Mark The Bowler Hat Farmer

Mark (the Bowler Hat Farmer) flies solo from Somerset with guest Dean for a frank, plain‑English discussion about how UK farmers can sell direct, reduce dependence on big processors, and push back against red tape. We unpack the idea of running sales through a Private Members’ Association (PMA), why private contracts can shield small producers from some inspections meant for open‑to‑the‑public trading, and practical first steps for transitioning gradually without shutting the gates overnight. Along the way we touch on dairy contracts (Arla/Müller), CPH numbers, DEFRA, Trading Standards, the Environment Agency, and real examples of moving from 32p per litre to on‑farm retail, plus upsell ideas (butter, ice cream, pies) that keep value on farm. We also talk soil-first growing, the shift in public demand for local food, and the cultural headwinds farmers face—from paperwork to post‑Milk Marketing Board consolidation. Dean shares tactics for setting terms before any “routine” visit, the importance of writing your own T&Cs inside a PMA, and why steady, small steps can help family farms regain control, resilience and better margins.'Food Finders Hub': https://foodfindershub.org'Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)': https://www.rhs.org.uk'Harrogate Flower Shows': https://www.flowershow.org.uk'Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs'Trading Standards (UK)': https://www.tradingstandards.uk'Environment Agency (England)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency'CPH numbers: register land you use to keep livestock (UK guidance)': https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-land-you-use-to-keep-livestock'Arla Foods UK': https://www.arlafoods.co.uk'Müller UK & Ireland': https://www.muller.co.uk'Soil Association': https://www.soilassociation.org'Milk Marketing Board (background)': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_Marketing_Board'BlackRock': https://www.blackrock.com'Vanguard (UK)': https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk'Signal Private Messenger': https://signal.org'Diddly Squat Farm Shop (Jeremy Clarkson)': https://www.diddlysquatfarmshop.com'Matalan': https://www.matalan.co.uk

In this on-the-road edition, I sit down with James Caswell and Millie to unpack how a 5,000‑acre arable operation is future‑proofing itself by growing and bagging its own peat‑free compost. We cover the realities of input costs, soil health, and why “thinking outside the system” is no longer optional. James explains the farm’s five‑year herbal leys (clover, grasses, chicory), integrating willow from wet ground, and using straw to create a three‑component compost that’s boosting germination, plant vigour and water retention in my own trials. We also get into practical wins: rotational leys reducing synthetic nitrogen use, gypsum for heavy land, bringing sheep and bees back onto fields, and early on‑farm trials comparing compost with chicken manure. If you’re a home grower, farm‑shop owner, or a grower looking for resilient inputs as weather swings and costs bite, this conversation is a grounded walkthrough of what’s working—and how stocking a pallet of high‑quality, peat‑free compost can add real value without spoilage risk.'Caswell’s Eco Green Compost': https://ecogreencompost.co.uk'Harrogate Flower Show': https://www.flowershow.org.uk'British Garden Centres': https://www.britishgardencentres.com'Anglian Water': https://www.anglianwater.co.uk'DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs'Environment Agency (England)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

In this episode, I’m joined by co‑host Paul and arable farmer Phil (Fells Farming) for an unvarnished, from‑the‑yard conversation about the realities of British farming in 2026. We cover breakdowns and long journeys home, water worries and parched fields, compliance headaches, and the ever‑rising costs of fuel, fertiliser and kit. Phil talks candidly about recent farmer actions, why public support matters, and how wafer‑thin supermarket inventories and just‑in‑time logistics make the UK food chain far more fragile than most realise. We also compare notes on grazing schemes with the RSPB, SFI trade‑offs, spring drilling on heavy land, and why many are considering lower‑input crops or mothballing expansion plans altogether. We get into supermarkets’ sourcing, imports versus home‑grown, and the knock‑on effects for mills, machinery dealers and every business that keeps farms running. There’s discussion of political will (or lack of it), red tape from agencies, and what practical, peaceful protest could look like if farmers and the wider public stand together. We finish with a look at on‑farm diversification, from raw milk and shakes to butter and ice cream, and why direct‑to‑customer loyalty is keeping some holdings afloat right now.'Tesco': https://www.tesco.com'Sainsbury’s': https://www.sainsburys.co.uk'Morrisons': https://www.morrisons.com'JCB': https://www.jcb.com'Red Tractor Assurance': https://redtractor.org.uk'RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)': https://www.rspb.org.uk'Environment Agency (UK)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency'DEFRA – Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs'Port of Felixstowe': https://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk'GB News': https://www.gbnews.com'TalkTV': https://talk.tv'Sky News': https://news.sky.com'BBC News': https://www.bbc.co.uk/news'Haygates Flour Mills (Bugbrooke)': https://www.haygates.co.uk'Massey Ferguson (AGCO)': https://www.masseyferguson.com'New Holland Agriculture': https://agriculture.newholland.com'Kverneland Group': https://www.kverneland.com'Kubota (Global)': https://www.kubota.com'Great Plains Ag': https://www.greatplainsag.com'Cousins of Emneth (Cultivators & Subsoilers)': https://www.cousinsofemneth.co.uk'The Farmers Club (London)': https://www.thefarmersclub.com'Shuttleworth Collection': https://www.shuttleworth.org'Farming Simulator (Official)': https://www.farming-simulator.com'Reform UK (Political Party)': https://www.reformparty.uk'The Green Party of England & Wales': https://www.greenparty.org.uk'The Labour Party (UK)': https://labour.org.uk'Nigel Farage (Official site)': https://www.nigelfarage.com

