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BATHROOM SCALES FOR cows – sort of. Towards the end of a day’s selling at a livestock market in Holsworthy, Devon, the cattle-weigh used for weighing the cattle stands idle, still showing the weight of the last lot to be sold that afternoon. Fewer and fewer finished animals are sold in markets nowadays, while more and more are sold directly to big meat companies who then sell them on to supermarkets and food manufacturers. Many markets survive, though, and for many farming people, the market is a place to bump into friends and hear news. If you want to find out anything about farming, visiting a market is a good starting point. They’re open to anyone, and less intimidating than you might think. Kevin and I met a dairy farmer as we hovered about the scales, and we learned more from him in 10 minutes than we would have from any book. We also found that the market cafe does an excellent bacon sandwich•