by Norman Painting OBE, 'Philip' in BBC Radio 4's The Archers.

Each year millions of listeners to The Archers on BBC Radio Four hear Phil Archer's wife Jill making bookings for her 'bed and breakfast' guests. (They also hear her preparing for them, pulling out all the stops to make sure they're made welcome and comfortable, and also, inevitably, sinking back exhausted when they've gone!)

Truth and fiction often overlap in The Archers: that must surely be one of the many reasons for its long run - I first played the part of Phil forty-five years ago in May 1950, and I've got a personal entry in the Guinness Book of Records to prove it! In the early days some of us had the greatest difficulty in convincing our listeners that we weren't really farmers, and that Brookfield Farm and the village of Ambridge didn't exist. And it's the same with Jill’s guests: they are as real as Phil's pigs or Eddie Grundy's dreadful hat. That is to say very real indeed... but only in the minds of our listeners.

Like hundreds of other farming folk, the Archers are finding life far from feather-bedded. Times are hard. Many farmers are turning to other ways of using their assets. And what assets they are! Many farmhouses are of considerable architectural interest. Most of them have idyllic views over charming countryside. From a farmhouse window you can see today the beginning of a rsurgence in the growth of our woods and valleys, our wild flowers and our wildlife, which only so recently were under threat. You can see for yourself how the work of all those environmental enthusiasts is proceeding.

The mind-soothing peace of the countryside lies within a couple of minutes' walk from most of our farmhouses. Birds sing undisturbed. Of course there may be sounds of farm-machinery on occasions; but most of their work is done far away from the farmhouse in the surrounding fields. If you happen to be staying on a dairy farm, then twice a day you may ear the throb-throb-throb of the milking-parlour. I personally find that a rather comforting, reassuring sound and so - would you believe - do the cows.

Don't think that by staying on a farm you'll be out in the wilds, miles from civilisation. Some, it is true, are more tucked away than others, though many people are amazed to find how near to the centre of some towns the wildspaces are: as little as five or ten minutes in the car. In this age of the motorway many farmhouses have suddenly found themselves only a few miles from a motorway exit, near enough for convenience, but far enough away not to be disturbed by the traffic noise. Many farmhouses are on coastal areas, offering sea-views, surfing, sailing, cliff walks and even a private beach.

You can stay on a farm for a short break or a single night; or stay for a week or more and make a full holiday of it. Those in business can not only enjoy farmhouse fare in the calm of the country after a busy day on the road, but can also book a meeting room to get together with colleagues away from the distractions of the office.

Mention of farm food reminds me that one of the greatest joys of staying on a farm is the quality of the food and cooking. Most offer dinner and a full, very English, (or Welsh, Scottish or Irish!), cooked breakfast, often with home-produced fresh fruit and vegetables. Check that the farm where you are going is a member of the Farm Holiday Bureau. You'll then have the satisfaction of knowing that every aspect of the accommodation, from the bathroom to the kitchen has been inspected and quality graded by the National Tourist Boards. Over one thousand independent farmers offer this type of accommodation. Most farmers are only too keen to show you over the farm and some have created 'farm trails'. Some of the accommodation may be in converted farm buildings, some of which offer self-catering. Not too long ago I stayed myself in such a conversion: I had an airy bedroom, with tea and coffee-making facilities, a large en suite bathroom and a country view - with delicious farmhouse food only a few yards away. What more could one ask?

Self-catering accommodation on farms is becoming increasingly popular, At Brookfield Phil and jill have Rickyard Cottage while the Aldridges at Home Farm go one better (of course!). Jennifer has three cottages, all self-contained and self-catering. You may be wondering why it is I who am telling you all this. Let me explain. When the Farm Holiday Bureau was set up under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE), the Ministry of Agriculture, the English Tourist Board and Farmers Weekly, a launch was held at a farm museum in Oxfordshire. Various representatives of the organisations concerned made short speeches, and so did 1, not of course as P. Archer 'farmer' but as the honorary Life Governor of RASE (an honour bestowed on me to mark the first quarter-century of The Archers). I am extremely proud of it: and so you can imagine my discomfiture a few years later when wearing my other hat as Phi] Archer, I had to play the irritated husband who felt his wife was giving more time to her holiday guests than she was to him. All quite untrue of course, and it quickly blew over.

Those who are members of the Farm Holiday Bureau set very great store on producing the highest possible standards in the services they offer. That's because they are real country people. They do their utmost to give you a warm welcome, with the best they can afford at a fair price. Real country people are like that. If you are reading these words then you are holding in your hand the best guide to farmhouse accommodation available. it's a fascinating read in itself, even for the armchair traveller. Here, taken at random are a few extracts: "Georgian farmhouse well behaved pets welcome babysitter... swimming in our own pool... riding... close to golf course coastal walks and fishing en suite rooms suitable for disabled guests... ducks on the pond and badgers in the wood... thatched farmhouse... four-poster beds... oak beams... children may search for eggs, milk the goat, ride the pony, feed the lambs, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese, or play in our games room... inglenook... modern bungalow in glorious surroundings... all the usual extras, including hairdryer, remote control colour teletext TV plus trouser press. direct dial telephone..." and on and on and on.

There is, though, one final thing: Jill and Phil Archer, the Aldridges, Ambridge and Brookfield Farm may be more real than real to our listeners, but you won't find them in this guide. They are all the creations of the imagination. But don't despair: there are hundreds of other real 'Brookfields' to choose from; whether on your own or with a family, whether you're on business or travelling for pleasure; whether you're less able or fit enough for the most strenuous of holidays, I know from experience that you'll receive a very warm welcome if you decide to STAY ON A FARM

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