The FarmED Podcast

Award-winning architect, Tim Tasker, who designed the FarmED Conference Barn and Cafe, has recently been working on a new building at Honeydale Farm which is constructed of hempcrete, a hugely versatile, breathable and sustainable building material that captures carbon. Tim has been working with UK Hempcrete and the Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping and on this episode of the FarmED Podcast, Tim talks to Alex about why he is so excited about the opportunities of hempcrete. He discusses what makes a healthy building and how hemp could potentially revolutionise the construction industry, offering opportunities for farmers and creating sustainable, affordable building materials with could also make self-builds easier. Tim also talks about his vision for the future -  why we need more beauty in house building and his ‘big aim’ to encourage a ‘network of small businesses’ around the country that could supply localised construction as ‘an alternative to commercial construction techniques.’Links: https://www.ttarchitects.co.uk/https://www.ukhempcrete.com/https://www.carboncapturecropping.com/

Co-founder of FarmED, Ian Wilkinson has been on sabbatical to Australia and New Zealand. In this episode of The FarmED Podcast he talks to Alex about his original journey from agricultural college to seed merchant, as owner of Cotswold Seeds, and then the decision to buy Honeydale Farm with his wife, Celene, and fulfill a dream of being a farmer. Ian and Celene founded FarmED as a regenerative demonstration and place for debate, discussion and inspiration and Ian talks to Alex about his inspiring experiences in Australia and New Zealand - covering everything from kiwis to kangaroos, cattle to cover crops, agroforestry and logging, and the observations he made about the differences and similarities in farming in New Zealand compared to the UK.‘New Zealand and Australia are made up of people that have often been there for two or three generations from Europe, a huge number of European families in New Zealand, and a lot of those are farming families,’ comments Ian. ‘The importance of agriculture is valued in society more than I would suggest it is currently in the UK.’Listen to The FarmED Podcast wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts. Please give us a rating, like or follow. 

In this month’s episode of The FarmED Podcast, co-founder of Wildfarmed, Andy Cato, talks to co-founder of FarmED, Ian Wilkinson.Andy famously found fame as part of Groove Armada and then sold his music publishing rights to buy a farm in France, before going on to establish Wildfarmed and starring on Clarkson’s Farm. Andy talks to Ian about his inspiration, the tough lessons he learned in France, and why he is so passionate about growing regenerative wheat to make flour and bread for the supermarkets.Hear about everything from how he measured nature uplift, ‘such a key indicator of ecosystem recovery,’ by bribing neighbours with pain au chocolats, his views on the use of glyphosate and how he set up Wildfarmed because actions bring about change, and  ‘how can you act in a world of anonymous food?’His message is ultimately hopeful. ‘I think that based on incoming messages, the idea of agency and purpose and hope, particularly amongst young people, really, really does resonate. And there's this sort of sensation that people are on a kind of slow motion train crash that they can't do anything about, and that there is a way to act through their food choices, is definitely a thing that I think has huge potential. It's not easy to communicate it, but where we have landed it, the response to that has been amazing.’Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on FarmED’s YouTube channel. Please subscribe, like and leave us a review. They really do help. Links https://wildfarmed.com/

Our guest this month is cattle farmer, ecologist, Nuffield scholar and trainer Rob Havard, who will be running a course on Holistic Planned Grazing at FarmED on 11th March. After working for various wildlife trusts and conservation organisations, Rob returned to his family’s farm and now he and his wife, Lizzie, run Phepson Angus, a 100% grass-fed suckler herd of Pedigree Aberdeen Angus across 1,200 acres of diverse pasture in Worcestershire and Shropshire. Rob talks to Alex Dye about his passion for combining productivity with ecological gain. ’I do think we can get to industry standard suckler cow stocking rates with probably at least a third if not quarter of the costs and  at that point an ecological cattle system becomes more profitable than a conventional system,’ he says. Rob describes his eureka moment and how holistic management provides a ‘framework’ for farming. He explains why he was so inspired by the bison on the Great Plains in America and how he convinced his farmer father to embrace farming more regeneratively. Rob also talks about travelling to Argentina and Uruguay as part of the research for his Nuffield Scholarship and closer to home, discussed the delights of involving his whole family in spotting the orchids on his farm, which have increased as a result of their farming systems. Listen wherever you usually get your podcasts or watch on the FarmED YouTube channel.Please subscribe, like and leave us a review. They really help to get the word out. Linkshttps://www.phepsonangus.com/https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/events/220/holistic-planned-grazing-with-rob-havard

For many people for many years, Adam Henson, presenter of the BBC’s flagship programme, Countryfile, has been the face and voice of British farming so it was a delight to welcome him to The FarmED Podcast studio to record our Christmas Special. As well as talking about Christmas at the Cotswold Farm Park, founded by Adam’s father over forty years ago, Adam talks to presenter, Alex Dye, about his career both in the field and in front of the camera. He discusses the changes he’s witnessed in agriculture and why he does not describe his own farm as regenerative. Adam talks about everything from measuring carbon footprints and exciting innovations in technology to challenges facing farming in terms of mental health and why he is hopeful for the future but as a tenant farmer, ‘cannot live on hope.’ Having visited farms and agricultural businesses all over the country with the BBC, Adam has some fascinating anecdotes and views on how education should engage young people in farming - perhaps by borrowing from the British Army’s advertising campaigns. He is passionate about the importance of communicating farming stories. 

