I was born into a family where brass instruments ruled the house.
Cornets, Horns, Euphoniums — you name it, we played it. The “stage” wasn’t a fancy concert hall, but community centres and local pubs — the heart of our brass band world. Then, life tossed me a curveball, and now I’m living on a farm, surrounded by cows instead of bandmates.
At first, I thought brass bands and farms couldn’t be more different.
But the truth? They’re weirdly similar. And let me tell you, that’s both comforting and confusing.
Community
Brass band life is all about the people. It’s a community built on shared passion, late nights in stuffy community halls, and a deep understanding that everyone’s playing their part. Farm life, in its own way, is just as close — a family bound by hard work and shared struggles. Both worlds thrive on teamwork, trust, and a kind of unspoken love that holds everything together.
The only difference? One involves a lot more mud.
This is me, at the bellend of a tuba. Theres a joke in there someone but I'm too tired to find it.
Early Mornings & Dedication
There’s something about a 6 a.m. wake-up call that instantly tests your dedication — whether it’s band practice or milking cows. Both demand a kind of stubborn commitment that means showing up no matter the weather, the mood, or how many cups of coffee you’ve had. Rain, snow, wind — it doesn’t matter. You’re there, cornet in hand or wellies firmly on, ready to face whatever the day throws at you.
Me and my dad, my band buddy.
Precision, Practice & Panic
Nailing a solo isn’t something that happens by accident. It takes hours of practice, repetition, and pushing through frustration when the notes just won’t come together. Life on the farm demands the same kind of patience and precision. Whether it’s repairing a fence, handling livestock, or managing the unpredictable, you learn to stay calm when things get messy and develop nerves of steel when the pressure’s on. It’s about perseverance — finding small victories in moments that feel chaotic and knowing that practice, no matter the kind, is what keeps everything running.
The last photo of me and my family all in the same band uniform.
Seasonality & Timing
In the brass band world, life revolves around competition season — that intense stretch where every practice counts and every note, pause and breath matters. Miss your cue, and the audience notices immediately. On the farm, it’s all about planting and harvest seasons — miss the right moment, and the crops pay the price.
Both plan their lives around their calendars — farmers marked by tractors and weather forecasts, banders by rehearsals and contest dates.
It’s funny how two very different worlds teach you the same lesson: timing is everything. Whether it’s waiting for the perfect note or the perfect day to bring in the harvest, it’s about knowing when to push, when to pause, and when to trust the rhythm of things.
Just me, my fringe and my cornet against the world.
Pride & Passion
Neither brass banding nor farm life is about getting rich. It’s about something deeper — a passion that runs throughout, pride in what you create, and a sense of belonging to a community that simply, get it.
Whether it’s hitting the perfect note after weeks of practice or raising the perfect calf that thrives against the odds, the joy isn’t in the reward but in the craft itself.
It’s knowing that what we do matters — to ourselves, to those around us, and to a tradition that’s bigger than any one person. That pride and passion keep us showing up, even when it’s hard and no one else is watching.
That’s a kind of success you just can’t measure.
Baby Charlotte at her first band job. I wish I could tell her how she's going to be living a life she could only imagine (or fear).
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