Podcasts about Herefordshire

The Welsh Government's Sustainable Farming Scheme has come into force. It replaces the Basic Payment Scheme which has been phased out since the UK left the EU. What will it mean for Welsh farmers? We speak to a farmer near Brecon to find out.Environmental groups in Scotland are leaving the advisory boards on the country's new agriculture schemes in protest at what they say is a failure to address climate change and nature depletion. RSPB Scotland, Scottish Environment Link and other groups say they no longer have confidence in what they say was supposed to be to co-design of the post-Brexit schemes but in fact has ignored their views and failed to deliver meaningful reform. The Scottish Government says it is creating new policies that will deliver for both nature and the climate.Thousands of farmers, environmentalists and policy makers converge on Oxford this week for the annual Oxford Farming Conference and Oxford Real Farming Conference. This year, the Oxford Farming Conference theme is growing resilience, concentrating on how farmers can create the conditions on their land, and in their businesses, to weather future challenges. Climate change is just one of those. We visit a farmer in Herefordshire whose land has been repeatedly flooded. He's working with other farmers to make their businesses more resilient on a landscape scale.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Send us a textJoin us for this New Year special episode where Colonel Andy Taylor and Rev Paul Roberts are joined by the family to try out a wartime Christmas pudding recipe prepared - complete with grated potato and carrot - by Andy's wife Penny.  Listen in as Paul and Andy discuss the provision of comforts to the troops, including the amazing amount raised by the county of Herefordshire in 1915/16 for servicemen overseas.  And then they are joined by Penny, Rosie, Brian, Anne, Alison, Jack and Ben to sample the plum pudding, complete with custard made from powdered egg?  Will it be eggsellent or awful - listen to find out.And a happy new year from all at the Herefordshire Light Infantry.  If you have any requests for what you would like to hear us explore in 2026, just get in touch.Support the showIf you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience. Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.Support the Museum? Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a FriendTheme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band. This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Sam & Tom sit down to discuss their recent trip to Kington in Herefordshire. The highest course in England, Kington offers spectacular views and great architecture from C. K. Hutchison. We talk tangential historic tidbits and the style and playability of the course. Send us a message if you liked the showIf you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Website

My Story   Talk 34   Overcoming New Challenges Welcome to Talk 34 in our series where I'm reflecting on God's goodness to me throughout my life. Last time I was mentioning some of the health challenges I faced in India and today I will be describing how these continued for some time once we were back in England. I will also be talking about the serious health challenges Eileen faced during the last ten years of her life. I take no pleasure in recording all this, but an honest account of my life must include the hard times as well as the good, and, of course, the Lord has brought me through. Challenges following India Fortunately, there was little in my diary for the first few weeks after our return from India and I soon began to feel better. I thought I was back to normal and in April we set off for two weekends of ministry in Essex. We would stay with Eileen's sister Joan in Billericay and the first weekend I would preach in Witham and a week later in our old church in Colchester. On the first Saturday we drove from our home in Paignton straight to Witham, a journey of about 250 miles, and I preached in the afternoon and evening meetings. We then made our way to Billericay, returning to Witham for the Sunday morning service. I had felt fine on the Saturday, but on Sunday I suddenly started to feel unwell again shortly before I was due to preach. The symptoms were like those I had had in India, and I went outside to get some fresh air. However, I managed to get through the preaching but was grateful to get back to Billericay. The next day Joan arranged an appointment for me with her GP who, hearing that I had been bitten by a mosquito in India and suspecting that I might have malaria, sent me for tests at the hospital in Basildon. Although these tested negative, I was still worried that there was something seriously wrong with me and just wanted to get back home to Paignton. Apologising profusely, I asked our friends at Colchester to release me from my commitment to preach the following weekend and we drove home later that week, unsure of what the future might hold. The next two years proved to be extremely difficult. I continued to experience similar problems every time I preached. In May 2010 I drove up to Huddersfield for the AoG conference but was so stressed that I returned home without attending a meeting. I immediately arranged an appointment with my GP, Mark Thompson, a good Christian man, and told him my whole story. He reminded me that as Christians we are not immune to such things and