R2Kast - People in Food and Farming

Field to Front Door – Episode 11 on regenerative farming, harvest decisions and learning from failureToday we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had Sally-Ann on the R2Kast

Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we continue looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds

Do you thrive on challenge? Or perhaps you're looking for someone who can help bring clarity to the whirlwind of running a business and a busy life?

In this episode we meet four inspiring guests who are championing small-scale horticulture, alternative food systems and pollinator conservation on Arran. We learn how market gardens, community growing projects and foraging initiatives are helping to celebrate local produce, reconnect people with the land and strengthen social wellbeing. We also explore the important role that bees and honey production play in supporting biodiversity and food production across the island. Episode guestsSimon Ross-GillSimon is the Director and Project Coordinator of The Arran Pioneer Project CIC, a project working to regenerate Scotland's wild and natural landscapes in a way that incorporates rural communities while securing jobs and livelihoods for young people. The Pioneer Project runs several community gardens around Arran.Simon also works as a graphic designer specialising in books, handbooks, flyers and interpretive materials focussed on landscape, environment and community. He is passionate about working with local people to build a more sustainable and self-sufficient food system.Robin GrayRobin is a chef, grower and owner of Robin Gray's Island Gourmet, a take-away food business in Whiting Bay demonstrating how sustainably produced, seasonal ingredients can be used to celebrate the unique flavours of Arran.Zoë HughesZoë is a Wild Food Educator who runs Wild Food Arran and has been teaching foraging and wild food identification for over 4 years. She is a member of the Association of Foragers and completely obsessed with mushrooms!Andy WalkerAndy has been keeping bees on Arran for more than 20 years. He moved to the island with his family in 1999 to work for the Forestry Commission and, although now retired, continues to work part-time in timber production. Alongside producing a range of award-winning honeys, Andy also uses beeswax from his hives to create a variety of natural products sold across the island under the label of Arran Bee Products. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had Lauren on the R2Kast

Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we continue looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds

Do you feel you have expertise and experience to pass on? Or perhaps you're looking for someone who can help you learn, grow and navigate the challenges ahead?

In this episode, we explore arable farming on Arran, tracing the journey of locally grown grain from field to fork and glass.We begin at Bellevue Farm, where farmer Donald Currie grows malting barley on Arran's fertile soils. From there, we follow the grain north to Lochranza Distillery, where Brand Ambassador Fred Baumgärtner explains how locally grown barley is transformed into the island's world-renowned whisky. We finish our journey at Blackwater Bakehouse, where baker George Grassie shares his passion for artisan breadmaking, heritage grains, sustainability, health and nutrient-dense food.The phrase “follow the grain” is often used to describe the process of working with the natural direction of a material, or within the constraints of your environment, rather than forcing a direction that leads to resistance and damage.We learn how this ethos is reflected in the agroecological approach embraced across Arran. From the field to the distillery and bakery, we hear how farmers, bakers and distillers work with the opportunities and constraints of the island's climate, soils and landscapes, allowing the local environment to shape their practices rather than trying to overcome it.Episode guestsDonald CurrieDonald Currie is an arable and beef farmer who produces barley for malting at Bellevue Farm and other sites around the island.Fred BaumgärtnerFred Baumgärtner is the Brand Home Ambassador for the Isle of Arran Distillers, the company responsible for producing award-winning whisky at both Lagg Distillery and Lochranza Distillery.Born and bred on Arran, Fred now leads whisky tasting tours and experiences at the distillery for hundreds of visitors each year, and travels the world showcasing the island's products.George GrassieGeorge Grassie is an artisan baker who has been running Blackwater Bakehouse for the past five years. Born and raised on Arran, George spent several years living on the mainland and abroad before returning to the island with his young family. Today, the Bakehouse produces fresh artisan bread using high-quality Scottish-grown organic flour and heritage grains, and has recently expanded into a new site in Brodick. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had Kate on the R2Kast

Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we continue looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds

Do you feel you have expertise and experience to pass on? Or perhaps you're looking for someone who can help you learn, grow and navigate the challenges ahead?

