Farmerama

This month, we chat with compost pioneers in the USA about compost’s role in building microbial life and how to produce a more fungally dominated compost. Abby has some thoughts on soil health and soil carbon, and we share a rallying cry from a member of La Via Campesina to get us all in action growing food. Next, we give you a teaser with one of the characters from our upcoming series, CEREAL, which uncovers the secrets behind the bread we eat. Finally, we hear about a community project growing and brewing their own beer.

A quick ‘breaking’ news story for you all: At Farmerama we don’t always agree with some of the Extinction Rebellion messages, but this week we met Dagan James of the Broughton Water Buffalo Farm and asked him about about what is XR Farmers and what they are doing to share the regenerative farming message far and wide.

This month we begin by looking at the links between regenerative agriculture and climate change, then we take a walk on a Scottish beach with a seaweed entrepreneur, and we have some more from Bee lover extraordinaire Bridgit Strawbridge. As we embark on our 5th year, we would love your ideas on how we can make Farmerama even better. Do you have a few minutes? What would you like to hear more of? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/fCSxaSUcEM4dRetK7

In this special episode, part of our Women of the Land series with Chelsea Green Publishing, we chat to Brigit Strawbridge Howard, a bee advocate, wildlife gardener and naturalist. Her new book, ‘Dancing With Bees’, is a love letter to the natural world. It brings the world of pollinators alive, and makes it overwhelmingly obvious that, once again, we humans have gravely oversimplified nature by allowing our desire for honey to blind us to the complex life of bees. In ‘Dancing with Bees’, Brigit awakens us to a new world where we are reminded that diversity is key, and inspires us all to get in action where the first step is just to start noticing our pollinator friends. Thanks to Chelsea Green Publishing for supporting this episode.

This month, we begin on the island of Jersey where the community have come together to build sustainable supply networks benefiting both smaller-scale farmers and local people. We revisit rewilding and how it fits into the farming landscape. Then, it’s off to Somerset to hear how one regenerative farm is working with nature to build pollinators and many other beneficials into their system. Finally, we hear from a Malawian reverend about the connections between faith, farming and agroecological principles.

Regular contributor Joel Rodker previously reported for Farmerama on his progress in setting up a market garden from scratch. In 2019 he has moved to working for Norwich Farmshare and is continues to share his experiences.

In our 4th birthday episode we have some super stories from multiple continents. We begin in the United states with a cover crop guru from North Dakota, we nip a few states East to hear from the queen of pastured pigs and then back to the UK to be immersed in some wilding. And we’re in Chile again, this time to learn about the native trees and how they can form part of an agroforestry system.

This is a special interview with author and farmer Alice Percy, part of our Women of the Land series with Chelsea Green Publishing. In her new book, ‘Happy Pigs Taste Better’, Alice draws on a decade of experience raising pigs on pasture to bring you (the first book of it’s kind) an in-depth guide to organic, high-welfare pig farming on both smaller and larger scales. In this interview Abby sits down with Alice to talk about how pigs raised on pasture are different to intensively reared ones, how to utilise their rooting instinct as part of a holistic system, and the joy of new piglets.

This month, Abby spends some time with Josephina, a former art teacher, on her ranch in the Chilean mountains. Josephina started a group for women farmers in the region, which has grown to become a network of community support and friendship. Then, we hear about the Woodchip for Fertile Soils project run by Sally Westaway from the Organic Research Centre. As part of the project, Robert Benford of Down Farm takes in wood from William Hamer’s Hampshire Woodfuel Cooperative, and uses it to improve his soil. Next, we speak with Fred Price from Gothelney Farm, Somerset, who was on the show back in January. This time, he talks to us about a key part of his system: the pastured pigs. Fred explains how he uses a forage-based system to build soil, keep the pigs happy, and make sure the farm is ecologically and financially resilient. We also hear back from another old friend from a few episodes ago, Dan Rinke. As well as his farming experiments with Kim Hamblin at Art and Science, Oregon, Dan manages Johan Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, and he walks us through his regenerative vineyard management system. Finally, we return to the nuances of no-till and conservation agriculture, focusing this month on the application of glyphosate right before harvest in the UK, also known as pre-harvest crop desiccation. We can understand why farmers might want to do this, but this use of herbicides makes us uneasy. What do you think? Thanks for listening to Farmerama this month, and every month. Farmerama is made by Abby Rose, Katie Revell and Jo Barratt. This month, editing was by Suzie McCarthy, Louis Hudson and Zack Ekpe. Community support for the show comes from Hanna Soderlund, Annie Landless, Eliza Jenkins and Olivia Oldham, and our theme music is by Owen Barratt.