Alex talks to cook, writer and veg grower, Kathy Slack about her book, Rough Patch, and how growing vegetables helped her recover from burnout. Kathy had a high flying career in advertising before she suffered a physical and mental collapse that left her ‘distraught, crippled by depression and grief and panic’. She explains how her mother coaxed her out of the house into the garden and she ‘would sit on the raised beds with my cup of tea and just watch the soil and the weeds and the bugs and the life there…and something about being close to the soil started to heal me.’ Then she just sowed a couple of seeds and watched them grow. She  describes to Alex the ‘sense of awe and promise and wonder’ of seeing ‘a tiny little seed turn into a radish in like three weeks’ and talks about how growing veg can be more empowering than growing flowers, giving a sense of the agency, of actually growing food to feed yourself. Her book includes recipes and Kathy also runs cookery classes, so she talks to Alex about how she plans her growing! Kathy describes working in the kitchen garden at Daylesford and writing food columns for lifestyle magazines and she offers advice for anyone who knows nothing about horticulture but wants to get going with growing some veg. ‘I realised that I could mostly ignore the manuals and just experiment and now I'm a very messy gardener, not particularly proficient but I really embrace that messy ramshackle way of growing. There are so few places in life where it's okay to be a complete failure at something and you go well that's okay I'll just it again,’ Kathy says. She advises against jumping straight onto an allotment. ‘Start with radishes or lettuces or something that if it goes wrong, you can just sow it again. Then maybe if you've got pots and a warm balcony, maybe progress to tomatoes the next year.‘So start small and get hooked on that joy of going, here I am picking a tomato that I've grown myself.’Links:https://www.kathyslack.com/

This episode of The FarmED Podcast is recorded on location, at Baddaford, Guy Singh-Watson’s farm in Devon. Guy, founder of Riverford, has been dubbed ‘the most brutally honest farmer in Britain.’Here, Guy talks to Alex about how he finds regenerative agriculture a ‘difficult subject, because I absolutely welcome the sort of broad church approach that has drawn in farmers who, for whatever reason, felt antagonised by organic’ admitting that ‘we got it wrong somehow. We did alienate a lot of conventional farmers, the farmers who really we should have been getting on board.’ But it’s the ploughing vs glyphosate argument that he wants to see more openly discussed. He explains why he hates the term ‘food poverty’ and why his mission has always been to produce food ‘that's accessible and affordable by all,’ whilst also being fair to producers and the increasing challenges of that.  He also talks about his wrangles with the supermarkets, why he is anti-commodity, why we should all eat less meat and how his hopes for the future, for  ‘size and specialisation’ replaced by the mixed farming model. 

Something a little different for this episode of The FarmED Podcast, which covers computer systems and farming systems and a little agricultural history too. You’ll discover why farmers grow grass as well as what AI and beekeeping have in common.Alex is joined by Paul Totterdell, who started his career studying IT and is now Director of FarmED’s sister company, Cotswold Seeds, which supplies 20,000 UK farmers with diverse seed mixtures that are good for soil health, animal health and the health of the planet. Around 75% of UK's land is farmed agriculturally, Paul explains,  and a huge proportion of that is grassland. ‘All the grass that you see out there in the fields when you're driving past, that hasn't just grown there by itself. We've had to plant that. A lot of people don't realise that grass needs to be planted.’Paul tells us how the agricultural upheavals after the end of the Second World War created a reliance on fertiliser and high yielding ryegrass. Shallow-rooted, the plants struggle in the drought conditions we’ve seen this summer.  ‘Cotswold Seeds have been looking for many, many years at different novel plants that we can plant alongside the ryegrasses and sometimes without any ryegrass whatsoever,’ Paul explains. He goes on to talk about a new scientific research project which Cotswold Seeds and FarmED are both involved in, known as CHCx3, which is looking at how plants can capture carbon from the atmosphere and mitigate climate change. Paul also talks about how all of this relates to bees. Paul’s apiary was the very first project to be introduced at FarmED, long before the other livestock and crops arrived. Watch on YouTube and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts. Please do give us a like or a follow and leave a review. Links: Cotswold Seeds https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/CHCx3https://www.carboncapturecropping.com/

