Gilestone Farm – Jac o' the North

Gilestone And Other Developments

Jac — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:00:07 +0000

For those who don’t know the story, or have chosen to forget, Gilestone farm, near Talybont-on-Usk, was bought in 2022 by the self-styled ‘Welsh Government’ for £4.25m. The excuse given was that Gilestone was to be a new home for the Green Man Festival, which holds its knees-ups not far away on the Glanusk Estate. …

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Gilestone: It’s All About Water

Jac — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:30:55 +0000

Over three years ago, with ‘Gilestone: Thinking Outside The Box‘, I suggested that the ‘Welsh Government’s controversial £4.25m purchase of Gilestone farm is about the transfer of water. Much of what follows may look, superficially, like a rehash of that earlier piece; if so, it’s because that’s unavoidable in bringing the story up to date. But …

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Wildlife Trusts, Crazy Money, Hidden Agendas

Jac — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 09:45:42 +0000

This is a follow-up to last week’s piece on the enviro-shysters blaming farmers for everything wrong with our rivers, and those behind them hoping to get their corporate claws into farmland. ◊ MERGERS First, let’s make sure you know where our five wildlife trusts are located. On the image below you can also see the …

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The State Of Wales

Jac — Tue, 02 May 2023 08:15:20 +0000

I’m sorry I haven’t put out anything for a few weeks, but there’s just been too much to write about, and my lack of self-discipline has resulted in me being too easily distracted, too often. So here goes, again. With a story that in my opinion is not being properly interpreted. What you’re about to …

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Gilestone: Thinking Outside The Box

Jac — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 08:30:44 +0000

In this post I’ll be setting out my thoughts as to what I believe lies behind the purchase of Gilestone farm. To some extent I’ll be launching a kite, but I believe it flies. If you disagree, then feel free to tell me. Just click on the ‘Comments’ tab. ♦ QUICK RECAP Earlier this year …

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Gilestone Farm: It’s Who You Know!

Jac — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 08:15:28 +0000

As evidence trickles out about the purchase – by the so-called ‘Welsh Government’, for £4.25m – of Gilestone farm, the picture just seems to get murkier. That’s because every new revelation, or attempted explanation, raises more questions. Though one thing becoming clear is that in this area of southern Powys and rural Gwent, there is …

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Back to the Land!

Jac — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 08:30:35 +0000

After taking August off (and enjoying the break) I’m back to report on an event planned for later this month. In fact, I enjoyed the break so much, and found writing this such hard going, that it might be a while before the next piece appears. ♦ HOW IT BEGAN A couple of weeks ago …

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Miscellany 27.07.2022

Jac — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:00:20 +0000

This week’s offering kicks off with assorted musings from here and there before returning home to focus on issues that have caught my eye. And if these have a theme then it’s assorted companies and individuals pretending to be what they’re not. In this case, Welsh. This is another biggie, just over 4,000 words, but …

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Miscellany 07.07.2022

Jac — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:00:05 +0000

As the title suggests, this week’s offering is a miscellany, bits and pieces from hither and yon. Covering . . . Wind turbine disposal. Fears for the planning system in the north west. Awkward locals opposing the hundreds of executive homes Aberdyfi so desperately needs. A development in the ongoing saga of the Llanbedr by-pass. …

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Gilestone Revisited

Jac — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:00:54 +0000

I took a week off last week. It was too hot for blogging. For which we must all blame anthropogenic global warming. Then again, it might just have been normal summer weather. It certainly was when the rain arrived. So different to when I was a boy . . . Back then, summer started in …

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