Vandana Shiva is an is an Indian scholar, environmental activist and food sovereignty advocate. She’s spent much of her life in the defence and celebration of biodiversity and indigenous knowledge. This is a recording of a talk at the Farming the Future event, organised by the Roddick and A Team Foundations. A shorter version of this episode is featured in Episode 46 of Farmerama. Edited by Suzie McCarthy

This month we hear from an inspirational woman who’s long been banging the drum for biodiversity and small-scale farmers around the world. Then on to a field mulching evangelist and finally, loans for enlightened agriculture. And we finish off with some discussion of how no-till on its own is not always rooted in a more ecological approach.

This month we start off by hearing about the power of gardens to provide sanctuary to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Then we head across the pond to Maine, where we tap into the knowledge of an organic farming legend and hear what has inspired him over his 50 years in farming. We hop over to Oregon to talk large scale biodynamic wine and we end with a few words of farewell from our resident market gardener. Thanks to Rebel Kitchen for supporting this episode

Woody Tasch is an environmentally responsible financier. He worked for over 30 years in finance, managing other people’s money but ten years ago he took a radical step and started the Slow Money movement.Slow Money walks a fine line between philanthropy and investment - the return on an investment is the regeneration of the soil and, ultimately, the the health of the local community and planet. This is a full length interview with Woody that we featured in Episode 44 Interview by Abby Rose and Editing by Suzie McCarthy for Farmerama https://twitter.com/woodytasch?lang=en https://twitter.com/SlowMoney https://www.facebook.com/SlowMoney https://www.instagram.com/slowmoneyinstitute/ https://slowmoney.org

This month we explore radical roots and cider apples with a farming couple in Oregon. We hear about a different type of investment, the Slow Money movement, where healthy soil is a good return for your money. We talk CSAs in Northern Ireland and we end with a call for allyship in the kitchen from a passionate chef. Thanks to Rebel Kitchen for supporting this episode.

In February, we hear how easy it is to get very young children interested in growing food. From an old friend of the show, we learned a few grazing tips, including how to use animals to remineralise the land. We learn about the benefits and challenges of setting up a silvopasture system, and get to join in on a sustainable wine tasting session in Sicily. Thanks to Rebel Kitchen for supporting this episode.

Jonny Hansen of Jubilee Farm talks to Conor Macauley, the BBCs Northern Ireland Agriculture & Environment Correspondent about the implications of a No-Deal Brexit Jubilee Farm is Northern Ireland's first Community-Supported Agriculture scheme.

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here's is his report from January 2018

The Savanna Institute are laying the groundwork for widespread agroforestry in the Midwest. Over 100 farmers and researchers gathered to share learnings from different agroforestry and silvopasture operations. Kathy Dice and her partner own Red Fern Farm in Iowa. They were some of the pioneers of the agroforestry movement in the Midwest and their farm is now a successful u-pick perennial polyculture operation, where customers pick their own produce.

This month we are at the 10th annual Oxford Real Farming Conference. First up we hear the inspirational story of 5000+ women who are now practising natural agriculture, or no-cost agriculture, on farms and smallholdings across Southern Zambia. Back in the UK we get the lowdown on biofertilisers that provide food for microbes, and we hear the ups and downs of a regenerative farming journey from a young farmer in Somerset. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen, for making this episode possible!

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here's is his report from December 2018

This month we hear from the people of Turtle Island who have created a Slow Food Indigenous association that represents a collective of over 500 nations on one continent. We head to Java, to celebrate the fantastic diversity of Indonesian bananas. In North Dakota we learn about the ecological potential of regenerative farming, and how farms can (and should) boost their local economies. We end up in the UK, with an end-of-year update from our regular marketing garden reporter. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen, for making this episode possible!

Jonny Hansen of Jubilee Farm speaking to Tiziana O'Hara of Cooperative Alternatives, a the local cooperative enterprise agency supporting the farms share offer. Jubilee Farm is Northern Ireland's first Community-Supported Agriculture scheme.

In this short we hear Jonny Hansen from Jubilee Farm in Northern Ireland with an introduction to political economy in relation to food and farming. He’s in discussion with Professor John Barry from Queens University Belfast. Jubilee Farm is Northern Ireland's first Community-Supported Agriculture scheme.

This month we’ve gone a little grain mad at UK Grain Lab. We learn about grain populations and heritage grains, innovative projects that connect millers, bakers and farmers and we chat to bakers around the world experimenting with more diverse flours. Then we jump across the Pennines to hear from students embedding sustainable food into student life. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen for making this episode possible.

