees,” Rasmus Errboe, CEO of Orsted, said in a press release.
“At the same time, we want to create a more efficient and flexible organization and a more competitive Orsted, ready to bid on new value-accretive offshore wind projects,” Errboe said.
Right now, the company employs roughly 8,000 people globally but as it wraps up current construction work and some employees become redundant, on top of natural attrition and other moves, Orsted plans to reduce its head count to roughly 6,000.
The company has spent the year updating its portfolio, it said, as its roughly 8.1 gigawatt construction portfolio starts to come online, with most of its geographic and technical focus to be aimed at Europe, as well as some markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the United States, Orsted was ordered by the Trump administration in August to stop construction its nearly completed Revolution Wind project off the coast of New England.
The stop work order was part of a Trump move to cut nearly $700 million in funding from 12 wind farms because it considered the projects to be “wasteful.”
Revolution Wind, at the time, was roughly 80 percent complete and expected to provide enough power for more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
“We’re building a more financially robust and competitive company with solid earnings, which will increase as we complete our projects,” Errboe said in the release. “Once we’ve achieved this, Orsted will be a significantly stronger, more focused and competitive company.”
On the news, shares for the company were trading 0.7 percent higher on Thursday, according to CNBC.
IN one of the most beautiful places in the country is a holiday cottage owned by the Fletchers.
The family, headed up by Emmerdale star Kelvin and his wife Liz Fletcher, renovated the home on Fletchers’ Family Farm, and you can stay there yourself.
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The Fletchers star in their own TV show and you can stay in a cottage on their farmCredit: INSTAGRAM
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The cottage has a cosy living room with a log fireCredit: Sykes Cottages
Called Stag Cottage, the house is found in the village of Wincle – on the site of the Fletcher farm, and you can book it on Sykes Holiday Cottages.
Inside, the cottage has been renovated into a cosy rental that sleeps up to six, there’s a sitting room with a woodburning log fire with squishy sofa and chairs.
The kitchen has a central island and is fully-equipped with everything visitors need to make home-cooked meals.
Upstairs are three bedrooms all with king-size beds with plush bedding, and one has an en-suite.
For any musical guests, there’s even a grand piano to tinker on; there’s also a snug and conservatory.
Outside is a garden with lawn, patio area, decking, furniture and hot tub.
The cottage is getting lots of bookings and has been getting five star reviews from visitors.
One visitor wrote: “The cottage was cosy, peaceful, and full of charm—just what our family needed to unwind from city life. The hosts were truly fantastic – so welcoming and easy to chat with, like catching up with old friends.”
Another added: “The cottage is more than just somewhere to stay, it’s the most relaxing place ever. The decor makes it so relaxing we had to force ourselves to go out. Kelvin, Liz and family are a pleasure to meet.”
Sun Travel found a seven night stay in May 2026 for £1546 which works out as £220.86 per person.
How to do the Peak District without annoying the locals
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Outside is a garden with a patio and a hot tubCredit: Sykes Cottages
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There’s a kitchen and even a piano in the cornerCredit: Sykes Cottages
However it can be more expensive with a one night stay in November 2025 being £1015 which works out at £169.16 per person.
Wincle is found just outside of Sutton near Macclesfield, where visitors can easily explore the Peak District – one of the most beautiful places in the UK.
The Peak District is well-known for being one of the prettiest places in the UK with huge hills, moors, valleys, and chocolate box villages.
The property has three bedrooms and a snug areaCredit: Sykes Cottages
For views, Jennifer said: “Head to Hen Cloud in Leek, Staffordshire, where you can see the rock formations of The Roaches — including the pretty Lud’s Church chasm and Doxey Pool, where a strange mermaid is said to live.
“You can go there for sunrise or sunset, and park for free in the bays on Roach Road. Or visit Tittesworth Reservoir, £5.50 for two to four hours of parking, and walk from there.
“This lake is a wonderful place for spotting birds and wildlife and it has a play park for children.”
Other suggestions include Coombes Valley, Padley Gorge, and ditch Matlock Bathfor the quirky village of Bonsall.
A hamlet of restored rural buildings in the Ortolo valley in Corsica reopened in June as A Mandria di Murtoli. Guests can stay in a former sheepfold, stable or barn, or one of five rooms in the main house. Three of the smaller properties have private pools, all rooms have terraces and there is a big shared pool. The buildings have been refurbished by Corsican craftspeople in a minimalist Mediterranean style, using local materials.
The neighbouring farm has also been revived around a model of subsistence farming: raising livestock, market gardening and growing traditional crops. The restaurant serves Sardinian-influenced food made with the ingredients grown on the estate and sourced from other local farms. There are just 30 seats, some on a terrace with a fire pit under olive and orange trees.
The hamlet is part of the wider Domaine de Murtoli, which has three other places to eat – a traditional Corsican restaurant, a beachfront spot and the Michelin-starred La Table de la Ferme – and offers wine-tasting. It is about 9 miles north to Sartène, an ancient hill town, a few miles south to Erbaju beach, and a little further to the fortress town of Bonifacio. Doubles from £229 B&B, amandriadimurtoli.com
Rastrello, Umbria, Italy
A meal at Rastrello in Umbria, a boutique hotel in a 500-year-old palazzo
This boutique hotel is set in the renovated remains of a 500-year-old palazzo, surrounded by its own olive groves (which are hand-raked at harvest time; rastrello means rake in Italian). The palazzo is in the medieval village of Panicale, above Lake Trasimeno. This summer, the hotel opened a new garden annex, increasing the rooms from nine to 16, plus a dipping pool and wellness area. Rooms have wooden floors, stone walls and beams; some have lake views and balconies.
The restaurant, Cucina & Giardino, serves the farm’s award-winning extra-virgin olive oil, ingredients from its organic vegetable gardens and surrounding producers, and Umbrian wines. It has a terrace overlooking the lake and its own cookbook, also featuring villagers’ recipes. Guests can take olive oil-tasting workshops and cooking classes, and go on truffle-hunting walks and wine-tasting tours. The homegrown produce is also used in the spa treatments, with scrubs made from olive oil and crushed olive stones mixed with herbs and citrus, and in herbal teas such as lavender, lemon balm and wildflowers.
Panicale has a grape festival in September. There is a 40-mile walking and cycling path around the lake, which is the fourth biggest in Italy, with cafe stops at waterfront towns such as Passignano. Perugia, the capital of Umbria, is about 35km away – it has an enormous chocolate festival in November. Doubles from £240 B&B, rastrello.com
Sibbjäns, Gotland, Sweden
Sibbjäns, on Gotland, is a foodie hotspot and has a yoga bar, outdoor gym and a natural pool. Photograph: Mike Karlsson Lundgre
This small, family-run farm on the southern tip of Gotland opened a farm‑to-fork restaurant and hotel this summer. Guests stay in the 19th-century farmhouse, which has nine bedrooms, a library, a natural pool and a garden; there are simpler rooms in the adjacent farmstead. By next summer, there will be a sauna, outdoor gym and yoga barn. Visitors can help harvest tomatoes, learn about organic growing and composting, and meet the resident rabbits, chickens, pigs and sheep.