‘We are a rainforest people, who live in a rainforest nation,’ says conservationist and writer, Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, speaking to Alex Dye on The FarmED Podcast and explaining why these ancient forests are so vital for combating climate change as well as for our own wellbeing. In his bestselling memoir,  ‘OurThe Oaken Bones,’ Merlin talks about how, while serving with the British Army in Afghanistan,  his armoured vehicle was hit by a landmine that momentarily blinded and deafened him, leaving him with PTSD. His wife Lizzie suffered several miscarriages and his father was hospitalised with Covid. ‘I felt so extremely lucky and privileged to have the farm at home and to be able to go and hide and retreat and heal within what we knew as the old oak woodland at Cabilla,’ Merlin explains.  It was thanks to Guy Shrubsole’s book The Lost Rainforest of Britain and David Attenborough who talked about rainforests in his Wild Isles series, that led to the discovery that the forest at Cabilla was much older than they’d originally realised, part of the Atlantic temperate rainforest, mythologised in stories and legends, which would once have cloaked much of Britain.When Merlin and Lizzie moved back to Cabilla seven years ago they wondered: ‘How do we make a living from this land? How do we restore the land as well?Agricultural consultants advised them to cut down the trees but instead they planted another 100,000, tripling the rainforest area, and brought back beavers. ‘The whole point is that it turns into a lower-yield conservation-grazing agroforestry scheme,’ Merlin tells Alex. ‘Atlantic temperate rainforests are a pinnacle habitat in the UK for a number of different ecosystem services. For example, they are one of our most effective carbon sequesterers. So at a time of climate crisis when we need habitats that absorb and sequester CO2 out of the atmosphere, nothing does that more effectively terrestrially in terms of what we can protect and restore than Atlantic temperate rainforests.’Merlin and Lizzie have created a wellness retreat at Cabilla, so that others, including veterans and NHS staff suffering from burnout, can benefit from the psychological and physiological restorative properties of the rainforest. They have also established The Thousand Year Trust.The Trust is so named because it aims to pull people out of short-term thinking, ‘You see a lot of articles at the moment saying things like, can we reverse climate change by 2030? We absolutely can't. But could we reverse it by 3020? Well, yes, we could. We can set the conditions and it will be something that the next 20 generations will work on and then we'll get back to a place of climate health. And I think that the ability to think in multi-generational timeframes is really important.’ Hear how The Thousand Year Trust is also crowdfunding to build Europe's first Atlantic temperate rainforest research field station, a place where scientists from across the world, can study these extraordinary habitats. Discover More:Cabilla Cornwall: https://www.cabillacornwall.com/Thousand Year Trust: https://thousandyeartrust.org/

This month on The FarmED Podcast, Alex Dye talks to acclaimed author and producer/presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme, Dan Saladino. Dan explains how his childhood in the citrus and olive groves of Sicily led to his ‘passion for telling stories of food and flavours’ and just why these ‘wonderful stories’ are ‘the richest subject for any journalist’, a lens through which to look at ‘politics, power, science and culture.’ It was The Arc of Taste, a slow food project to save the world’s most endangered foods, that inspired Dan’s celebrated book, Eating to Extinction, and Dan recalls some of his ‘favourite food memories’ created while researching the book. These include time spent with the Hadza people in Tanzania, Africa’s last hunter gatherers whose extraordinary relationship with the honeybird demonstrates the perfect 'collaboration between humans and animals’. He talks about why the drink made from endangered Perry Pears, is ‘the champagne of England.’Regenerative farming and its focus on increasing biodiversity and thereby increasing resilience, is crucial to our future and the future of food security in an age of conflict and inequality, Dan believes. ‘We’ve enjoyed huge productivity but it’s been at the cost of resilience,’ he says. Our ‘dependence on cultivated plants’ and ‘a few species of food, in an increasingly unstable and fragile world’, makes us dangerously vulnerable to climate change, diseases, and upheavals in world trade. He talks about how ‘shocks to the system’, like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and food price inflation have already had huge social and political impacts. Looking to the future, water shortages could be catastrophic for food production. The answer is to build resilience into our food systems.  Ultimately hopeful, Dan explains why we should all ‘seek out and explore the diversity of foods in our own locality,’ and ‘think like the Hadza’.He also reveals to Alex his favourite take-away dish!Find The FarmED Podcast wherever you usually listen to your podcasts. Do please subscribe, like and leave a review.  Follow on @thefarmedpodcastLinksRead more about Dan Saladino and his work: https://www.dansaladino.com/Read about the Arc of Taste: https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/

Following the huge success of her book, Rooted: Stories of Life, Land, and a Farming Revolution, Sarah Langford has become a voice for the regenerative farming movement and she talks to Alex about her writing and career, her belief that regenerative farming can change the world and what’s next for her.For nearly a decade, Sarah Langford was a criminal and family barrister.  While on parental leave to have her two children she wrote her debut narrative non-fiction book, In Your Defence: Stories of Life and Law.  Part memoir, part narrative account of cases she was involved in, the book sought to shine a light on the unseen, untold stories behind the world of law. In 2017 she moved with her family from London to the Suffolk countryside, expecting to stay for six months. In the end, they stayed for two years, taking on the running of her husband’s small family farm. Their story is woven around the stories of other farmers she met in her second narrative non-fiction book, Rooted: Stories of Life, Land, and a Farming Revolution. Part-memoir, part narrative account of a selection of farmers from around the country, it seeks to shine a light on the world of farming at a critical point in the future of the countryside. Rooted was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for conservation writing. 

