Jeremy Clarkson has praised his farmhand Kaleb Cooper for “taking it like a man” after receiving a stern dressing down over a wildlife mishap on Diddly Squat Farm. Clarkson, who purchased the thousand-acre Oxfordshire farm in 2008, took over farming duties himself in 2019, documenting his challenges on the popular Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm.
The show has won hearts by showcasing Jeremy’s inspired yet novice efforts, supported by his partner Lisa Hogan and a dedicated team, including experienced farmhand Kaleb Cooper. Kaleb’s agricultural expertise has proven invaluable for Clarkson, who has had to learn the ropes quickly.
Recently, Jeremy enlisted local bird expert and parish councillor Hannah Bourne-Taylor to help monitor and improve bird habitats on the farm. Although Jeremy planted wildflower strips and bird-friendly flowers to encourage wildlife, he noticed neighboring farms were doing even more to protect birds.
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Concern arose when Kaleb began cutting grass fields to produce hay for the cows’ winter feed. Hannah was alarmed to find that baby skylarks were nesting in those fields and at risk of being harmed. According to Jeremy’s account in the Sunday Times Magazine, Hannah confronted Kaleb, saying: “He’s mincing all the baby skylarks. They’re in their nests and too young to fly off.”
Kaleb accepted the rebuke professionally and explained that if he delayed cutting until the skylarks fledged, the grass would spoil and be useless for hay. Jeremy insisted that Kaleb cut a different field the next time, and the result confirmed Kaleb was right—no suitable hay was left.
Despite setbacks—including a drought hampering the growth of newly planted bird-friendly flora—Jeremy remains committed to improving local habitats. He recently added ponds around the farm because, as he observed, birds like the yellowhammer rarely move more than 100 meters from their hedges. He intends to create a pond near that hedge to further support the species.
Clarkson’s efforts highlight the delicate balance between farming needs and nature conservation, with Kaleb’s professionalism and Hannah’s expertise driving improvements at Diddly Squat Farm.