recommended some books that might help explain my condition. It appears that my experience in India, caused by extreme heat, dehydration, and overwork, triggered a rush of adrenalin which produced the symptoms I was struggling with. I learnt that worrying about the symptoms only made matters worse because that causes a further rush of adrenalin. I was caught in a vicious circle, and the only way out was to embrace the symptoms, tell myself that they would not harm me, and gradually I would get better. And that's what happened, although it did take a long time. Following my visit to the doctor I cancelled my two-week trip to teach at the Bible College in Finland in May. We did go to Madeira for a three week holiday in June, but this turned out to be disappointing because of my recurring symptoms. However, in September I did manage to teach for two weeks at Mattersey, preach for a weekend in Pocklington, and assisted by Bob Hyde, teach a course at CTS in Brussels for a week. I was still experiencing the symptoms but managing to cope with them – at least most of the time. But there were still occasions when I felt unable to preach. In October I cancelled a weekend in Poynton and in November I was unable to complete a weekend's ministry in Aston. I began to wonder if the time had come for me to give up. But less than two weeks later the Lord suddenly intervened. Eileen and I were in Exeter at a meeting for Assemblies of God ministers and their wives. The guest preacher was John Glass, the General Superintendent of the Elim Churches. He was preaching on Jeremiah 1 when he came to verses 11-12: The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied. The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." He explained the play on words that we find in these verses – the Hebrew word for almond is very similar to the word for watch. The almond tree is among the first to blossom in spring. It's something you watch for as a sign that spring has come. Winter will be followed by spring because God watches over his word to see that it is fulfilled. Now in England most of us don't see an almond tree too often, so John likened it to crocuses. In his garden they're the first flowers to bloom in spring. They're the sign or guarantee that winter won't be forever. Then John broke away from his notes and said something like this: There are some of you here who are feeling that your ministry has come to an end. You have been experiencing a bleak winter, but the Lord wants you to know that it will not be forever. You will experience a new springtime. Eileen and I looked at each other. Was this for us? Surely it must be. But there were a lot of other people in that meeting. Could it be that John's prophetic word was for them and not for us? We drove home after the meeting hoping, rather than believing, that this really was a word from the Lord for us. And then, that evening, Jill Cooper, one of our friends from church, arrived on our doorstep and said, I've brought you a little present. To be honest, I had bought it for someone else, but then I felt the Lord tell me to give it to you instead.  What was the present? A bowl of crocuses! How good God is! He gave us the assurance that I would emerge from this dark period of winter into a new springtime of ministry. We sometimes have to go through a valley of shadow, but he is with us in it all the way. So in 2011, whenever the symptoms reoccurred, I pressed through them, knowing that this condition wouldn't last forever. In March I flew to Scotland to speak to the AoG ministers, in May we went back to Finland to teach at Iso Kirja for two weeks, in September I taught for two weeks at Mattersey, and in October I was back at CTS again. None of these occasions was easy. In fact, I often felt really unwell, but everyone always said that, if I hadn't told them, they would not have known anything was wrong with me! I'm not quite sure how much longer it took to get back to normal. In fact, I'm not really sure what 'normal' is! We all deteriorate physically as we get older and our energy levels are not what they were. When I look back at what I was doing in the years before Mattersey and throughout my time there, I wonder now how I possibly managed it all. What was normal for me then is far beyond my capabilities now, but I have moved into a new springtime in my ministry and people tell me that at 87 I'm not doing badly for my age, for which I am grateful. Challenges to Eileen's health But my health challenges were nothing compared with those faced by Eileen in the last ten years of her life. On Sunday 21st December 2014 quite unexpectedly at about 9am Eileen started to experience severe pain in her stomach as she was getting ready for church. As the pain was unrelenting, causing Eileen to pass out a couple of times, by 3pm I decided I needed to call 999. I accompanied Eileen in the ambulance while Jonathan followed by car. After waiting with her a few hours, Jon and I were advised to go home and await the results of an MRI scan.  