The latest episode of the FarmED Podcast is all about bugs! Presenter, Alex Dye, FarmED’s resident entomologist, is in conversation with fellow entomologist, Dr Geroge McGavin.George McGavin was an academic zoologist for 30 years before becoming a television presenter. He is widely recognised throughout the UK as a regular contributor to the BBC One Show delighting viewers with his bug-life and ecology reports. He is the author of numerous books and renowned speaker, regularly inspiring and educating audiences about insects, ecology, evolution, conservation and exploration. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society.He also has several insect species named in his honour, all of which he hopes will survive him! George chats to Alex about the links between regenerative agriculture and entomology and the vital role that insects play in the health of our planet.

Guest: Abby Allen, Director of Farming at Pipers FarmHost: Ian Wilkinson, Founder of FarmEDAbby talks about her role, how the Piper’s Farm model can be upscaled and her views on the future of regenerative farming. There’s a hopeful takehome message too.The FarmED Podcast seeks to offer ‘hopeful conversations around farming, food, nature and the environment.’ At this crucial moment in time, when biodiversity loss and climate change is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we hope these entertaining and important exchanges of knowledge with specialists in their field will offer thought-provoking ideas and inspiration. Please follow us on Instagram @TheFarmEDPodcastAbout Pipers Farm: Pipers Farm was founded by Peter and Henri Greig in 1989 as a reaction to the increasing industrialisation of farming. Pipers Farm works directly with a network of 50 small, independent, family-run farms, rearing high-quality meat using nature-friendly practices. At the heart of Pipers Farm is the belief that livestock should be reared ‘in harmony with nature’. It champions pasture-fed, native breeds and passionately campaigns for small-scale abattoirs.www.pipersfarm.com @pipersfarmFor more information and a full transcript, visit:https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/news/57/the-farmed-podcast-episode-2-abby-allen-director-of-farming-at-pipers-farmAbout FarmED: FarmED is a living textbook of regenerative farming, on a 107 acre demonstration farm in the Cotswolds, a place for learning, meeting and eating. www.farm-ed.co.uk

Guest: Chris Rumming from Lydiard Turkeys  Host: Alex Dye, FarmED’s Public Engagement Coordinator and resident entomologist Thanks for listening to The FarmED Podcast where you can hear hopeful conversations around farming, food, nature and the environment, brought to you by the FarmED team.  Follow us on Instagram @thefarmedpodcast In Episode 1 of this brand new series, Chris Rumming talks to Alex about high welfare turkeys, different breeds (White vs Bronze), game hanging, turkey anecdotes and how farming turkeys has helped Chris to make connections with customers and help them to connect with their purchasing of food through selling direct. Plus, you’ll hear how farming turkeys has given Chris the financial freedom to do environmental work. There’s also some tips on how to decipher turkey ‘chatter’, how to entertain a turkey, and of course some recipe tips for a perfect Christmas turkey roast!  About FarmED: FarmED is a living textbook of regenerative farming, on a 107 acre demonstration farm in the Cotswolds, a place for learning, meeting and eating.  www.farm-ed.co.uk.  About Lydiard Turkeys: Lydiard Turkeys and pop-up farm shop, is run by Chris and Lindsay Rumming on the family farm near Swindon.  They are passionate about high animal welfare, great tasting meat and nature friendly farming. For more information and a full transcript, visit: https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/news/53/the-return-of-the-farmed-podcast (https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/news/53/the-return-of-the-farmed-podcast)

Kate talks to Helen Wade from East Leach Downs Farm who has 45 organic sows with all progeny spending their entire lives outdoors, able to dig, root and graze herbal leys.They talk about Helen's journey into farming, what she has learnt along the way and how she is encouraging members of the public to visit the farm by installing a visitor hut. 

Kate talks to Amy Chapple about Redwoods Farm in Devon, where she has laying hens that roost in converted livestock trailers and her parents have broilers that live in 'chicken tractors' or polytunnels. They all get moved around the farm, following the cattle and sheep, scratching up the dung and keeping their active minds busy. Their chickens are fed on a soya-free diet with most of the feed being grown less than 10 miles from the farm. 

Fiona talks to bestselling author, Rosamund Young, in advance of the Farm & Food Literature Festival at FarmED next month. Rosamund talks about her life at Kite’s Nest Farm, on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment, where she has been an organic farmer for over forty years. Peek into the surprising private lives of some of our most familiar animals.

Danielle talks to Pete Russell, Founder of Ooooby, an online platform for small farms and local food producers to sell and deliver directly to homes. Ooooby’s mission is to put ‘small-scale’ back at the heart of our food system. More than 80 UK farms and food hubs are now using Ooooby every week to deliver local food to over 10,000 local households.