The restaurant serves a four-course set menu year-round and an additional a la carte menu in summer, featuring the farm’s own vegetables, meat and berries, plus local cheese and seafood. Dishes might include kohlrabi with lumpfish roe and a dill and butter sauce; grilled lamb with leeks, legumes and fresh garlic; and raspberries with emmer sponge cake and marigold ice-cream.
Gotland is a foodie hotspot whose specialities include saffron pancakes with dewberry jam, black truffles and purple asparagus, and juniper-flavoured ale. There is a food festival in late September and a truffle festival each November; microbreweries and a vineyard to visit; and more excellent restaurants such as Lilla Bjers, about 4 miles (7km) south of medieval Visby, the capital. The island has sandy beaches, sea stacks, ivy forests and more than 100 nature reserves. Doubles from £210 B&B, dinner £62pp, sibbjans.se
Stone Barn, County Cork, Ireland
Breakfast at Stone Barn, a B&B with strong Nordic influences
A restored farm building near Skibbereen in West Cork is now a small B&B with two double bedrooms and a converted wagon. The co-owner, Stuart Kearney, is from Northern Ireland but trained as a chef in Stockholm and serves Nordic‑influenced Irish food. Breakfast could be freshly baked bread and pastries, porridge with whiskey-soaked prunes, and home-smoked bacon with eggs laid by his own hens. Kearney cooks a seven-course tasting menu (every night except Wednesdays and Sundays) showcasing his own vegetables and produce from neighbours and local farmers. The menu changes daily but could include Skeaghanore duck breast or miso-cured cod.
The rooms also have a Scandi style; there is a cosy sitting room with a wood burner; and a hot tub. Guests can take walks along the Sheep’s Head Way, and Kearney can recommend cycling routes. Skibbereen, a 12-minute drive away, has pubs and restaurants, a Saturday market and Fields, which opened in 1935 and is said to be the best supermarket in Ireland. Just beyond is Lough Hyne, a salt-water lake – its bioluminescent algae can be seen on a night kayaking trip. Other day trip options include nearby fishing villages such as Baltimore, which has ferries to Sherkin Island and Cape Clear Island. Doubles from £142 B&B, dinner £65pp, sawdays.co.uk
Quinta Camarena is an eco retreat that reflects its owners’ backgrounds in the visual arts
Vera and Cam Camarena have turned a farmhouse in Cercal, a coastal town in Costa Vicentina, south-west Portugal, into an eco retreat. They have backgrounds in fashion (Vera, from Porto) and photography (Cam, from Los Angeles), and the restoration looks great: original features, calming colour schemes and locally made textiles and artworks. Food and wine is part of the package – the couple serve healthy brunches and dinners made with Alentejo produce, run cheese- and jam-making workshops and cooking classes, and organise visits to artisanal bakeries, wineries, organic farms and local markets. They also run a three-night sustainable food and wine retreat, and a “not so serious” surf, yoga and wine retreat.
The newest rooms are in the forest, a few minutes’ walk away from the communal areas, and are multilevel with terraces for sunset views. There are also rooms and apartments in the old country houses; the whole property sleeps 23 (no children under 12) and is pet-friendly.
There are gardens with vegetable plots; a pool, gym, yoga studio and sauna; and hiking trails. Cercal is a short walk away, and it is a 15-minute drive to surf beaches. Lisbon is two hours by car. Doubles from £95 B&B, quintacamarena.com
Penrhiw Farm, Pembrokeshire
The farm’s four bedrooms feature furniture repurposed from London’s Dorchester hotel
Chef Alan Latter was born and raised on Penrhiw Farm, near Goodwick in north Pembrokeshire, and, after years working in hotels and restaurants, he has returned to run the farm with his partner, Philip. The 17th-century farmhouse is now a four-bedroom B&B, and there is a glamping option in a converted horsebox.
Latter cooks a Welsh breakfast every morning, and offers a fixed two-course kitchen supper every other evening (May to September; on request, October to April). Ingredients are homegrown or locally sourced, including vegetables from the garden; eggs, milk and cheese from the 80-hectare (200-acre) organic farm; and Pembrokeshire meat and seafood.
The menu changes daily – perhaps hake fillet with a herb crust, crushed peas, runner beans, pommes anna and hollandaise sauce, followed by a vanilla Basque cheesecake with blood orange and rhubarb compote. There is a small selection of wines and Welsh beers, or guests are welcome to bring their own.
The rooms are furnished with furniture repurposed from the Dorchester hotel in London, and decorated with Welsh artworks, blankets and ceramics. The big sitting room has an open fire and lots of books, there are beautiful gardens and the farm is on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Sustainable energy comes from an air-source heat pump, solar panels and a wind turbine. Doubles from £115 B&B, dinner £28pp, penrhiwfarm.co.uk
Wind turbines work at the Power County Wind Farm in Power County, Idaho. A Danish company filed suit against the Trump administration for stopping its offshore wind farm project. Photo courtesy of the Department of Energy
Sept. 4 (UPI) — A Danish wind power company filed suit against the President Donald Trump administration Thursday seeking to reverse a stop-work order on its nearly completed Revolution Wind project off the coast of New England.
Orsted and its joint venture partner Skyborn Renewables filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday, asking it to vacate the order from the U.S. Department of the Interior, saying the administration had no authority to make it.
Orsted was ordered on Aug. 22 to stop construction on Revolution Wind to “address concerns related to the protection of national security interest of the United States.” On Aug. 29, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it was cutting about $679 million in funding to 12 wind farms, calling the projects “wasteful.”
“The Project has spent billions of dollars in reliance on these valid approvals,” the filing said. “The Stop Work Order is invalid and must be set aside because it was issued without statutory authority, in violation of agency regulations and procedures and the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, and is arbitrary and capricious.”
The filing noted that the Department of Defense had already OKed the project.
The offshore wind farm is 80% complete and was expected to begin operations next year. It has 65 turbines, would have a production capacity of 704 megawatts and would give off enough power for more than 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut.
The filing said that if the company were forced to follow the stop-work order, it would “inflict devastating and irreparable harm” on Revolution Wind. The company has already spent or committed about $5 billion on the project and will incur more than $1 billion in costs if the project closes.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the wind farm would interfere with the use of U.S. territorial waters. But Orsted called it a pretext, citing Trump’s history of hating wind power.
“The president has apparent hostility towards offshore wind, including based on statements made on the campaign trail,” Orsted’s attorney told the court.
A MUM who swindled more than £75,000 in benefits to pay for a boob job and luxury holidays then turned to running an illegal puppy farm to make more cash.
Tammy Hart, 48, made at least £35,000 from her criminal farm after being released from jail for wrongly claiming tax credits to fund her plush lifestyle.
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Tammy Hart, 48, swindled more than £75,000 in benefits to pay for a boob jobCredit: WNS
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After being released from jail, she then started an illegal puppy farm to make even more cashCredit: WNS
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She was found holding 29 dogs which were cooped up in pens covered in faeces and urineCredit: WNS
Hart had also lied that she was single – when she was secretly married to the father of her two children.
A court heard she and her husband Neil Hart, 53, lived a “lavish” lifestyle after wrongly pocketing taxpayers’ money.
After being jailed for two years, she then turned back to crime, becoming an unlicensed dog breeder following her release.
Hart’s illegal puppy farm was busted, and the benefit swindler was ordered to pay more than £40,000 as a result.
The mum-of-two – then going by the name of Tammy Gunter – had already been ordered to pay back £23,358 from her benefits fiddle.