In this live farm-chat, I’m joined by Craig from Maesllyn Meatboxes, Paul from Bramblebee Farms, and engineer–inventor Alan from Farming Solutions. We dig into the realities of selling meat direct: why face‑to‑face markets often outperform online, how footfall and consistent posting can turn the tide, and smart ways to move stock without filling freezers (hello, quickfire Facebook auctions). Craig shares his leap from HGV driver to beef producer selling at four markets a week; Paul explains how disciplined daily content and customer conversations built a thriving butchery and farm shop; and we kick around practical ideas from pop‑ups at busy pubs to trying high‑footfall car‑boot sites and campsite drops in peak season. Alan gets hands‑on with animal health and TB risk reduction, outlining simple biosecurity upgrades (raised troughs, badger‑proof mineral stands, tidy yards) and the value of testing latrines over “blind” approaches. We compare notes on tenant‑farming pressures, volatile store prices, diesel and fertiliser costs, social media burnout, and why co‑ops and local processing could put pricing power back in farmers’ hands. It’s an honest, good‑humoured tour through what’s working now—and where the industry must pull together next.'Maesllyn Meatboxes (Craig) – Online Farm Shop': https://maesllynmeatboxes.co.uk/'Bramblebee Farms – Butchery, Farm Shop and Deliveries': https://www.bramblebeefarms.co.uk/'Farming Solutions Ltd (Alan) – Handling Systems & Biosecurity': https://www.farmingsolutionsltd.com/'TB Buster – Badger‑proof Mineral Bucket Stand (Farming Solutions Ltd)': https://www.farmingsolutionsltd.com/tb-busters'Clipex UK – Cattle & Sheep Handling Systems': https://clipex.co.uk/'St Dogmaels Local Producers’ Market (Cardigan)': https://www.stdogmaelsabbey.org.uk/producers_market.php'Holbeach Market (Lincolnshire)': https://www.holbeach.org.uk/en/market'Food Finders Hub – UK Local Food Directory': https://foodfindershub.org/'NFU (England & Wales) – National Farmers’ Union': https://www.nfuonline.com/'FUW – Farmers’ Union of Wales': https://fuw.org.uk/'DEFRA – Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (UK)': https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-defra'RSPB Nene Washes (referenced wetland grazing context)': https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/nene-washes'Applecross Farm (Cheshire) – Events & Smoked Produce': https://www.applecrossfarm.com/events

Tonight I flew solo for a good while thanks to some spectacular tech gremlins, then finally welcomed agricultural chaplain-turned-founder Graham Miles to talk candidly about mental health in farming and his new nationwide initiative, Farmers Support UK. We dug into the reality of isolation on farms, the courage it takes to make that first call for support, and why a familiar, confidential voice on the end of the phone can buy precious time in a crisis. Graham also shared how policy, input costs and uncertainty are weighing on families, what he’s hearing from wives and partners, and the importance of keeping support truly 24/7 and farmer-led.We balanced the heavy with the everyday: grading mountains of eggs, rescuing a tricky calving that ended well, and swapping beekeeping tales (including why the odd sting might ease those aches). We celebrated local food resilience too—fresh veg harvested hours earlier, breed choices like Red Poll, and farm shop realities—while thanking everyone who keeps backing small, local producers. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone; there’s always a light somewhere beyond the dark, and there are people who will pick up when you call.'Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs'National Farmers' Union (NFU)': https://www.nfuonline.com'Country Land & Business Association (CLA)': https://www.cla.org.uk'Suffolk Show (Suffolk Agricultural Association)': https://suffolkshow.co.uk'South Suffolk Show': https://southsuffolkshow.co.uk'Hadleigh Show': https://hadleighshow.co.uk'BBC Radio Suffolk': https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_suffolk'Farmers Guardian': https://www.fginsight.com'Red Poll Cattle Society': https://redpoll.org