Danielle talks to soil scientist, Jed Soleiman, who is currently working at FarmED as part of the Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping (CHCx3) Project. Jed is passionate about regenerative agriculture and rewilding, particularly in understanding the responses of soils to these, and other land uses that could help build the physical basis to bring about nature recovery. Focusing mainly on the UK, Jed has previously worked on understanding mycorrhizal responses to rewilding at the Knepp Wildland, and is now working at FarmED under CHCx3 to investigate changes to soil carbon and energetics under arable regenerative agriculture regimes. It is hoped that this knowledge can help contribute to and inform the diverse land-use matrix we need to achieve successful landscape scale conservation in the UK.Jed holds an MA in Geography from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management from the University of Oxford, and is currently studying for his DPhil (PhD) at the University of Oxford with the Ecosystems Lab and Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery. In his spare time, Jed is also a keen gardener, wilder, and forager who loves to share his passions with anyone who’s keen to listen!

Kate talks to Flavian Obiero, a Hampshire County Farms tenant at Tynefield Farm in Titchfield. He manages 61 acres of permanent pasture & woodland with his partner Nikki and son, Noah. They have Tamworth pigs, ex-dairy goats and a mixed-breed sheep flock. All the animals are destined for meat. They currently sell through their catering business and a few markets. Future plans include selling more locally and also setting up a butchery facility on the farm, processing fresh pork and cured meats.

Fiona talks to FarmED’s beekeeper, Tony Yarrow, in advance of his two day course at FarmED - Honey Bees & their World (18th April). Tony began keeping bees in Wales in 1975.  He has worked as a bee expert with two beehive manufacturing companies and has known and worked with some of the UK’s largest commercial beekeepers. Tony keeps 15-20 colonies in four sites in North Oxfordshire, including here at FarmED, producing around half a ton of surplus honey a year for the FarmED Cafe and kitchen. 

Kate talks to Tim Field, sustainable food, farming and land management consultant and Facilitator of the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster, a group of local farmers and landowners interested in landscape-scale regeneration of the farmed environment and local food networks in the North East Cotswolds.

In a special episode of the FarmED Podcast, recorded at the Oxford Real Farming Conference, earlier this month, Ian interviews Patrick Holden, and Patrick interviews Ian, looking back over nearly fifty years of organic, regenerative and epigenetic farming!  Patrick is the founder & CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust, whose mission is to work internationally to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food and farming systems. He was Director of the Soil Association from 1995-2010 and has a mixed organic dairy holding in Wales. In 2005 he received a CBE for services to organic farming and in 2022 was awarded an honorary doctorate for international work in sustainable agriculture from the University of Wales Trinity St David.

Hallam Duckworth talks to Kate about setting up the cow-calf Dairyy at Honeydale. They discuss the challenges and the highs and lows - from getting weaning times right to retaining customers, developing a business plan and fulfilling his dream of making ice cream and selling it to customers at festivals.

Ian talks to Cotswold Seeds Technical Manager, Sam Lane, about what’s in a herbal ley and how they can be tailored for different soils and uses. They discuss the benefits they bring above and below ground, improving soil fertility and encouraging earthworms, while reducing parasitic worms in livestock. Sam also talks about the new, more flexible, herbal ley options with SFI.

Jim Pearse reminisces about farming Honeydale from the 1950s until 2013, when he and his wife Wendy retired and passed the baton to Ian and Celene Wilkinson. 

In advance of FarmED’s unique one-day, CPD-accredited Rural Mental Health Course in February, Kate talks to Alex Philmore from the Farming Community Network (FCN) about this issue, why 92% of farmers under 40 believe poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem they face and what you can do to notice the signs and make a difference.

Ian talks to our intern Abi about her degree in zoology and masters in tropical ecology and conservation and how it’s brought her to regenerative farming. Abi talks about starting a career in regenerative agriculture and agroecology, overcoming barriers and imposter syndrome and why she loves working in the Kitchen Garden.

Tanya talks to Fiona about taking honey bees back to their ancestral home in the trees. At FarmED free-living bees occupy hollow cavities made in old trees by wood sculptor Rhys Davies. She talks about the hive mind, encompassing intelligence of bees, mating patterns, communication channels and the differences between wild and managed colonies. She also explains how honey can help cure skin problems. 

Danielle talks about using waste from the FarmED kitchen to produce rich compost for use in the Kitchen Garden, minimising food waste. She talks us through Compost tumblers, Bokashi (a Japanese form of fermentation) and using earthworms and microorganisms to produce the richest compost.

What does Farm to Fork food mean and how does it work in restaurants and at home? Sally and Fiona discuss supply chains, food miles, working with Community Supported Agriculture Schemes, and how to eat more seasonally and nutritionally. Recipe tips included! 

Tim May from Kingsclere Estate talks about his innovative Pitch-Up project (running throughout November), a creative way of opening up opportunities for farming entrepreneurs, from shepherds to chicken enterprises and counsellors. He discusses the importance of including a budget for mental health and embracing the ‘cycle of change’.