Leah Penniman is a farmer, author, activist and all-round inspiration who we were lucky enough to interview for this special show. Her book, ‘Farming While Black’, published by Chelsea Green Publishing, is a multi-layered journey with practical tips for beginner farmers, afro-indigenous recipes, leadership advice, the story of building a farm and serving a community. But at its heart, this is a call to action, empowering people of colour to reclaim traditions and cultures that have been suppressed by colonialism and slavery. Thanks to Chelsea Green Publishing for supporting this episode. Image: onion harvest at Soul Fire Farm, credit: Leah Penniman

This month, we’re full to the brim with small-scale farming heroines. We start with a super-inspiring farmer in New York State, who shares her top 3 tips for setting up a small-scale farm. We speak to female farmers on either side of the Atlantic about life and death, and what it means to raise and kill animals. And we end the show looking at the power of photography to share the stories of small-scale farmers around the world. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen for making this episode possible.

This month we are connected to the voices of farmers and fishers around the world at Terra Madre in Turin. There we bump into a rather well-known chef and sustainable food activist who celebrates small-scale farming. We also hear from an extraordinary young Palestinian farmer, with her story of making olive oil against all odds in conflicted lands. Back in the UK, we talk nationwide farmer-led intercropping trials, and in Northern Ireland we hear from an expert in community share offers.

Greg Judy is an enthusiastic mob grazer based in Missouri. He talks to us about getting animals back on the land and building biodiversity in grasslands, including the importance of cow pats... all with the goal of increasing the long-term viability of your farm. We spoke to Greg at the Groundswell Show 2018.

This month we start with some thoughts from one farmer about ways of resolving the inevitable tensions of family farming over different generations. Next, we hear from a Dorset farmer, with an update on the highs and lows of her compost tea trials on arable cropland. Moving on to Herefordshire, we discover the exciting potential benefits of agroforestry for disease prevention in apple orchards. And finally, we end up in the Netherlands, where we learn about an innovative business model that is being used to create farming communities! Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen for making this episode possible. Thanks to the contribution this week from the Investing in regenerative Agriculture Podcast. More here: https://soundcloud.com/investinginregenerativeagriculture

In this short, we take a walk with Loredana. With her husband Roy, she runs Agriturismo Stallaini in the south east of Sicily. They prepare food for the guests all from within walking distance of the mine. Encounter lucid, vivid scents, smells, colours and be present in this ancient place. This podcast was made by Jo, with Lizzie Ostrom, and was originally published on the Life in Scents, a podcast about smell. http://www.agriturismostallaini.com/ https://www.acast.com/lifeinscents

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here's is his report from June and July 2018

This month we hear all about wiggly worms and their wondrous work. We get some tips on cow pats and profitability from a Missouri-based mob grazer. Then we head over to California for thoughts on regenerative agriculture on a biodynamic vineyard, and finally we dip into the Free Range Families initiative at Jubilee Farm in Northern Ireland. Thanks to Rebel Kitchen for supporting this episode and to all of you for listening in!

Charles Schembre is Vineyard Conservation Co-ordinator at Napa County Resource Conservation District. His work sees him leading the implementation of California’s Healthy Soils Program, a scheme which compensates farmers for increasing their soil health – with the goal of sequestering carbon and increasing water retention. Charles also helped create the first ever carbon farm plans for 4 vineyards in Napa county, working with their partners the Carbon Cycle Institute. You can hear more about these carbon farm plans and details of how they monitor soil health and carbon sequestration in this month’s short.

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. In this report he lets us know what he's been up to during the month of June. Time have been tough but he's enjoying being outside and working in the English summer sun.

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here's is his report from May 2018

Hear from Tony Lovell in his talk at Atlas of the Futures recent Barcelona event on 'Fixing the Future'. Atlas of the Future reports, 'by giving the animals a more holistic hook, carbon-canny cattle rancher Tony Lovell, co-founder of SLM Australia Livestock Fund, has raised a whopping $100 million to help to regenerate the billions of hectares of damaged Australian grasslands – using soil management, biodiversity restoration and grazing techniques: “Cows and sheep are just cows and sheep. They are neither good nor bad. The piece most people are missing is how cattle are managed.”' Atlas of the Future is an online resource of hope, raising the profile of people working for a better future. Check out their recent interview with Dan Barber and the question we put to him about bringing regenerative soil practices to the table: https://atlasofthefuture.org/6-questions-for-a-food-futurehero-dan-barber/

This month we begin in California, where they are paying farmers to sequester carbon, using practices proven to increase soil health. We head to the home of democracy to hear how Greek citizens are bringing seed saving back to the people. In Somerset we get some tips on starting a market garden and we end up back in the USA, this time deep in Indiana, to hear how one college is using the power of education to transform the landscape of the mid-west.