At the earlier hearing seven years ago, prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said Hart was granted tax credits by saying she was a single mother – and also made false claims for student finance and a £2,000 NHS bursary to train as a nurse.
Overall, Hart was handed £76,008.63 in tax credits between 2007 and 2016, the court heard.
She also took out a loan of £22,000 at one point for a holiday home in the US.
Mr Gobir said: “They were already in a relationship and had been living together as a family since 5 December, 1997.”
Forced to sleep next to rotting pig carcasses & left starving in faeces-smeared caravan… the puppy farm from hell that reveals true horrors of vile trade
He said Hart claimed tax credits for nine years when she was working part-time in a shop and a garage.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Hart even forged a letter purporting to be from HMRC.
Mr Gobir said: “Tammy Gunter made a claim that she was a single person working at least 16 hours per week.
“She stated that she had two children and no other income. The defendant dishonestly maintained she was single. She enjoyed a lavish lifestyle.”
Describing her false claim, Mr Gobir said: “She stated that she was separated and was a single parent with two dependent children.
“Neil Hart lied about his address to assist Tammy Gunter with the application. The total loss to the public purse in effect is £87,450.”
The DWP, HMRC and the HS Counter Fraud Service Wales began a joint investigation in January 2015 and the couple were arrested.
Hart admitted being knowingly concerned in fraudulent activity undertaken with a view to obtaining tax credits, one count of forgery and four counts of fraud.
Byron Broadstock, defending Hart, of Blackwood, South Wales, said the couple had a “tumultuous” relationship.
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Hart and her husband Neil Hart, 53, lived a ‘lavish’ lifestyle after wrongly pocketing taxpayers’ moneyCredit: WNS
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She was ordered to pay more than £40,000 after being found illegally selling the puppiesCredit: WNS
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Hart was given a suspended prison sentenced for unlicensed dog breeding and now ordered to pay back the money in a Proceeds of Crime hearingCredit: WNS
He said: “Many of the purchases that have been described as extravagant, they are out of the ordinary. They were often gestures in reconciliation.”
He said the plastic surgery “wasn’t simply for purely cosmetic reasons. It was psychological reasons.”
Hart was jailed for two years, while her husband was jailed for six months.
But when she was released she set up her dog breeding business.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard between September 2021 and May 2022 Hart had advertised 17 litters for sale, with puppies sold at upwards of £1,500 each.
She was found with 29 dogs cooped up in pens which were covered in faeces and urine. The animals were found to have serious health conditions with one puppy suffering from deformities.
Hart was given a suspended prison sentenced for unlicensed dog breeding and has been ordered to pay back the money in a Proceeds of Crime hearing.
She was sentenced to a 16-week custodial sentence suspended for 52 weeks for charges including causing unnecessary suffering to one of the 29 dogs.
She also admitted three counts of a banned practiced under The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 for not declaring selling puppies in course of business, two counts of unlicensed dog breeding and three counts of failing to look after the needs of animals.
Hart was also disqualified from dealing in all animals for a period of seven years under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Hart was ordered to pay a Confiscation Order of £35,639.43, to be paid within three months or face a custodial sentence of 12 months at Cardiff Crown Court.
She was also ordered to pay costs of £8,000, to be paid within three months after the confiscation order is paid.
Cllr Philippa Leonard, Caerphilly council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Unlicensed dog breeding is a serious matter, and it is hoped that the outcome of this case will serve as a strong deterrent to those who operate illegally.
“This case serves as a reminder of the importance of adherence with dog-breeding regulations and the necessity to obtain the required licences so that we as a council can monitor and safeguard animal welfare at dog breeding establishments.”
“Whenever possible Caerphilly County Borough Council will use the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act to deprive convicted unlicensed dog breeders of their ill-gotten gains.
“If anyone is concerned or suspicious of illegal dog breeding, please contact our Trading Standards or Licensing teams. Your information will help us tackle illegal puppy breeding in Caerphilly and will help stop animals being exploited by unscrupulous breeders.”
Construction begins on the United States’ first offshore wind farm on Block Island off the Rhode Island coast on July 27, 2015. On Friday, the Trump administration issued a stop-work order on the Revolution Wind project, also off the coast of Rhode Island, over “the protection of national security interest of the United States.” File Photo by Department of the Interior/UPI
Aug. 25 (UPI) — The Trump administration has issued a stop-work order, over national security concerns, on a nearly completed offshore wind project that would power Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Danish wind developer Orsted was ordered Friday to stop construction on its Revolution Wind offshore project to “address concerns related to the protection of national security interest of the United States,” according to the acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Matthew Giacona, who provided no additional details.
Construction on the $1.5 billion project, which is located in federal waters about 15 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, is about 80% complete with 45 of the 65 turbines installed, according to Orsted. The company’s shares dropped 17% on Monday, following the announcement.
“Orsted is evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously,” the company said. “This includes engagement with relevant permitting agencies for any necessary clarification or resolution as well as through potential legal proceedings, with the aim being to proceed with continued project construction towards a commercial operations date in the second half of 2026.”
The Trump administration’s stop-work order drew a strong response from Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat, who called it a “political move.”
“The Trump administration’s stop-work order on Revolution Wind undermines efforts to expand our energy supply, lower costs for families and businesses, and strengthen regional reliability,” McKee said.
In April, the Trump administration issued a stop-work order on the Empire Wind 1 project off New York. That project was allowed to move forward after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul negotiated a natural gas compromise.
“Americans who live in New York and New England would see significant economic benefits and lower utility costs from increased access to reliable, affordable, clean American natural gas,” Interior secretary Doug Burgum said.
Once completed in 2027, Empire Wind 1 — located off Long Island — will become the first offshore wind project to deliver electricity directly to New York City.
Throughout his campaign, President Donald Trump was clear about his opposition to wind power as he pushed for offshore fossil fuel production instead. After taking office in January, Trump signed an executive order, banning new leases for offshore wind in U.S. waters.
Snugbury’s Ice Cream Farm in Cheshire has been welcoming visitors in their thousands for its array of 55 different and fun flavoured ice creams on their farmland
The huge straw sculptures are available throughout the summer(Image: MEN)
A beloved ice cream farm renowned for its massive straw creations has unveiled fresh attractions to entertain families during the closing weeks of the summer break.
Snugbury’s, situated near Nantwich in Cheshire, has been drawing thousands of guests in recent years with their selection of flavoured ice creams, whilst installing towering 45ft wooden and straw sculptures across their farmland featuring everything from daleks to Peter Rabbit and an enormous bee.
Paddington Bear currently serves as the signature landmark towering over the farm, and this year he’s been accompanied by a fresh trail of wooden dinosaurs, located in a field that’s completely free to access.
There are 55 different ice cream flavours available at the farm(Image: MEN)
This week, the farm also revealed that its sunflower field has now reached full bloom – allowing guests to wander through, capture photographs and marvel at the stunning bright yellow flowers, reports the Manchester Evening News.
At the trail’s conclusion you can also purchase a single stem for £1.50 or a bundle of five sunflowers for £5, with £2.50 from each bundle donated to their chosen charity.
The “Snug-o-Saurus” dinosaur trail has already proved popular with younger guests and families, where you can stroll through a wildflower meadow and discover an assortment of wooden versions of the prehistoric creatures.