At about 10.30 that evening the surgeon phoned to ask us to go in to discuss options for Eileen. It was clear that the situation was very serious. On arrival at the hospital, we were told that the scan had revealed that the blood supply had been cut off from Eileen's bowel and that her smaller bowel had died. Without an immediate operation she would die. There was even the possibility that the condition was already too far advanced for them to be able to save her. Furthermore, even if they were able to save her, there was a strong possibility that she would need to have a permanent colostomy. Eileen agreed with us that we should agree to the operation and trust God for the best possible outcome. We prayed with her, of course, but as you can imagine, for the next few hours we were on an emotional roller-coaster, experiencing all the ups and downs from fear to faith, but with a determination to trust God, come what may. We simply could not believe that it was God's time for Eileen to go to Heaven and kept praying that he would spare her. Imagine our relief when at one o'clock on Monday morning the surgeon phoned to say that she had the best possible news for us. Eileen's bowel was alive! What had been causing the pain was an internal hernia which they had been able to fix. None of her bowel had needed to be removed and the blood supply had been restored.   Now bearing in mind the certainty with which the surgeon told us that Eileen's bowel had died we were convinced that this was not just a case of faulty diagnosis, but that God had worked an amazing miracle in restoring Eileen's bowel to life. God had allowed man to do what he could but intervened to do what man could not do – restore a dead bowel to life! We were so grateful for the prayers of the many people who interceded for Eileen throughout this difficult time and to God for his miraculous intervention. I never cease to be amazed at his wonderful grace and goodness to us. But the operation had been very invasive and left Eileen severely weakened for months. And she never fully regained the strength and energy she had lost, but that, of course, may have been partly caused by the fact that she was not getting any younger. And neither was I! In April 2015 we had a few days' break in the Lake District and neither of us felt like walking very far. It was much the same in September when we went to the Isle of Wight, but on both these holidays we contented ourselves with driving around in the car, visiting old haunts, marvelling at the beauty of God's creation, and, of course, enjoying the food. We planned two short holidays for 2016, the first in Longtown, a village in Herefordshire close to the Welsh border in May. After preaching in Rugby on the Sunday morning, we drove there in the afternoon and spent a few delightful days in a charming cottage on the banks of the River Monnow, returning to Brixham the following weekend. The second holiday, planned for a week in September at the southern end of Coniston Water, never happened. In June I flew to Ireland to preach for a weekend in Sligo where Daniel Caldwell, one of our former students, was leading a church. On Sunday morning I preached on Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8 and I remember saying that sometimes unexpected problems suddenly arise in our lives, but Jesus is well able to see us through them and get us to the other side. Who knows what might happen this week? But whatever happens Jesus is with us. And I flew home that afternoon. I have preached that message many times, but little did I know what was to happen just two days later. On Tuesday evening, sitting in her armchair Eileen had a severe stroke and was rushed into Torbay Hospital. From head to toe she had no feeling down the right side of her body. The next Sunday, still in hospital, she suffered another stroke and we were told that the outlook was extremely bleak. She was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain. Her life had been saved. After eleven days she was transferred back to Torbay where she remained for eight days until a bed was available at Newton Abbot where she began a course of rehab. Throughout this time we were all looking to the Lord for a complete healing, whether instantaneous or gradual, but her progress was extremely slow, and it was becoming increasingly clear that she needed a miracle if she would ever walk again. And although the healing miracle we were praying for never happened, we could see the hand of the Lord at work in other ways. Firstly, on July 28th when we were sitting in the hospital day room and eating cake to celebrate our wedding anniversary, the Torbay doctor who had told us that the outlook was extremely bleak approached us and said, I'm looking for Eileen Petts. And when he saw her he said, I can't believe it. Which was something he repeated more than once during the fifteen minutes he was with us. He clearly had not expected Eileen to survive, and this encouraged our faith that God was at work in the situation. On 10th August, after eight weeks in three different hospitals, Eileen finally came home. And that, in itself, was a miracle. We had been told just a few days earlier that Eileen would have to be discharged as her bed was needed for someone else. To continue her rehab she could either go into a care home if we could find one that would take her, or the NHS would provide rehab workers to come to our home, but we would need to find a home care company to take care of Eileen's other needs. The problem was that at the time there were over 70 people in Torbay on a waiting list! I needed an answer – quick! And just in time the answer came. Just a day before Eileen had to be discharged, Trude Hyde came to me and said that she and her twin sister Sylvia would take care of Eileen if we would like them to. How wonderful! I didn't need to ask Eileen because I knew she