Ever wondered how farmers decide what to grow in their fields each season? Do you remember learning about Turnip Townsend in history lessons at school? Ian explains how growing a succession of different crops reduces the need for chemicals and improves the quality of the soil, offering environmental and economic sustainability. He discusses the eight year rotation at FarmED, including four year herbal leys, a mixture of seventeen grasses, legumes and herbs. Regenerative farming. 

Podcast hosts, Kate and Danielle, introduce the brand new series of FarmED Podcasts. They discuss our new flagship course, An Introduction to Agriculture and talk about their own introductions to agriculture. Kate talks about her grandfather, George Henderson and his inspiring book, The Farming Ladder, while Danielle talks about her passion for earthworms. 

Jonty Brunyee from FarmED talks to Julie Cleijne, CEO & Founder of Sustainable Kitchen Consultants, about sustainable sourcing of food with a focus on the hospitality sector.  Hear about the challenge facing the sector, and farm to fork sourcing to benefit the planet, human health and your food business. 

‘We can talk about soils and farming all day but without great leaders we are going nowhere' - Jonty Brunyee. Jonty talks to John Knights, former Corporate Vice President of a Fortune 100 company in the US and Co-founder of LeaderShape Global. John explains how leadership is much more than just about telling people what to do - it’s about influencing, persuading and engaging others. John specialises in transpersonal leadership with a focus on feelings, emotions and values which requires self awareness and will ‘make you a better customer and parent as well as employer’. John ends by talking about the introductory course he is leading at FarmED, which will include deep dives into how to to develop your new styles of leadership and decision making. ‘We are taught that decision making should be rational,’ says John. ‘But  intuition, insight, instinct and ethical philosophy all have an important impact and if we are aware of these different processes we will make better decisions.’ ‘Everyone is and can be a leader and regenerative transition requires good leadership if we are to get there fast enough and deep enough,’ says Jonty. To find out how you can improve your own leadership skills, join John at FarmED on…

On Friday, 16th September, we are delighted to welcome famed US author, environmental lawyer turned rancher, Nicolette Hahn Niman, to FarmED for a special event exploring how cattle can be good for the planet and the role of beef in a healthy balanced diet. In advance of the event Jonty talked to Nicolette about her book, ‘Defending Beef’ and how, if managed well, cows can play an essential role in maintaining grassland ecosystems by performing the same functions as the natural herbivores that once roamed and grazed the planet. They can help build soil and lock in carbon as well as being an important part of our pastoral culture. Hear how grass-based, smaller-scale farms can and should become the basis for a sustainable, regenerative, high welfare and nutrient rich food production system. Remember….it’s not the cow, it’s the how! Come and celebrate beef with us at FarmED on Friday, with a hearty and nutritious supper from the FarmED kitchen using organic pasture fed beef from a local regenerative farm. Vegetarian options will also be available. https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/event-details/defending-celebrating-sustainable-beef-with-nicolette-hahn-niman *All those attending will get a complimentary copy of Defending Beef worth £14.99

In this new episode of The FarmED Podcast we look forward to EmergentGeneration22 (02 Sept, 10:00 – 04 Sept) with vet turned nutritionist, Dr. Lucy Williamson and her daughter, Jane who was part of the co-design workshop for the event. Jane is currently working on organic farms in Scotland during her gap year before studying for a degree in biology. She is passionate about sustainable food systems. Lucy and Jane talk to Jonty and Danielle about the importance of regenerative farming and soil health for providing healthy, nutrient dense food that’s good for our microbiome. Lucy and Jane will be part of a panel discussion on day three of Emergent Generation: Looking at The Importance of Good Nutrition for Young People’s Health led by Kate Henderson. In conversation with Dr. Sally Bell, Dr. Lucy Williamson and Jane Williamson (Emergent Generation) we’ll look at what might be on a sustainable plate and why it’s important for our gut health, mood and wellbeing. More information and booking: www.farm-ed.co.uk/event-details/emergent-generation-2022-3

Edd Colbert talks to framland bird specialist, James Kempton, from the University of Oxford. James is conducting surveys of birds at FarmED as part of a supplementary bird feeding project across the NE Cotswold Farmer Cluster Group. He talks about the importance of birds as part of an integrated farmland ecosystem and the benefits to farmers of increased numbers of bird species on their land. Edd and James are joined by some of FarmED’s avian residents and visitors - yellowhammers, robins and chaffinches!    James Kempton is a DPhil student at the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology. His research concerns flight of albatrosses and falcons, and in particular how an understanding of their flight control and energetics can inform the development of more sustainable and capable drone technology. As part of his interest in sustainability, James is leading the survey component of a project that investigates the impact of supplementary feeding on farmland bird species. This project takes place in association with the NE Cotswold Farmer Cluster, headed by Tim Field, and is funded by a Farming in Protected Landscapes (FIPL) grant.  With sustainability interests abroad, he is also leading a research expedition to the Cyclops Mountains of New Guinea in search of ‘lost’ and new animal species whose (re)discovery will help garner sustainable conservation interventions in this extraordinary and threatened mountain range.   My Zoology page: https://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/people/james-kempton?Richard Broughton's 2020 paper on which the current study design is based: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00063657.2021.1922356?journalCode=tbis20FIPL in Cotswolds National Landscape page: https://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/looking-after/farming-in-protected-landscapes/