The dinosaur trail and the sunflower field is available throughout the summer(Image: MEN)
You can spot a triceratops, stegosaurus, a baby dinosaur and its enormous egg alongside the terrifying T-Rex which is sure to be the biggest draw for dinosaur enthusiasts. After a stroll through the dinosaur trails, visitors are greeted by an enormous Paddington Bear – Snugbury’s largest sculpture to date.
The beloved bear is donned in his iconic blue jacket, tipping his hat and carrying a suitcase. Visitors can wander around Paddington at the ice cream farm before returning to the starting point where a pop-up cafe serves coffees, milkshakes for £5, small tubs of ice cream for £3.70 and soft serve cones for £3.30.
You can also go and visit the huge 45ft Paddington Bear sculpture(Image: Tim Jervis)
For those wanting to sample the full range of tantalising flavours that Snugbury’s offers, they can continue on to the main ice cream parlour on site.
Here, a daily rotation of some 55 flavours awaits, with options ranging from marmalade, lavender and honey, raspberry pavlova, caramelised banana, snugtella, battenburg, pistachio, turkish delight, as well as more traditional flavours like strawberry, chocolate, vanilla and mango and lemon sorbet.
The family-run farm also contributes to charitable causes throughout the summer, with half the proceeds from every sunflower bunch sold going to Freddie’s Army charity this year, which raises funds for research into children with the genetic disorder MPS, with donations encouraged.
Snugbury’s ice cream business was established in 1986 at Park Farm by Chris and Cheryl Sadler, who began making ice cream with a mixer in their kitchen.
Spotting dinosaurs along the trail is all part of the fun(Image: MEN)
The business was taken over by the Sadler’s daughters, Kitty, Cleo and Hannah, eight years ago, who have since expanded the business by an impressive 60-70%. The shop proudly displays a ’55 pan display’ of flavours, with their double cone being the most popular item.
Snugburys can be found on the A51 in Hurleston, just outside Nantwich in Cheshire. The snug-o-sauraus dino trail is open every day from 10am to 6pm, and even well-behaved dogs are welcome, provided they’re kept on leads.
Our Yorkshire Farm’s Amanda Owen was faced with extreme weather
Channel 4 broadcast a repeat episode of Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids on Saturday evening.
The episode, which originally aired earlier this year from the second series, showed the farm facing harsh weather conditions as it became blanketed in snow, with the family struggling to safeguard their expectant sheep spread across the hillsides.
Clive expressed his worries about the snow, saying: “January and February were funny months, and anything can happen. That Beast from the East was quite nasty, the kids were little and we had no electric for a week.”
He continued: “You know, everybody gets a little bit of snow, but it can be absolutely unbelievable here, and you’ve got to be careful, otherwise it’ll have you out of business.”
Amanda shared her thoughts on the bitter snow conditions: “When that snow hits, it can be exhausting. It can be exhausting mentally and physically. Day one, day two, yeah, it is fun, day four, five, six, seven, and beyond, it is a real test.”, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Further into the programme, Amanda made a frank confession about farming, particularly during severe weather conditions.
Channel 4 aired a repeated episode of Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids on Saturday night(Image: Channel 4)
Whilst caring for the horses, she revealed: “On a day like today, when you see that light shine through the window and you know that it’s icy and snowy out there, you don’t pull the duvet over your head; you’re like, ‘Let me at it’.”
She pondered: “Because that’s what you have to do. And I always think to myself, ‘the day that you don’t want to do that, you’ve got to quit’.”
Initially hitting our screens in 2018, Our Yorkshire Farm showcased the extraordinary way of life of Clive and Amanda Owen with their nine youngsters at their remote sheep farm in Yorkshire.
Amanda and Clive are mum and dad to nine children: Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Annas, Clementine, and Nancy. The beloved documentary programme concluded in 2022 after Amanda and Clive’s split.
The episode, which aired earlier this year from the second season, saw the farm face extreme weather as it was covered in snow(Image: Channel 4)
Continuing to enchant viewers, the Owens have made a comeback with the following instalment of their journey in Our Farm Next Door, following the family’s escapades as they restore a period farmhouse situated in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales countryside.
The 1800s dwelling sits in Swaledale close to Ravenseat Farm and bears the name Anty John in honour of a previous occupant called Anthony John Clarkson.
In the final instalment of series two, Amanda gathered the entire brood to unveil the most recent progress in their continuing restoration project following 20 months of grafting, highlighting “how far we’ve got and how far we’ve got to go”.
Our Farm Next Door is available to watch on All 4.
I sank into Randy Carter’s comfy couch, excited to see the Hollywood veteran’s magnum opus.
Around the first floor of his Glendale home were framed photos and posters of films the 77-year-old had worked on during his career. “Apocalypse Now.” “The Godfather II.” “The Conversation.”
What we were about to watch was nowhere near the caliber of those classics — and Carter didn’t care.
Footage of a school bus driving through dusty farmland began to play. The title of the nine-minute sizzle reel Carter produced in 1991 soon flashed: “Boy Wonders.”
The plot: White teenage boys in the 1960s gave up a summer of surfing to heed the federal government’s call. Their assignment: Pick crops in the California desert, replacing Mexican farmworkers.
“That’s the stupidest, dumbest, most harebrained scheme I’ve heard in my life,” a farmer complained to a government official in one scene, a sentiment studio executives echoed as they rejected Carter’s project as too far-fetched.
But it wasn’t: “Boy Wonders” was based on Carter’s life.
Randy Carter’s collection of historical photos and other memorabilia of A-TEAM, a 1965 program that sought to recruit high school athletes to pick crops during the summer.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
In 1965, the U.S. Department of Labor launched A-TEAM — Athletes in Temporary Employment as Agricultural Manpower — with the goal of recruiting 20,000 high school athletes to harvest summer crops. The country was facing a dire farmworker shortage because the bracero program, which provided cheap legal labor from Mexico for decades, had ended the year before.
Sports legends such as Sandy Koufax, Rafer Johnson and Jim Brown urged teen jocks to join A-TEAM because “Farm Work Builds Men!” as one ad stated. But only about 3,000 made it to the fields. One of them was a 17-year-old Carter.
He and about 18 classmates from University of San Diego High spent six weeks picking cantaloupes in Blythe. The fine hairs on the fruits ripped through their gloves within hours. It was so hot that the bologna sandwiches the farmers fed their young workers for lunch toasted in the shade. They slept in rickety shacks, used communal bathrooms and showered in water that “was a very nice shade of brown,” Carter remembered with a laugh.
They were the rare crew that stuck it out. Teens quit or went on strike across the country to protest abysmal work conditions. A-TEAM was such a disaster that the federal government never tried it again, and the program was considered so ludicrous that it rarely made it into history books.
“I used to joke that I’ve written a story for the ages, because we’ll never solve the problem of labor,” Carter said. “I could be dead, and my great-grandkids could easily shop it around.”
I wrote about Carter’s experience in 2018 for an NPR article that went viral. It still bubbles up on social media any time a politician suggests that farm laborers are easily replaceable — like last month, when Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that “able-bodied adults on Medicaid” could pick crops, instead of immigrants.
From journalists to teachers, people are reaching out to Carter anew to hear his picaresque stories from 50 years ago — like the time he and his friends made a wrong turn in Blythe and drove into the barrio, where “everyone looked at us like we were specimens” but was nice about it.