would love it, but for the sake of all concerned, I felt I needed to ask the Lord for his guidance. And I did foresee one possible problem. I didn't know if I would be allowed to choose Eileen's carers or if they would require certain recognised medical qualifications. I needed an immediate answer to that question, and I didn't know where to find it. I was just going off to visit Eileen, and I didn't want to mention the twins' kind offer until I knew the answer in case it led to her being disappointed. And then I remembered that Katie, the daughter of our next-door neighbour, Sue, was the lead carer for the whole of Torbay. She would certainly know the answer. I was just about to go and knock on Sue's door when I changed my mind and said, Lord, if this is of you, before I get into the car, please let Sue come out without me knocking on her door. And that's what happened. No sooner had I prayed that prayer than Sue came out of her house. In less than five minutes Katie was on the phone and told me that I could choose whom I liked. Eileen was overjoyed, and Trude and Sylvia took care of her visiting our home four times a day for the next four years until we moved to a bungalow on the other side of town, when workers from Abide Care, Brixham, took over.  Eileen finally went to be with the Lord in February 2024 almost eight years after that awful stroke. She was always grateful that her condition was not physically painful, but frustrated at her inability to walk and do all those things we normally take for granted. And we both naturally wondered why the Lord had allowed this to happen. One Bible passage that Eileen found particularly helpful was 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 where Paul says: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. And the comfort and strength our Father gave to Eileen certainly did overflow to others, not least as a testimony to the dozens of carers from Abide who came into our home over the final four years of her life. Throughout this whole very difficult period both Eileen and I had been sustained by our Christian faith and by a particular word received from the Lord through Barrie Taylor, our daughter Sarah's father-in-law. Barrie and Sandra live some distance away and we normally only saw them once or twice a year. On one such occasion when Eileen seemed to be making little progress after her stroke we were all having a meal together at Berry Head Hotel, when Barrie said the Lord had given him a word for us: My Father is at work in your lives and situation which He is using as a platform to display his sustaining grace. God sometimes uses amazing miracles of healing to display his power and love, but it is often the sustaining grace that he gives his people in times of suffering that brings others to faith. Through Eileen's suffering the lives of many were touched, people who might never have otherwise heard the good news about Jesus. And since she died there have been many opportunities to share the gospel. The funeral staff at the crematorium were visibly moved and said they had never experienced a service like it and neighbours said the same thing about the church service that followed it. As Christians we know where we are going, and the knowledge that our loved ones are with the Lord is a source of great comfort and even joy. Although I still miss her every day, I sometimes weep for joy at the thought of how happy Eileen must now be in Heaven! And one day we shall meet again! But until then there is still work for me to do down here. But that's the subject of our final talk.

For this second episode in our Festive Folklore series for December 2025, I'm joined by my podcast pals, The Faerie Folk podcast and Sian Powell from Celtic Myths & Legends. We discuss some plant-based traditions from Herefordshire, the Mari Lwyd, and Cornwall's Montol Festival. We also talk about Christmas films, our own Christmas traditions, and what we'll be enjoying for Christmas dinner... Find The Faerie Folk at: https://thefaeriefolk.libsyn.com/ Find Celtic Myths & Legends at: https://celticmythspodcast.libsyn.com/ Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee or sign up for bonus episodes at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7 Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social 'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/

In this episode of The David Watson Podcast, I sit down with Dr Peter B. Cotton – world-renowned gastroenterologist and creator of the award-winning “Fred the Snake” children's book series – to talk about life after medicine, story-telling, and why his endoscope turned into a lovable snake called Fred. Peter has written 10 rhyming picture books for children about Fred the Snake and his friends, including the brand-new “When Fred the Snake and Friends Learn the Chinese Zodiac – and the Great Race”. We talk about how a career pioneering flexible endoscopy and ERCP became the unexpected inspiration for a gentle snake who teaches road safety, friendship, travel, and courage to kids and grandkids around the world. In this conversation we cover: • How a flexible endoscope became “Fred the Snake” and the start of a bedtime story • Turning that original road-safety rhyme into the first book, “When Fred the Snake Got Squished and Mended” • Why all the Fred books are written in rhyme and built around simple morals for children • The new Chinese Zodiac book and the story of the Great