In this week’s episode, I catch up with Paul after a hectic spell on the farm: an unexpected early run of calving, new piglets, tagging and moving stock, and the roller‑coaster weather. I share an update on my move and getting hands back in the soil—reviving veg beds, trialling compost, electroculture, and noticing how organic matter, worms and mycelium are transforming tired ground. We talk drainage, hedgerows and ponds coming back, dung beetles thriving, and the never‑ending dance with UK schemes (SFI timings and thresholds), fuel costs, margins, and how small farms can stay resilient without leaning on subsidies. We’re then joined by Lily (age 10) and her dad Craig from North Cornwall. Lily milks 14 goats within a 40‑head herd and is already producing raw goat milk, cheese and ice cream, with plans for a lane‑end honesty shop and expanding carefully without bank debt. We dig into direct sales, shipping chilled meat, surging demand for goat, the power of honest social posts, and why raw milk and farm shops are winning hearts. From Clarkson’s Farm to Countryfile, from school gatekeeping to real food education, we chew over what it’ll take to back British farmers, inspire the next generation, and price food fairly—while keeping the love of stockmanship at the centre of it all.'Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)': https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sustainable-farming-incentive-sfi'Arla Foods (UK)': https://www.arlafoods.co.uk'APC Overnight (chilled and food shipping options vary by depot)': https://apc-overnight.com'CapCut (video editing app)': https://www.capcut.com'Facebook': https://www.facebook.com'TikTok': https://www.tiktok.com'YouTube': https://www.youtube.com'Diddly Squat Farm Shop (Clarkson’s Farm)': https://www.diddlysquatfarmshop.com

In tonight’s rambling, real-world catch‑up, Paul and I open up about the mounting pressures across British farming: fuel and fertiliser spikes, volatile commodity prices, and why mental health support for farmers matters more than ever. We talk FairFuelUK’s long-running campaign on duty, the strange economics of Nitram versus growing a crop, and how weather whiplash and input costs are forcing hard choices on everything from reseeding to grazing. I share plans to pursue raw milk next year by shifting our TB testing window, plus a few bee‑keeping escapades, a move to Somerset, and upcoming dates at the Harrogate Flower Show. Later we’re joined by Michael, a seventh‑generation arable grower, who lays out the stark numbers: malting barley without contracts, chip shops under strain, sugar beet on the brink, and the vacuum left by the basic payment scheme. We compare selling direct versus scale, the squeeze on hospitality demand, and the reality of keeping multi‑crop family farms afloat while trying to give the next generation a fighting chance.'FairFuelUK (Howard Cox)': https://www.fairfueluk.com/'Old Hall Farm (raw milk, Norfolk)': https://www.oldhallfarm.co.uk/'Dora’s Dairy (raw milk, Swindon)': https://www.dorasdairy.co.uk/'RSPB Ouse Washes': https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/ouse-washes/'Bovine TB testing intervals (GOV.UK)': https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bovine-tb-testing-intervals'Red Tractor Assurance': https://redtractor.org.uk/'Farming Resilience Fund (GOV.UK collection)': https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/farming-resilience-fund'Harrogate Flower Shows': https://www.flowershow.org.uk/'CF Fertilisers (Nitram fertiliser)': https://www.cffertilisers.co.uk/

Tonight I catch up with Paul at Bramblebee Farm for a down‑to‑earth look at life on a busy mixed farm: surprise EHO inspections, scrubbing parlours, tagging calves, a Facebook‑live calving, and the little wins that tell you spring is here—hello dung beetles. We shout out the Whittlesey indoor market (Blackboard Events) and Waterbeach Barracks market, talk stall-by-stall demand, and why some “poorer” areas often out‑buy “richer” ones. Graham was due to join us to discuss his frontline work supporting farmers in mental distress; tech gremlins kept him off‑air, but we highlighted the brutal reality some families face and why a 24/7, farmer‑led support model matters. From the workshop to the wider world, we chew over soaring fuel and input costs, the price shock of steel versus timber, and the knock-on for food inflation. We challenge food labelling and assurance—Union Jacks, Red Tractor, and how clarity still lags standards—plus the creep of ultra‑processed substitutes and why transparent ingredients matter. We swap notes on direct sales, school meals reform, and building resilient, local supply chains. Looking ahead, we trail next week’s guests: Lily, launching a raw‑goat‑milk ice‑cream micro‑dairy, and Michael Scott, a conventional potato grower—two very different windows on British farming today.'Bramblebee Farms (direct farm shop)': https://www.bramblebeefarms.co.uk/'Blackboard Events (Whittlesey and other local markets)': https://www.blackboardevents.co.uk/'Waterbeach Community Market (Barracks site info)': https://www.waterbeachlocal.info/communitymarket'Food Finders Hub (UK local food directory)': https://foodfindershub.org/'Red Tractor Assurance (official)': https://redtractor.org.uk/'UK food labelling rules (GOV.UK)': https://www.gov.uk/food-labelling-and-packaging/food-labelling-what-you-must-show'Jamie Oliver school food campaigns (official hub)': https://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/'River Cottage (official site)': https://rivercottage.net/'Polyface Farm (Joel Salatin) – farm contact': https://polyfacefarm.com/contact-us'Skool (community platform mentioned for the new classroom)': https://www.skool.com/about'Tesla Powerwall (UK page)': https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/energy'Drax Power Station (official site)': https://www.drax.com/uk/what-we-do/drax-power-station/'Fyffes (official site)': https://www.fyffes.com/'Gareth Wyn Jones (profile – GWCT Wales)': https://www.gwct.wales/case-studies/gareth-wyn-jones/'Rambling Henry (link hub)': https://linktr.ee/ramblinghenry