“They are dying to see white kids tortured,” Carter cracked when I asked him why the saga fascinates the public. “They want to see these privileged teens work their asses off. Wouldn’t you?”
But he doesn’t see the A-TEAM as one giant joke — it’s one of the defining moments of his life.
An old photo belonging to Randy Carter shows, seated at bottom right, his boss at the time, Francis Ford Coppola. “Everyone in this photo won an Academy Award except me,” Carter said.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Carter moved to San Diego his sophomore year of high school. He always took summer jobs at the insistence of his working-class Irish mother. When the feds made their pitch in the spring of 1965, “there wasn’t exactly a rush to the sign-up table,” Carter recalled. What’s more, coaches at his school, known at University High, forbade their athletes to join. But he and his pals thought it would be the domestic version of the Peace Corps.
“You’re a teenager and think, ‘What the hell are we going to do this summer?’” he said. “Then, ‘What the hell. If nothing else, we’ll go into town every night. We’ll meet some girls. We’ll get cowboys to buy us beer.’” “
Carter paused for dramatic effect. “No.”
The University High crew was trained by a Mexican foreman “who in retrospect must have hated us because we were taking the jobs of his family.” They worked six days a week for minimum wage — $1.40 an hour at the time — and earned a nickel for every crate filled with about 30 to 36 cantaloupes.
“Within two days, we thought, ‘This is insane,’” he said. “By the third day, we wanted to leave. But we stayed, because it became a thing of honor.”
Nearly everyone returned to San Diego after the six-week stint, although a couple of guys went to Fresno and “became legendary in our group because they could stand to do some more. For the rest of us, we did it, and we vowed never to do anything like that as long as we live. Somehow, the beach seemed a little nicer that summer.”
Carter’s wife, Janice, walked in. I asked how important A-TEAM was to her husband.
She rolled her eyes the way only a wife of 53 years could.
“He talks about it almost every week,” she said as Randy beamed. “It’s like an endless loop.”
University High’s A-TEAM squad went on to successful careers as doctors, lawyers, businessmen. They regularly meet for reunions and talk about those tough days in Blythe, which Carter describes “as the intersection of hell and Earth.”
As the issue of immigrant labor became more heated in American politics, the guys realized they had inadvertently absorbed an important lesson all those decades ago.
Before A-TEAM, Carter said, his idea of how crops were picked was that “somehow it got done, and they [Mexican farmworkers] somehow disappeared.”
“But when we now thought about Mexicans, we realized we only had to do it for six weeks,” he continued. “These guys do it every day, and they support a family. We became sympathetic, to a man. When people say bad things about Mexicans, we always say, ‘Don’t even go there, because you don’t know what you’re talking about.’”
Carter’s experience picking cantaloupes solidified his liberal leanings. So did the time he tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in 1969 during Operation Intercept, a Nixon administration initiative that required the Border Patrol to search nearly every car.
The stated purpose was to crack down on marijuana smuggling. Instead, Carter said, it created an hours-long wait and “businesses on both sides of the border were furious.”
In college, Carter cheered the efforts of United Farm Workers and kept tabs on the fight to ban el cortito, the short-handled hoes that wore down the bodies of California farmworkers for generations until a state bill banned them in 1975.
By then, he was working as a “junior, junior, junior” assistant to Francis Ford Coppola. Once he built enough of a resume in Hollywood — where he would become a longtime first assistant director on “Seinfeld,” among many credits — Carter wrote his “Boy Wonders” script, which he described as “‘Dead Poets Society’ meets ‘Cool Hand Luke.’”
It was optioned twice. Henry Winkler’s production company was interested for a bit. So was Rhino Records’ film division, which explains why the soundtrack features boomer classics from the Byrds, Bob Dylan and Motown. But no one thought audiences would buy Carter’s straightforward premise.
One executive suggested it would be more believable if the high schoolers ran over someone on prom night and became crop pickers to hide from the cops. Another suggested exploding toilets to funny up the action.
“The mantra in Hollywood is, ‘Do something you know about,’” he said. “But that was the curse of it not getting made — because no one else knew about it!”
Colorado River water irrigates a farm field in Blythe in 2021.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Carter continues to share his experience, because “as a weak-kneed progressive, I always fancied we could change the situation … and that some sense of fair play could bubble up. I’m still walking up that road, but it seems more distant.”
A few weeks ago, federal immigration agents raided the car wash he frequents.
“You don’t even have to rewrite stories from years ago,” he said. “You could just reprint them, because nothing changes.”
I asked what he thought about MAGA’s push to replace migrant farmworkers with American citizens.
“It’s like saying, ‘I’m going to go to Dodger Stadium, grab someone from the third row of the mezzanine section, and they can play the violin at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.’ OK, you can do that, but it’s not going to work,” he said. “I don’t get why they don’t try to solve the problem of fair conditions and inadequate pay — why is that never an option?”
What about a reboot of A-TEAM?
“It could work,” Carter replied. “I was with a group of guys that did it!”
Then he considered how it might play out today.
“If Taylor Swift said it was great, you’d get people. Would they last? If they had decent accommodations and pay, maybe. But it would never happen with Trump. His solution is, ‘You don’t pay decent wages, you get desperate people.’”
He laughed again.
“Here’s a crazy program from the 1960s that’s not off the map in 2025. We’re still debating the issue. Am I crazy, or is the world crazy?”
The farm shop is in the news again this week because US vice president JD Vance arrived with a huge entourage of security and police — I visited earlier this summer and one thing was glaring long before I got inside
Steffan Rhys Deputy Content Hub Director
14:20, 13 Aug 2025Updated 14:21, 13 Aug 2025
I went to the UK’s poshest farm shop — the first thing I noticed wasn’t the food(Image: Steffan Rhys )
I’ve never been anywhere quite like this — it’s got to be the poshest farm shop anywhere in Britain. Nestled in the middle of the stunningly beautiful Cotswolds countryside, Daylesford Organic sells hampers for £690.
The manicured shelves feature £36 honey, £10 chocolate and cashew butter sourdough cookies, £175 tablecloths, £40 mushroom coffee and a £23 “immunity formula”.
Outside, a beautiful garden centre displays £1,600 garden dining furniture and £1,000 trees. Walking around it in the sunshine was one of the highlights of my summer. The whole place is gorgeous — and the customers (and their dogs) are as meticulous and beautifully presented as the shop. I came away with a bag full of Isle of Wight tomatoes (the best I’ve ever tasted) and a lavender bush which cost £20.
Daylesford Organic has made headlines for its prices in the past. But it’s back in the news this week because the US vice president, JD Vance, called in. Donald Trump’s second-in-command is in the Cotswolds for a holiday with his family and footage shows his huge entourage of security and police at the farm shop and in the surrounding lanes on Monday. He reportedly spent hours there.
But on my visit, the first thing that struck me wasn’t the food or the prices. It was the cars in the car park. I immediately spotted two Ferraris, several Porsches and too many Range Rovers to count. Right outside the front door was a white Ferrari with a number plate reading “cash”. I parked my car in a distant corner of the car park and then did my best not to look too gobsmacked as I walked around.
