There are 2.5 billion people today who live and work on 500m smallholder farms, each of them smaller than two hectares (five acres). They are one-third of humanity, yet they have been marginalised for over 60 years, while industrial farming has met the food needs of developed countries with large helpings of agricultural research, subsidies, […]
Author Archives: Lionel Stanbrook
2026 Ahem
PEAGE PINTXOS BANISTER: May 2026
Ahem, I travelled down to La Hune with Jurrat and Jessie in a well-loaded car [...]
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01
Jun
Jun
2026 Ahem
MUSKETS SHRIFT RAPT: April 2026
Ahem Alli and I were up and early on Good Friday to be driven with [...]
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30
Apr
Apr
Professional Writing Writing
They awoke…
The hidden past of the bisexual pronoun Those of all political and cultural persuasions [...]
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2026 Ahem
BABY FAIRYLAND TWITTEN: March 2026
Ahem I was about to open a pile of birthday cards when I was encouraged [...]
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30
Mar
Mar
2026 Ahem
QUOTIDIAN HAMMERHEAD HIPPO: February 2026
Ahem Rain and colder weather in southern England dominated the first few days of the [...]
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02
Mar
Mar
When it comes to informing staff about a new strategy and encouraging alignment with it, some companies appear to rely on a bizarre waterfall analogy to describe a kind of internal email megaphone or Stalinist building decorations. So beware of companies whose sites boast long posters or banners hanging off external or internal walls with […]
Ahem The month of Janus, the god of beginning, transition, doorways and archways, was typically two faced, making the blue skies of Christmas disappear, then ushering them in again four weeks later; promising ski-friendly snow then slushing it away almost as soon as it settled down; providing evenings of gentle calm and limpid quiet, then […]
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Jan
Jan
The best stories are those which quickly and effectively illustrate the purpose, policy or objectives of the organization. They are “moral tales” or “fables” because they are designed (or they just happen) to inspire stakeholders by linking them emotionally with the organization. Organizations can sometimes fail to capitalize on great performances because their stories are […]
Ahem, In the annual French Letter Hunters’ Dinner at the beginning of the month, after a fine but predictable meal of wild boar stew, spetzli, red cabbage and Brussels sprouts, I initiated a rousing collective rendition of Do ye ken John Peel. My assumption that practically everyone knew the famous English hunting song was met […]
26
Nov
Nov
Our generation may be communicating less literately amongst ourselves than any generation past, despite being assisted by modern resources cheaply obtained and even more cheaply used, and despite there being a thousand times more communications and connections between us than amongst previous generations. The evidence grows every day on social media that large numbers of […]
Ahem, Bulbous fists of mist gripped our village for several mornings in a row, burned away by the sun often before the dogs came back from their walk with Alli. I got used to working from home again, in between having porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch (standard Autumn fare), and walking the fields in […]
02
Nov
Nov
Every action an organisation takes these days is subject to intense scrutiny. The world grows more complex, straining the ability not only of traditional marketing and communications to stay simple and clear, but also of how businesses communicate with their stakeholders and environment. Ubiquitous and pervasive media creates challenges that amplify the impact of error […]
Ahem We are in full fall. The legendary colours of autumn in Alsace have reappeared in the woods, lanes and country paths of the South Sundgau, signalling the advent of morning frosts, long afternoon shadows, days of mid-forest stillness, and the promise of even colder weather, lumpy clouds like French hotel pillows and the crackle […]
Ahem, I returned to Basel in a rejuvenated Galahad on the last weekend of the month exhausted but enriched by the experience of writing and communicating about development, hunger, and food aid issues every day in a working environment that was varied and unpredictable. Hosts for most of my Roman stay, Andrew, Fionnuala, Evelyn and […]