A FORMER Hampshire farmer has penned a new book chronicling the history of agriculture.

Eric Chase, who worked the land on the National Trust’s Mottisfont Estate for more than half a century is behind The Farming Story – a book aimed at giving people an insight into how agriculture developed through the centuries.

The former agricultural columnist with the Romsey Advertiser, said: “I wrote the book originally for sixth formers to read to give them an idea of what farming is all about but I hope it will be of interest to anyone in the countryside. It took about 20 years on and off.

“Sadly, there are not many small farms about now – they are becoming a thing of the past.”

Eighty-nine-year-old Eric, who was born in Burley in the New Forest, spent his whole life in farming.

His father Harold Chase became tenant of 250-acre Hatt Farm at Mottisfont in 1925 and the tenancy later passed to Eric and his late brother John.

The brothers installed new drainage systems on the farm in the 1940s and as other agricultural tenancies in the village came up for grabs they took them on.

When Eric retired in 1987, the land with the Hatt Farm tenancy extended to 950 acres of mixed farmland.

During his younger days Eric was an assistant livestock officer with the Berkshire War Agricultural Committee and in 1952, he was awarded a scholarship to visit US farms and research stations.

On his return to Hampshire Eric shared his new-found knowledge with other farmers and put it to good use on his farm at Mottisfont.

Eric was also a Mottisfont parish councillor for many years and became chairman for some time.

He was involved in setting up the highly successful Broughton and Mottisfont village bus scheme run by volunteers, which was the first of its kind in Hampshire.

He is also a former chairman of the National Farmers’ Union Hampshire branch and a past president of Romsey Young Farmers’ Club.

Eric, the father of three daughters, now lives at Whiteparish with wife Margaret.

The last chapter of Eric’s book focuses on the future of farming in Britain.

“In future farmers will have to compete in the marketplace as other industries do, and not rely on those subsidies or at least this is what should happen,” believes Eric.

“What is needed is stable markets and controlled surpluses so that the world’s soils can be tended properly. As far as Britain is concerned, as a very overcrowded island, life could become very difficult as it buys a vast amount of food from around the world. As the world gets hungrier, Britain will have to work harder to live. As other nations become richer so the price of foodstuffs will rise. When this happens and if farming in Britain is not sustained, will Britain find it has a wasted asset? Time will tell. ”

The Farming Story is published by Whiteparish Historical and Environmental Association priced £12. Copies are available from village shops at Whiteparish and Sherfield English and Annie’s at Kimbridge.