I went to the ‘poshest’ farm shop in England and the first thing I noticed wasn’t the food(Image: Steffan Rhys)
A white Ferrari in the car park with a number plate reading “cash”(Image: Steffan Rhys)
But this level of ostentatious wealth isn’t surprising when you consider the area. The farm shop is around halfway between Chipping Norton and Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, every inch of which belongs on a postcard. People who call this area home include the Beckhams, David and Samantha Cameron, Mike and Zara Tindall, Princess Anne, Kate Moss, Ellen DeGeneres, Simon Cowell, Richard E Grant and many, many more.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are among the many A-listers who call the Cotswolds home(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for RH)
David and Victoria Beckham also live in the Cotswolds(Image: Getty Images)
Zara and Mike Tindall also live there, as does Princess Anne(Image: Getty Images)
Jeremy Clarkson has made it even more famous with his huge Amazon Prime Video hit Clarkson’s Farm, on which you’ll see sweeping drone-shot views of the sunlit countryside and farmland. I’ve been to his (very different) farm shop too, which you can read about here, as well as his sensational pub, which you can read about here.
And the farm shop itself was founded in 2002 by Lady Carole Bamford, whose husband is JCB founder Lord Anthony Bamford. The couple are said to have a joint fortune of £9.45bn, making them comfortably one of the very wealthiest people in the UK. Earlier this summer, Lady Bamford was pictured alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla at Ascot Racecourse. The Bamfords own several prize-winning horses, including one bought for £1.4 million.
Lady Carole Bamford (far left) with Ascot race-goers including King Charles and Camilla this summer(Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Carole Bamford started Daylesford with ‘a handful of fields’ and ‘a desire to make a difference’(Image: PA)
Walking around the shop and its outdoor garden centre, I enjoyed trying to figure out if I recognised some of the more glamorous customers (I didn’t). But visitors this week would have had no trouble figuring out who the most famous customer was, given the convoy of black SUVs he arrived with.
Locals in the Cotswolds have likened the security lockdown around Vance’s holiday to the Men in Black as roads, footpaths and village lanes were blocked.
There were rows of black SUVs at the farm shop for Vance’s visit(Image: SWNS)
Nearby roads were closed off by police and locals were spoken to – they compared it to Men in Black(Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)
One said: “Stopped off at a farm shop…so did JD Vance. Security everywhere.” Another said: “There were a few American SUVs and then loads of Mercedes. And a full police riot van and about three police motorbikes. “Because of this, there are loads of police everywhere at the moment – normally, you’d never see a police car around here.”
One local said: “You do seem to get a few political celebrities round here – Kamala Harris has been, David Cameron lives around here, and Boris Johnson often comes. I go to Daylesford Organic most days with my kids. It’s not often you see a presidential motorcade here though!”
There was a protest against Vance in the area this week(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
I’d go most days myself if I could and am certainly looking forward to my next visit. It would have been wonderful if Cotswolds farm shop rival Clarkson had decided to pop in at the same time to check out the competition. He has described Vance as “a bearded God-botherer who pretty much thinks that women who’ve been raped should be forced to have the resultant child”.
Clarkson, whose Diddly Squat Farm Shop is no more than a mile from the vice-president’s fortress-like holiday mansion, also said: “I’ve searched for the right word to describe him and I think it’s ‘t**t’.”
Oh well, I still hope Vance, who has also said the UK is a “truly Islamist” country, enjoyed his visit as much as I did. At least he could probably afford to buy a bit more than I could.
One of California’s largest agricultural employers plans to close a Central Valley grape nursery by the end of the year after laying off hundreds of employees, including many supportive of a United Farm Workers effort to unionize the workforce.
Wonderful Co., owned by billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick, plans to shut down the majority of the nursery in Wasco, northwest of Bakersfield, and donate the farm to UC Davis, representatives for the company and the university confirmed this week.
The move comes as Wonderful Nurseries remains locked in a battle with the UFW after the union last year petitioned to represent workers growing grapevines, using a new state “card check” law that made it easier for organizers to sign up workers. Company officials said their decision was unrelated to that.
“The decision to wind down Wonderful Nurseries was purely a business decision and in no way, shape or form related to our ongoing litigation with the UFW or the fraud so many farm workers reported by the union,” Wonderful Co. spokesman Seth Oster said.
In February, Wonderful Nurseries President Rob C. Yraceburu said in an email to employees that the state’s agricultural industry has seen tens of thousands of orchard and vineyard acres abandoned or removed. The table and wine grape industry is in a major downturn, meaning nurseries such as theirs have seen “significantly decreased sales and record losses, with no expectation of a turnaround anytime soon.”
Yet some labor experts and Wonderful employees are questioning the timing of the layoffs, which started just five months after the UFW won a key legal victory in its effort to organize the workforce.
Victor Narro, a labor studies professor at UCLA, said the closure and donation to UC Davis should be scrutinized.
“The question is, what’s the reason they’re doing it?” he said. “Is it really, in the end, to avoid unionization of the workforce? Or is it really that they’re making a sound financial decision?”
The UFW has not directly accused the Resnicks of retaliating against workers supportive of the union by closing the farm. But it has raised questions about the timing of both the layoffs and this week’s confirmation the nursery would be closed.
The entrance to Wonderful Nurseries on March 25, 2024, in Wasco, Calif.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
At its seasonal peak, the 1,400-acre nursery employs about 600 workers who would have been part of the bargaining unit, but now only 20 still work at the facility, said Elizabeth Strater, director of strategic campaigns for the union. Overall, about 100 employees now work there, according to the company.
Yraceburu told employees there will be a phasedown in shutting the grape nursery. Workers, including those employed by farm labor contractors, will have an opportunity to apply for other Wonderful worksites, he said. A company spokesman said no other Wonderful farm is facing a similar reduction in workforce.
The nursery has been operating at a significant loss for several years, Oster said, but he did not say for how long or just how much it has lost.
It was not immediately clear whether UC Davis will recognize the farmworkers union once the university takes control of the nursery.
In a statement, UC Davis spokesperson Bill Kisliuk said the university is grateful for the gift, which includes the Wasco facility combined with a $5-million startup donation. The university will form an implementation committee to plan the use of the facility, Kisliuk said.
Although the university has a long history of respecting labor agreements, he said, the academic use of the site will be significantly different from the current commercial operation.
“This gift expands and builds upon one of the world’s leading agricultural research programs and will catalyze discovery and innovation,” he said. “We look forward to working with the Wonderful Company to successfully transfer the Wasco facilities and property to the University later this year.”
The Resnicks are big donors to state politicians and charities, but their philanthropy has been the target of recent union organizing efforts. In late July, UFW and other labor organizers gathered outside the Hammer Museum, the recipient of more than $30 million in donations from the Resnicks, who have a building named after them. The gathering came after the union released a video that appeared to show a Wonderful employee paying other workers to participate in an anti-union protest.
In the video, the worker, who has been a forefront anti-union advocate and has organized protests, is seen handing out $100 bills from the trunk of a car and encouraging workers to sign a sheet. In a separate video, she can be heard saying that she was directed to first feed everyone, hand out $100 and then they would receive an additional $50.
The unedited versions of the videos were shown during a hearing before an administrative law judge for the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board, where Wonderful Co. has challenged the UFW’s petition to represent the nursery employees. The board oversees collective bargaining for farmworkers in the state and also investigates charges of unfair labor practices.