Race – explaining years, animals and culture to kids • Fred going to school, camping, the beach and traveling across the USA (East, Central and West) • The difference between writing scientific papers and imaginative children's books • What Peter has learned about confidence, voice and “writing what you're actually good at” • Grandparents, puppets and why reading to children still matters in a digital world • Growing up in Herefordshire, training at Cambridge and in London, and why he moved to the USA • Life on a small island in South Carolina, golf stories from around the world, and finally “hanging up” the clubs • Reflections on retirement, legacy, family and finding a second creative career later in life If you're a parent, grandparent, educator or aspiring children's author, this episode is full of ideas about how to combine fun, rhyme and gentle life lessons in stories for young readers. Find Peter Cotton and Fred the Snake: Website (signed copies, blog and resources): https://petercottontales.com Fred the Snake books on Amazon (search): “Peter B. Cotton Fred the Snake”

REVIEW & TRACKLIST > https://inverted-audio.com/mix/u One year on from Life Isn't A Fountain? - the Lex Records EP where archival post-punk was reanimated through meticulous sample-work - the elusive producer U returns with a project that reaches further back and digs far deeper. On ARCHENFIELD, U turns their attention to the Herefordshire borderlands, where English and Welsh histories intermingle and where myth, memory and landscape blur into one another. The album unfolds like auditory time travel: fourteen tracks built from traditional song, home-taped fragments and scraps pulled from television, radio, film and YouTube, all woven into a drifting folkloric reverie. Rather than simply excavating the past, U examines how stories mutate through retelling, how landscapes carry collective memory, and how folklore persists in the messy ways people inhabit a place. If Life Isn't A Fountain? channelled Thatcher-era discontent through a cracked post-punk prism, ARCHENFIELD widens the lens to probe the fragile relationship between identity and the rural environments that shape it. Dusty pianos, murmuring drones and spectral voices evoke a modern England increasingly severed from the histories beneath its feet. To mark the release, U delivers IA MIX 397, a journey through post-punk, new wave and wayward micro-scenes. Mining forgotten corners of their collection, U mirrors the album's central question: how the remnants of one era can speak powerfully to the uncertainties of another.

Despite a rise in the number of students taking up agriculture degrees over the last couple of years, not all courses are growing. The University of Nottingham is deciding whether to close its agriculture and business course at its Sutton Bonington campus. The University says applications for its farming courses have dropped, making them “less financially viable”. Students have started a petition to save the degree course.Cases of bird flu are still on the rise across the country, with outbreaks in all four nations of the UK and housing orders for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are in place, meaning all poultry has to now be housed if the flock totals more than fifty birds. We hear from farmers at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells.All week we're looking at dairy farming. One family farm which has invested heavily in technology for the future is run by Rob Davies and his son Harry. Instead of selling the livestock, the farm in Herefordshire has built an aerobic digester to reduce energy costs, bought robots to milk the cows and grows all its own feed.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A decline in demand for whiskey is being blamed for the closure and suspension of Scottish malting plants - something which farmers fear will also mean a decline in demand for barley. Maltsters process barley so it can be used in distilleries or brewing. Several plants have announced closures and redundancies, but the Maltsters Association of Great Britain says that although it has a been a challenging year, they are positive about the future.The BBC Food and Farming Awards ceremony has taken place, with three strong finalists in the Farming Today and The Archers Farming for the Future category: Grazing Management who manage conservation grazing in Herefordshire; The Free Company, a farm and restaurant on a former dairy farm near Edinburgh; and Hugh Wragham who grows hemp in Northumberland. The winners were brothers Charlie and Angus Buchanan-Smith from The Free Company.All this week we're considering farming across the world, as COP 30 continues. We speak to a first generation farmer who produces organic mushrooms as part of an agroforestry farm business in south Brazil. He says its important for farmers to be at COP to push for financing for agriculture which can combat climate change. New rules on the size of oysters that can be landed on the River Fal in Cornwall have been introduced - part of a bid to protect future stocks of the shellfish. It's the first change in regulation on the size of native oysters dredged from the Fal in a hundred years.Presenter = Charlotte Smith at Producer = Rebecca Rooney

