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The farmer who turned to singing after bovine TB silenced his fields
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In Short: Dairy farmer Mervyn Kelso turned to the Farmers' Choir after losing his herd to bovine TB.
Dairy farmer Mervyn Kelso turned to singing after bovine tuberculosis (TB) wiped out his entire herd, leaving him with silent fields and an empty milking yard.
His sister suggested he join the Farmers' Choir, which had restarted in nearby Ballymena that autumn, and Mervyn found it to be a 'great lifter,' providing him with a new sense of purpose.
Barkley Thompson, the musical director of the choir, noted that singing was an antidote to the stresses farmers face, adding, 'You always come out of that singing feeling far, far better than you went into it.
Nine friends, including Mervyn and Ruth, participated in the choir's performance at the King's Coronation concert, where they wore Farmers' Choir vests and were spotted by passersby.
Mervyn's experience underscores the emotional and psychological impact of bovine TB on farmers, highlighting the importance of community and support systems in coping with such losses.
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Sources
- BBClink