FarmED is working with 3LM, The Savory Network Hub in the UK and Ireland, to deliver 12 days of comprehensive holistic management training in 2022. This training is ideal for pioneering farmers, land managers and advisers with a passion for regenerative agriculture. We are running the training over four three-day blocks in 2022. We will first introduce the fundamentals of holistic management before we explore the concepts of land planning and ecological monitoring, holistic planned grazing and financial planning.  Course 1: Holistic Management Fundamentals (28th - 30th March 2022)  Course 2: Holistic Financial Planning (25th - 27th April 2022)  Course 3: Holistic Planned Grazing (23rd - 25th May 2022)  Course 4: Holistic Ecological Monitoring and Land Planning (27th - 29th June 2022) In addition to the formal training, we will facilitate peer to peer learning and discussion. We will also hear from a number of guest speakers and farming practitioners, take a tour of the various enterprises at FarmED and visit local regenerative and agroecological farms that are adopting a holistic approach. Participants will be fed from nutritious, seasonal, and locally produced food from the FarmED kitchen. As an added bonus all participants will be given lifetime access to the Regrarians workplace - a private online knowledge community led by internationally renowned educator and regenerative farmer Darren J. Doherty. This training is accredited by the Savory Institute and is the gateway to becoming an accredited professional educator, adviser, monitor and verifier in Holistic Management. Cost The comprehensive 12-day training package is £1950 + VAT. The fee will cover tuition, all course materials (manuals, forms, writing materials, and ecological monitoring kit) guest speakers, great food and visits to local farms. Special offer - 10% discount for members of the Pasture Fed Livestock Association.

Later this year, Soil expert Niels Corfield is partnering with FarmED for a series of regenerative soil health courses - for arable, livestock farmers and veg growers - and here he talks to Programme Coordinator, Edd Colbert about the importance of soil health. He explains how ‘mismanaged soil and ecosystems have created economic issues as a product of ecological decline, but the good news is that we have tangible tools to reverse this’. Niels and Edd discuss the seven principles of soil health, including aggregation or crumb structure, visual indications and ways to minimise chemical inputs and how healthy soil leads to healthy plants which are less susceptible to pests. He talks about the content of the courses and how practitioners will be shown new ways of monitoring ‘reading your land and understanding what it’s telling you,’ shifting away from lab testing and getting into the habit of simply and cheaply gathering consistent data - the basis of any regenerative approach. Niels is also partnering with us for an agroforestry design masterclass and talks about this ancient practice and how integrating trees onto farms is beneficial for soil. Find out more about the courses oor book your place https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/eventsprogramme Niels Corfield Social Media: https://twitter.com/niels_corfield https://www.facebook.com/nielscorfieldland https://www.instagram.com/niels_corfield/

Our Food and Nutrition Coordinator, Alexis Sinclair, talks to Dr Sally Bell who is hosting 'Doctor on the Farm: Mood Food' here at FarmED on June 13th. Hear about her five foundations of health, the importance of how our food is produced for both our health and that of the planet, and how to make immediate changes in your daily lives with food that feeds your gut and brain.

Sarah Wolferstan is an EVOO taster and Sicilian olive farmer and oil producer. Here, she talks to our Food and Nutrition Coordinator, Alexis Sinclair, about her life among the olive groves and gives us a flavour of the tasting workshop and dinner she’ll be leading here at FarmED in July! What makes a good extra virgin olive oil and how do you recognise it? Why is olive oil so good for our health, as part of a Mediterranean diet? What can we expect to learn at Sarah’s Workshop and delicious three course dinner here at FarmED? Listen to the conversation and you’ll find out. Click here for info or to book your place on the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting Workshop and Dinner. https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/event-details/extra-virgin-olive-oil-tasting-workshop-and-dinner

Jonty talks to Danielle Semple from Exeter University about her passion for geography, earthworms and soil health.

Jonty talks to Jimmy Woodrow, Manager of the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association. What does Pasture For Life mean and where is it heading?  What’s the difference between pasture for life and the more common term, grass-fed? Jimmy talks about everything from stocking rates to yields, the nutritional benefits for humans, evidence of reduced med bills for farmers and how rotational grazing can lock-in carbon and improve depleted soils on arable land.  Crucially he explains how the pasture-fed culture in the UK can promote regenerative agriculture.

