Farmerama

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 Vineyar

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!