In this Short Pavlos Georgiadis and Olly Moore are taken on a tour or PERKA. The group PERKA was created in the beginning of 2011 by people living in Thessaloniki, Greece, whose goal was the communal and in season cultivation of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs in a field or an appropriate space. The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation. Farmerama are partnering with GROW to bring you interviews from the teams travels and investigations. www.growobservatory.org http://perka.org/node/226

Jonny Hanson is an environmentalist who’s involved in setting up Northern Ireland's first Community-Supported Agriculture scheme, at Jubilee Farm. We’re going to be following their progress over the coming months. Jonny reports from Jubilee Farm’s first community volunteer day and provides a perspective on farming that’s I think a first for us on Farmerama. This was originally published as part of episode 31 of Farmerama

In this interview Pavlos and Olly from GROW Observatory learn about the Peliti seed saving initiative in Greece. The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation.

The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation. In this short, Pavlos Georgiadis and Olly Moore look back on their tour of 5 very different types of farm across Greece and reveal some of the other projects they will be visiting. Many of these visits can be heard on the Farmerama Soundcloud pages, collected on the GROW Observatory playlist.

Hear from Pasture For Life farmer Rob Havard who was at the Future of UK Farming Conference. He tells us some clever tips on how to harvest your own seeds for planting herbal leys and how he has been experimenting with terminating herbal leys, working solely with his animals.

This month we hear from a self-confessed non-environmentalist about an ocean-based farming solution that might inadvertently be saving the environment as well as providing a simple, new and sensible option for people wanting to make a living from the sea. In Northern Ireland, we get stuck into the very important issue of mental health in farming. We get the lowdown on plants activating genes and how this relates to seed saving, and we end with a farmer in the remote South of Chile telling us about the importance of community and how we can contribute to what he calls ‘circle agriculture’.

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here he reports from inside his new polytunnel.

In this interview Pavlos Georgiadis speaks to Hannes Lorensen, after the European rural sustainability gathering at Lake Plastiras, who talks about the problems with the sustainability of modern food production, and makes the case for the urban consumer needing to do more listen to and support farmers and grow connections. The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation. Farmerama are partnering with GROW to bring you interviews from the teams travels and investigations. www.growobservatory.org

The GROW Observatory is an EU-wide citizen science project helping people grow food and care for their soils using regenerative practices. They do so through massive experiments using low cost soil moisture sensors and online courses. GROW also uses people’s observations of soils to improve environmental monitoring by satellites. In so doing, the project helps with climate change adaptation. In this spcial feature, Nikos Vrantsis speaks to Greek organic olive grower Pavlos Georgiadis, one of the initiators of the GROW Observatory, from one of the first GROW Places - Pavlos' own olive farm in Alexandroupoli. He explains how the project is able to provide benefit to growers, people passionate about soil and communities who will take part in the project. He also has some interesting things to say in support of the democratisation of knowledge for Soil Stewardship. www.growobservatory.org

This month we have a political focus, but still manage to squeeze in talk of our fave topics, soil and microbes. First up, some personal stories from a ‘kitchen table talk’ on what good food means to the people in Scotland. A Jersey farmer tells us about trying out an innovative approach to growing the island’s favourite potato. We have an update on ‘Green Brexit’ and how global trade agreements affect farmers. We end with the launch of a ‘Pig Club’ and a catchy tune from the bee-lievers. 🐝 🐖🍭🍏

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here is his latest report, recorded in March 2017.

If you live in Scotland – or even if you don’t – you might have heard that the Scottish Government will soon be introducing a “Good Food Nation Bill”. It’s set to be a wide-ranging piece of legislation, touching on health, sustainable production, food poverty, food culture, and a lot more besides. It has the potential to be radical and world-leading – or a huge missed opportunity. Katie spoke to Bella Crowe from Nourish Scotland about the Bill, the upcoming consultation, and the broader context for food in Scotland. Bella also explained the Scottish Food Coalition’s “Kitchen Table Talk” initiative: an effort to make sure the consultation is as broad and representative as possible. To find out more about the Good Food Nation Bill and the Kitchen Table talks, visit nourishscotland.org

This month we get an update from Abby’s farm in Chile a year after the huge fires burned all their crops. We head to a farm in Wales to learn how planning legislation is opening doors for people wanting to produce, and live sustainably. Then we head to the US to hear how one farmer is taking a philosophical approach to sharing the practice of farming and connecting to the land. And finally, back on British soil to hear from a long-time soil scientist about organic matter. Plus if you listen to the very end you will hear a nice teaser about an exciting opportunity in Scotland.