Farming For Change

Join Ben and I as we reunite after a significant hiatus to catch up on the latest happenings at Townsend Farm. We discuss the rapid changes in the farming landscape that have occurred since our last episode, touching on the evolving state of agriculture, the complexities surrounding the Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI) and inheritance tax, as well as the broader political climate affecting farmers today. 

Ben and James are joined by Antony Yousefian, partner at The First Thirty, a company that's aim is to regenerate 30m hectares by 2030. We cover a lot of ground in this one - vertical farming, quantifying the ecological footprint, biodiversity net gain and the role of AI in agriculture. Links mentioned:https://www.tft.vc/ - The First Thirty websitehttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60f02799e90e0764d2837899/Dasgupta_Response__web_July.pdf - The Economics of Biodiversity: TheDasgupta Review

In this episode, Ben and James chat with Townsend Farm's summer intern about biodiversity, French agroecology, composting and how to dig a circle. Make sure to check Loddington Farm's Instagram page to see the stunning silo in all its glory...

In this episode, Ben and James chat to Marion Regan, fourth generation 'guvnor' of Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, about robots, Wimbledon, lacewings and how they continue to grow soft fruit sustainably in an increasingly unpredictable social, economic and environmental climate. 

In this episode, James and Ben talk to Andy Cato from Wildfarmed about the company's mission to fix food to fix the planet, and how he believes we can farm in nature's image while comfortably feeding everyone. Inspiring stuff!

In this episode, instead of chatting to another farmer James meets with Ben's long-suffering wife, Helen, and Ben wasn't there so they could say what they want! It's easy to forget that behind most stressed-out farmers there is a calm and collected husband or wife supporting them while they work long hours, hatch crazy plans and, in James and Ben's case, talk about soil. A Lot. 

In this episode, Ben and James chat with Harry Winslet from G's about bugs in jugs, how boring celery is and the trials and tribulations of implementing organic and regenerative practices in fresh produce farming. 

Ben visits James who's feeling down in the dumps about farming after the heatwave. They discuss why food production has become so high risk and the impact climate change is having on our ability to grow viable crops. But, ever the optimist - Ben believes that 'desperation leads to innovation' and profitability is not necessarily mutually exclusive from the environment.  They also cover something that's often overlooked in farming - mental health.  

In this episode, James and Ben are in Monmouth to visit Dan Smith who runs one of Jamie's Farms - an incredible charity that provides residential experiences to vulnerable young people, combining farming, family and therapy.

On this episode James and Ben are joined by Tim May, estate manager at Kingsclere Estates in Hampshire, to discuss cows, circular economies, enterprise stacking and guerilla gardening.Meanwhile, Ben reveals his plans for 'quackerponics'... 

James and Ben travel to Wexcombe Manor Farm to chat to fourth-generation farmer, George Hosier about his move to a no-till farming system and the role engineering can play on a mixed farm. 

In light of COP26, this episode focuses on the role of agroecology in mitigating climate change. Ben and James are joined by Ollie Gillard from Gage Graphics to discuss how art can play a role in spreading the word of regenerative farming, and why this is more important now than ever. 

James and Ben are joined by Ben Whale, who is the farm manager responsible for the 2,000 acre Edgecote Estate in the Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire borders. This episode is more or less a case study on the regeneration of a traditional English estate and an insight into how things can be done differently. 

James and Ben are joined by Ed Brown, an Agronomist and Head of Agroecology at H L Hutchinson Ltd, to discuss the barriers and attitudes that stand in the way of moving to a better way of farming. And we'll reveal what boats and flerds are...

James and Ben discuss tilling, the differences between organic and regenerative farming, flood biology, rewilding and on a slight tangent...beavers and Christmas trees.