Wonderful Nurseries in Wasco.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Now that Wonderful is closing its Wasco grape nursery, it is unclear what will happen in the proceedings, because there will soon be no workers to unionize. But the board could issue a ruling that would affect future disputes.
The UFW and Wonderful Co. have traded accusations over the last year: The company accused the union of using $600 in COVID-19 federal relief funds to trick farmworkers into signing the authorization cards. The company submitted nearly 150 signed declarations from nursery workers saying they had not understood that by signing the cards they were voting to unionize.
The UFW has rejected those accusations and, with the video, is suggesting that workers were paid to protest against the unionization effort at the height of the back-and-forth a year ago.
Rosa M. Silva, a Wonderful Nurseries worker for the last six years, said tensions have long been running high at the nursery, with some co-workers saying they don’t have a right to ask for raises or benefits. She said she believes that the company would rather shut down the nursery to avoid negotiating with them, a claim that Wonderful has forcefully rejected.
In July, Silva took a day off work and rallied outside the Hammer Museum. Protesters handed out fliers that read: “Tell Wonderful Company’s billionaire owners: Respect the farm workers. Stop spending money fighting the United Farm Workers.”
“This is my message to the Resnicks: if you can give millions to this art museum, which a majority of your workers will never visit, why can’t you also pay your workers something fair?” she said at the protest. “If you care so much about being respected by artists and lovers of art, why can’t you respect the people who plant, grow and harvest the products you sell?”
The UFW filed its petition with the labor board in February last year, asserting that a majority of the 600-plus farmworkers at Wonderful Nurseries in Wasco had signed the authorization cards and asking that the UFW be certified as their union representative.
At the time, it appeared to be the UFW’s third victorious unionization drive in a matter of months — following diminishing membership rates over the last several years.
Under the law, a union can organize farmworkers by inviting them to sign authorization cards at off-site meetings without notifying their employer. Under the old rules, farmworkers voted on union representation by secret ballot at a polling site designated by the state labor board, typically on employer property. The state law has since revitalized the union’s organizing efforts, and it has gone on to organize other farms.
Wonderful has sued the state to stop the card-check law. A ruling by a Kern County Superior Court judge that found the certification process under the card-check law as “likely unconstitutional” was superseded in October by an appellate court, which is still reviewing the case.
Ana Padilla, executive director of the UC Merced Community and Labor Center, said the Central Valley has been blanketed with anti-union messaging ever since the passage of the card-check law.
She also questioned the timing of shutting down the Wasco nursery. “Layoffs, store closures and offloading organized worksites are all part of the anti-unionism playbook,” she said.
This article is part of The Times’ equity reporting initiative,funded by the James Irvine Foundation, exploring the challenges facing low-income workers and the efforts being made to addressCalifornia’s economic divide.
Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson has turned his countryside escapades into a hit TV series – but he has confessed he is still very clueless about some agricultural practices
22:50, 20 Jul 2025Updated 22:51, 20 Jul 2025
Jeremy Clarkson has admitted he still has a lot to learn about farming(Image: AMAZON)
Jeremy Clarkson may be reaching new levels of fame thanks to his hit documentary series about his Oxfordshire farm – but he has admitted there are aspects of farming that he is still completely clueless about, despite working the land for years.
The 65-year-old TV star previously enjoyed fame as a host of Top Gear on the BBC – before departing the show under a cloud of shame after he punched a producer behind-the-scenes. He then launched rival car show The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime – however this success has been eclipsed by his hugely popular agricultural series, Clarkson’s Farm.
The show follows Jeremy as he endures trials and triumphs as he tries to make a living from his farm – which he named Diddly Squat as he has struggled to make sizeable sales from his crops. But the star appears to be enjoying his challenges – and has even become a spokesperson of British farming, and has turned on the current Labour government over changes to tax rules that risk decimating the UK farming industry.
Jezza has been learning as he goes – and admits there are still many aspects of farming he cannot understand. In a recent column, he explained that he can be confused by the industry – including how animals are turned into food after they are sent to the slaughterhouse.
He writes in the Sunday Times Magazine: “It’s nigh on impossible to deduce which bits are used to make steaks and which are for mincing and whether that bulbous-looking thing is incredibly tasty or a bowel.”
The Amazon Prime show has been airing since 2021(Image: PRIME VIDEO)
He continued: “But by far and away the most difficult thing would be turning my wheat into bread. This is something that has fascinated me for years because how on earth did anyone figure it out?”
As well as running his farm, Jeremy has opened his Diddly Squat Farm Shop where he sells his home-grown products to the public. And more recently he opened a pub called The Farmer’s Dog – which is a short trip from his farmland.
Clarkson’s Farm has been on the air since 2021 and has proved to be a surprise hit for Amazon. The show, now in it’s fourth season and with a fifth on the way, has won over TV fans who have admitted they have become unexpectedly emotional while watching the show.
Clarkson’s Farm fans have admitted they find the series unexpectedly emotional(Image: PRIME VIDEO)
The r/ClarksonsFarm Reddit page has swelled in contributors since the show began – with many fans heading there to review episodes online.
And fans have not shied away from confessing they have been moved to tears by the show. One poster admitted: “I have, like many others, only known Jeremy from Top Gear and Grand Tour, and I’ve always perceived him as this cocky character whom I also find funny of course.
“I expected him to be the same way when I started watching Clarkson’s Farm. But I am more than surprised with how big his heart is!” The fan went on to share their favourite moment from the show, a scene which many have praised as one of Clarkson’s Farm’s very best parts.
The fan adds: “He is so interested and humble (to a certain degree with Kaleb). He cares so much for the animals and even though it’s sad, I love seeing how deeply it hurts for both him and Lisa when they send them to the butchers or they die.
“He sees farming from such a wide perspective and he uses his screen time well to enlighten us non-farmers about the unknown reality of this hardcore profession in an interactive manner. I just love watching it! I just saw the episode of season three where Kaleb gets frustrated over the bad crops and how much work that goes into it. I must admit I teared up a bit.”
A sixth season is also expected to be filmed following the release of season six – although Jeremy has previously hinted the crew behind the cameras will take a long break after the fifth season before filming the sixth.
July 10 (UPI) — Federal agents clashed with demonstrators during an immigration enforcement operation in an agricultural area of southern California on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a Ventura County cannabis growing operation where some protesters were facing off with agents who threw smoke canisters toward a gathering crowd of demonstrators. Federal immigration agents formed a line across the street.
The agents presumably were ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, agents, but there has been no reported confirmation.
The clash took place at a 5.5-million-square-foot indoor marijuana growing operation called Glass House Farms.
“We were speaking our mind like we can as U.S. citizens,” local media quoted one demonstrators as saying. “We got tear gassed. I got hit with a paintball,” one demonstrator said. “This is what we need to be doing as people — coming together against them, the tyranny. They are evil.”
The altercation escalated when one of the demonstrators was seen firing what appeared to be a gun and throwing rocks toward agents after the agents deployed tear gas canisters, local media reported. Witnesses said at least one person was taken to the ground by federal agents.
There were no reported injuries Thursday afternoon.
June 24 (UPI) — President Donald Trump‘s decision to target farm workers in immigration raids has advocates sounding the alarm that the U.S. food supply is at risk.
Trump changed direction on his deportation plans, shifting from avoiding farms, restaurants and the hospitality industry to a “no safe spaces” approach. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, clarified the directions given for raids in a statement to UPI.