Jonty, our General Manager, is joined by Claire Thayers from Happerley Transparent and Dr Richard Baines, Senior Lecturer at the RAU. What is food tourism and how can it aid the rural economy? What’s the best way to create enhanced experiences for locals and visitors? What are the opportunities and challenges facing rural entrepreneurs post Covid and Brexit? Jonty, Richard and Claire discuss everything from how to create immersive local food and drink experiences with farm walks and food and drink tasting, to the importance of authenticity. The crucial link between food tourism and agritourism and the importance of collaboration between producers and tourism operators is also explored. Richard Baines talks about his work with Cotswold Taste, setting up the first agritourism trails in the Cotswolds with food hubs to sell local food. Jonty talks about the new FarmED Kitchen as a destination. There’s also plenty of advice for entrepreneurs looking to get involved with food tourism. Food tourism helps join the dots, adds value and local economic multipliers, and connects with consumers - it’s arguably the capstone of a regenerative farming and sustainable food system.

When writer, broadcaster  and environmental campaigner George Monbiot returned to FarmED to continue his journey to learn more about sustainable food production, we took the opportunity to gather together some young farmers and environmentalists to ask him some probing questions and record a podcast. Areas up for debate ranged from the need for criteria to define regenerative agriculture, plus processed foods, plant based diets and what George describes as ‘the fantastically complex’ debate about food production and the environment. He also discusses his views on how agritech can be used to scale up regenerative farming, CAP, ELMS, and how soil is ‘the basis of our entire lives’.  Encouragingly, George described how he’s ‘very interested in what’s happening here’ (at FarmED) and the ‘strong argument in favour of integrated regenerative rotational farming.’ ‘It was wonderful to welcome George Monbiot to FarmED,’ says Manager, Jonty Brunyee. ‘Though his somewhat controversial view on alternative proteins, rewilding and land management, runs contrary to the work of many farmers, our mission is promote regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems, and in order to do that we need to provide a space for healthy debate, giving a platform for those of different views to meet and air their opinions and ideas. It certainly makes for stimulating discussion.’ The interviewees are Lucy, a biology student, Sophie, FarmED’s Event Coordinator, who studied Geography at Exeter Uni, Will, who is heading to Bristol University to study geography, Abbie, a young farmer and agricultural student, Chris who completed an MSc in Agricultural Technology and Innovation and Jack who, until recently, worked in natural food retailing in London.

We’re joined by FarmED Founder, Ian Wilkinson; Ali Mirza from Cotswold Made Co; James Butterworth from the Cotswold Market Garden and Nick Pullen from Wild Thyme restaurant in Chipping Norton. Chaired by FarmED Manager, Jonty Brunyee, they talk about their personal stories of how the pandemic has impacted their businesses and the challenges and opportunities facing growers, restaurateurs and farm shops. The discussion ranges from food security and sourcing local food, to the importance of biodiversity and human diversity, and the issue of how to engage everyone from farmers, GPs, schoolteachers and supermarket shoppers. ‘It’s about how to make good local food accessible to all, finding the gaps in the food chain and how to fill those gaps,’ says Jonty. Funding for the production of this podcast came from the Farming the Future Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund. Thanks to the A Team, Roddick, Samworth and Thirty Percy Foundations for your support.

Jonty is joined by Dr Sally Bell, Holly Beckett from Focussed Farmers and sustainable farming advocate, Russ Carrington, to talk about how mental and physical health and wellbeing are so vital during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Sally Bell qualified as a doctor in 1999, trained as a GP and spent three years as an aid worker in Darfur and Uganda. A few years ago, she and her family suffered some serious health issues and it caused her to look deeper into the root cause of disease. She became convinced that there were better solutions to complex and chronic health problems than the conventional GP approach. She trained with the Institute for Functional Medicine and is convinced that with ‘five foundations of health’ our bodies have a remarkable ability to heal themselves. Holly Beckett is a Nuffield Scholar and Project Director at Focussed Farmers, aimed at educating farmers and ag-sector workers on the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, with a particular emphasis on how we can use mindfulness to develop our self-awareness and self-management. Russ Carrington was the executive secretary for the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association and is very active in the Young Farmers movement. He has been chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Issues (AGRI) steering group,  sat on Defra’s Green Food Project Steering Group and through the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) he actively participates in political activities at a European level. Russ has also started a Transition Farming Movement in Herefordshire, which is using innovative methods to discover opportunities that can lead to sustainable practices and resilient communities. Sally, Holly and Russ talk to Jonty about their personal journeys, discussing the importance of sleep and eating whole foods, how we can achieve our goals more effortlessly and how mindfulness can aid resilience during the coronavirus pandemic. Funding for the production of this podcast came from the Farming the Future Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund. Thanks to the A Team, Roddick, Samworth and Thirty Percy Foundations for your support.

Last week architects Tim Tasker and Anthony Carlisle came to FarmED to see progress on the creation of the new centre for Farm and Food Education. They talked to Fiona Mountain about the concept for the design of the eco-buildings, the planning process and materials used. Having just launched our podcasts we’re sadly going to have to put them on hold for a while, but do subscribe to keep up to date when we’re up and running again.