The episode features farmers, artisan food producers, and the distributers working to connect the two and create a thriving hyper-local milk market. We learn how collaboration and adding value is key to keeping dairy at the heart of the community.Milk production on Arran has a somewhat turbulent history, with external pressures such as pasteurisation legislation pushing the industry to the brink of collapse at the end of the twentieth century. However, thanks to the determination and creativity of a small number of islanders, the last remaining dairy herd on Arran survives to this day, and the industry is going from strength to strength.Episode guests:Matthew DobsonMatthew Dobson is the Production Manager at Arran Ice Cream. He has worked in the family business for over 13 years, during which time he has played a vital role in the growth and development of the brand. Having grown up on the island, Matthew is passionate about creating a high-quality product that really shows off the taste of Arran's milk, supports local farmers, and creates memorable experiences for visitors and residents alike.Calum ChaplinCalum Chaplin is an artisan cheese maker producing award-winning Arran Blue, Arran Mist (Brie) and Camembert cheeses for Arran Cheese Shop at their factory in Blackwaterfoot.The cheese is made using milk from the island, and sold in shops, markets, delis, and restaurants both on Arran and around Scotland.John MurchieJohn Murchie is a farmer who cares for the island's last remaining dairy herd at Tigheanfraoch Farm. Tigheanfraoch Farm has been part of the Murchie family since 1953 and is now home to 59 cows, with 47 milked twice a day, 365 days a year.The cows enjoy a natural, seasonal lifestyle, grazing on Arran's rich pastures in summer and fed on homegrown silage in the colder months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

From the early days of crofting and subsistence farming to the present day, animal protein has provided an essential and highly valuable source of nutrients for Arran's population. While sheep and beef production have always been central to Arran's farming economy, venison is now also being embraced as a sustainable protein source that can help to combat the growing threat that the wild deer population poses to island ecosystems.In this first episode of our new series Agroecology Around Arran, we explore how the production of meat on Arran embraces the ethos of agroecology, how farmers are working together to reduce carbon emissions from livestock farming, and what we can learn from their example.GuestsAlistair CurrieAlistair talks to us about his livestock farm based in the Shiskine Valley. He maintains a herd of around around 30 native-breed beef cattle which are fed on pasture and home-grown silage.Colin CurrieColin Currie is an upland hill farmer who has been farming sheep and beef at Bridge Farm with his wife Laura since the 1970s. Bridge Farm is situated within a SSSI-designated site that is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Colin uses his innate knowledge of the land to create a low-input livestock system that has allowed him to reduce reliance on external markets, maximise animal welfare, and work in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.Zoë HughesZoë Hughes runs Wild Isle Venison with her partner Chris. Their work aims to honour the deer that are harvested alongside protecting the natural landscape on Arran and strengthening the local food chain. Zoë is passionate about sustainable, affordable meat that has a positive impact on the environment. Wild Isle Venison works to reconnect producers and consumers, processing venison in small batches and selling to local residents, chefs and businesses across the island.Alec PirieAlec Pirie is a Senior Consultant and Area Manager for SAC Consulting. Alec works with over 120 clients across Scotland and has a particular interest in carbon, climate and conservation. He has also recently completed a Master's degree in Wildlife, Conservation and Management. Alec started the Net Zero Arran group in 2019. This aim of this group of farmers is to quantify the island's agricultural carbon footprint and take collective action to improve it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we continue looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds

Today I had Cora on the R2Kast

Today I had Iain on the R2Kast

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had Robyn on the R2Kast

Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we begin looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds

Today I had Jack on the R2Kast

Today I had Karen on the R2Kast

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had Liv on the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Kate Speke Adams

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had Andrew on the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Alex Brewster

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today I had James on the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Robin Asquith

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today we welcome Matt Smee to the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Gordon Whiteford

Today we're back with Field to Front Door

Today we welcome Julie McLaren to the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Sarah Hughes

In this opening episode of Field to Front Door, Martin Caunce and David Wheatley sit down with Wallace Currie to test an idea that has been brewing for just 24 hours. From arable crops and flour milling to peonies, orchards and social media, the conversation explores what it really takes to sell direct and rebuild trust between farmer and consumer. Honest, off the cuff and unfiltered, this sets the tone for what could come next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we welcome Liz Barron-Majerik to the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Trevor Alcorn

Today we welcome Nikki and Ollie Lake to the R2Kast

Today we welcome Jemma to the R2Kast

Today we welcome Jackie Hough to the R2Kast

Today we welcome Sarah Jane to the R2Kast

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Taylor Davies

Today on the All In series of the R2Kast I was joined by Devin

Today we welcome Russ to the R2Kast

Today we welcome Sandy to the R2Kast