“The president has been incredibly clear. There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” McLaughlin said. “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safe guard [sic] public safety, national security and economic stability. These operations target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation.”
McLaughlin and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to follow-up questions.
About half of the hired agricultural workforce working on crop farms lack legal immigration status, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. More than 80% are considered “settled” workers, meaning they continually work in a single location within 75 miles of their home.
It is not only undocumented workers who are worried about being detained, Ron Estrada, CEO of the nonprofit advocacy organization Farmworker Justice, told UPI. Legally authorized workers and citizens have been swept up in the raids as well.
“That is something that is absolutely unacceptable in this day and age in our country,” Estrada said. “We’re at the point where people are not risking being detained or arrested so they’re not showing up for work.”
Antonio De Loera-Brust, spokesperson for United Farm Workers, told UPI that most immigrant workers continue going to work despite their fears.
“They cannot afford not to, given the shameful poverty and low wages farm workers endure,” he said. “The workers who feed America should not have to go to work afraid they won’t come home.”
Enforcement activities have been prevalent in California’s Coachella Valley and Ventura County, disrupting grape, lemon, strawberry and date operations, according to De Loera-Brust. The citrus harvest in Kern County, Calif., early in the year was also affected by a wave of deportations.
ICE reported detaining more than 100 people in Tallahassee, Fla., during a raid on May 29. The raid took place at a construction site where immigrants from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Honduras were arrested.
“These types of enforcement actions aim to eliminate illegal employment, holding employers accountable and protecting employment opportunities for America’s lawful workforce,” Nicholas Ingegno, assistant special agent with ICE Homeland Security Investigations, said in a statement.
Nebraska has also faced large raids, including the raid of a meat-packing plant in Omaha where more than 70 people were detained. The Nebraska Alliance for Thriving Communities said in a statement that the Trump administration’s detention and removal policy has “sent harmful ripple effects” across the state.
“From our many perspectives and thousands of conversations across the state, we know the current situation is unsustainable. We have tens of thousands of unfilled jobs of all types in our state,” the statement said. “These events — and their overwhelming impact on people and workplaces — are symptoms of a broader 40-year policy failure by Congress to update our federal immigration laws.”
Carmen Martinez, deputy policy director for Centro de los Derechos del Migrante Inc., told UPI that the raids can have a chilling effect on workers reporting abuse in the workplace, such as wage theft, discrimination and unsafe working environments.
“Folks who are reluctant to come in because they’re afraid they’re going to be the next target for deportation are also hesitant to speak about any issues they experience in the workplace,” Martinez said. “Because folks need to make a living these folks will be putting up with a lot more abuses.”
Martinez said in the agriculture industry there is a large share of workers who are undocumented while many others are working under the H-2A temporary agricultural workers program.
“We’ll all be for worse,” Martinez said of the effects of continuing raids. “If folks who are putting food on our table don’t feel safe going to work it’s going to have a huge impact. And scrupulous employers will continue to abuse their workers.”
The loss of even a portion of the migrant workforce will be difficult to replace, according to Estrada. Many of the positions filled by immigrants of all statuses are jobs that other Americans will not take. These are also jobs that cannot be automated.
“There’s been discussion of mechanization replacing these workers. It will never fully replace human hands,” Estrada said. “Especially in our specialty crops. Farmworkers are still very much needed because the crops that require handpicking like tomatoes, you don’t want to bruise the harvest. The reality is you still need these hands, these skilled labor workers to come in and do the work.”
With an unknown number of migrant workers being removed from the workforce, the nation’s food supply will be directly affected.
“Eventually we will see prices increase. We’re going to have some consumer shock,” Estrada said. “After prices continue to go up there is going to be a decrease in availability of some fresh fruits and vegetables. That is going to be the result of farms closing because of the impact of labor issues and having a lack of workforce. Then we lose that production.”
Those who remain on the job will not be able to make up for lost production, Estrada added.
“If you remove 50% of the workforce, you can imagine what the other 50% is going to go through,” he said. “They can’t double their hours. They’re already maximizing the time they’re on the fields. This is something that requires a permanent solution.”
Harriet Cowan has been a huge hit with fans of Clarkson’s Farm, with many praising the 24-year-old’s passion for farming and her dedication to show how women can thrive in male-dominant industries
15:22, 20 Jun 2025Updated 15:40, 20 Jun 2025
Fans want Harriet back on Clarkson’s Farm(Image: Amazon Prime)
Harriet Cowan, the fresh face on ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, has spilled the beans on her romantic life. People have been curious about the 24-year-old’s life off-screen ever since she appeared on the Amazon Prime show.
Joining the latest series, Harriet has been a major help to ex-‘Top Gear’ host Jeremy Clarkson at Diddly Squat Farm, particularly when fan-favourite Kaleb Cooper headed off to work on various projects across the UK.
Viewers have been cheering for nurse turned farm worker, marvelling at her passion for rural living and ambition to demonstrate that ‘girly girls’ like her can handle tractors and livestock as competently as her male counterparts.
Nevertheless, her time on the programme was short-lived because of Kaleb’s return, which left her new-found fans yearning for more. Yet, her online video shares let followers stay tuned into her daily adventures, drawing in millions of views.
Then, last night [June 19], Harriet dropped a bit of personal news on her TikTok page as she introduced her beau James Booth to followers. A recent cosy snapshot was shared alongside a throwback pic from their teen days at 18.
Clarkson’s Farm star Harriet Cowan has sent out a message to viewers(Image: Prime Video)
Harriet expressed: “From party teenagers in 2018, to mid-to-late 20s in 2025 and like to be in bed before 10. I hope I get to this life with you forever.”
Harriet and her beau James, who is said to be a third-generation farmer, first crossed paths at a Young Farmer’s meeting. Harriet often gives her followers a peek into their life together via social media.
In one of her recent posts, she shared a clip of James behind the wheel of a tractor, hinting that he is four years her senior. In another post, she mused: “The ‘butterfly effect’ is crazy because if I didn’t join Young Farmers we’d never have met.”
She continued: “YFC gave me my whole life and for that I will be forever grateful!” Harriet also urged others to consider joining community groups, promising they will “meet the greatest people”.
Her followers were delighted to see the couple together. One commented: “Wishing you both eternal happiness,” while another added: “You two are so cute,”.
One follower, who has been in a relationship for a similar duration, shared: “Me and my partner begun our relationship in 2018 too! 7 years, 1 dog, 2 kids and two homes later, we made it.”
Some fans hinted at wedding bells, too. One joked: “Buddy needs to put a ring on your finger.” And another cheekily asked: “When’s the wedding?.”
Aside from her love life, Harriet has been concentrating on her own business since her stint on the show. Recently, she directed her 493,000 Instagram followers to her new contracting page, Cowan Contracting.
The description of the page reads: “Cowan Contracting ~ family business. Eddy Cowan / Harriet Cowan. Contracting needs over Derbyshire. Based in Belper.”
However, fans hope she’ll leave some time to come back to our screens. After the new Clarkson’s Farm episodes aired, one fan begged: “Harriet was amazing, brought so much to the show, please bring her back.”
Another commented: “Please bring Harriet back, she was a fantastic addition.” And a third chimed in with praise, saying: “Thought she was such a hard worker, bless her.”
