Jim O’Brien’s weekly column in the Farming Independent can be inspired by anything from a badly hung gate, to a word from a neighbour, a line from a book, the smell of a tractor engine, the bark of a dog or the hum of a milking machine.Living in the west of Ireland, Jim captures the broad sweep of local and national affairs, while keeping an eye on the past and imagining the future. He reflects on his own life and the world we live in with great humour, insight and clarity. In this selection of columns, written for the farming supplement of the Irish Independent between 2017 to 2020, Jim’s writing offers a unique perspective on rural life in a changing Ireland.