I'm Granger Forson, and you can find me at www.bizsmart-gloucestershire.co.uk or on LinkedIn. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, I'm joined by Harry Shearer, co-founder of Shearer Associates, a Gloucestershire-based finance recruitment firm that's built its success on relationships, trust, and a strong local ethos.   Harry shares how he and his mum, Claire, turned a simple “why not give it a go?” conversation in their garden into a thriving recruitment business serving Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Their approach is refreshingly personal in a world increasingly driven by KPIs and quick wins.   Throughout our conversation, Harry reveals how Shearer Associates focuses on long-term partnerships, not transactions, and how that authenticity has become their defining advantage. We also explore how being small and family-run allows them to stay agile, adaptable and deeply connected to their community.   Harry talks openly about the early challenges of balancing the excitement of growth with staying disciplined in the business fundamentals, from cashflow to marketing. You'll hear how structure, systems and the Pomodoro method keep him grounded and productive, even when the to-do list feels endless.   Finally, Harry shares his reflections on leadership, learning from his mum's wisdom, and how authenticity on platforms like LinkedIn can transform client engagement. It's an inspiring story of humility, experimentation and growth, one that perfectly embodies the spirit of “Fix what bugs you” and “Just do it and find out.”   To ensure you don't miss any inspirational future episodes do subscribe to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts. Also, you can nominate a guest for ScaleUp Radio if you know someone with an interesting ScaleUp story – you can find how in the show notes. So, let's now dive into the inspiring journey of authenticity, trust and growth with Harry Shearer.   Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.   If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin   Book a call with Granger - 30 minutes value add conversation for Business owners with Staff. https://api.goexela.com/widget/bookings/catchupgrangerugx7zl   You can get in touch with Kevin & Granger here: kevin@biz-smart.co.uk grangerf@biz-smart.co.uk   Kevin's Latest Book Is Available!   Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up. More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/ Harry can be found here: https://www.shearerassociates.co.uk/   Resources: Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/building-a-storybrand-clarify-your-message-so-customers-will-listen-donald-miller/4099240?ean=9781400201839&next=t Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/atomic-habits-the-life-changing-million-copy-1-bestseller-james-clear/2458373?ean=9781847941831&next=t&next=t Brick - https://getbrick.app/ Outlook - https://outlook.live.com/ Brand Fathers podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/2wgTQ7mXBngdiNzcJ2cUJZ Modern Wisdom podcast - https://chriswillx.com/podcast/

An independent review of the way pigs are slaughtered has called for the use of carbon dioxide gassing to be prohibited, because it causes too much distress and pain to the animals. 90% of pigs reared in England and Wales are slaughtered this way. The report was carried out by the Animal Welfare Committee, an independent expert committee from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish government and the Welsh government. It recommends that argon gas should be used instead. We speak to vet Dr Jane Downes, who led the Animal Welfare Committee at the time the report was prepared. We also speak to the National Pig Association.All week we're looking at beer and cider. One of the biggest cider producers in the UK, producing 65 million litres every year, is Westons, based in Herefordshire. The business started in 1880, and now works with 180 apple growers and orchard owners in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire – the heart of apple country. We visit the production line.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney

The Government's bill to ‘get Britain building' returns to the House of Lords for its report stage. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill gained more than sixty Government amendments earlier this month to streamline the process and give ministers more power to grant permission for big planning projects. However conservation campaigners are not happy about the developments, and the Government's rhetoric. All this week we're taking a look at the beer and cider industry, and the UK growers who make it possible. There are around 45 hop growers across the country, around half of them in the West Midlands. We speak to a farmer in Herefordshire as he harvests his crop and ask the Campaign for Real Ale about the market for home-grown hops.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

It's time to dig up some old bones! In this episode, Ash and Judith have left Tilly in her sickbed to sift through the bones of history to explore the theme of The Bare Bones! They discuss how this theme is so important within the field of archaeology and medieval life, as well as their own person anecdotes on death, happy skeletons and medieval memes!Monthly Book: Mort by Terry PratchettBooks MentionedThe Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa GregoryThe White Queen by Philippa GregoryMedieval Children by Nicholas OrmeAll That Remains by Sue BlackMedieval Death: ritual and representation by Paul BinskiWigmore Castle, north Herefordshire: excavations 1996 and 1998, Stephanie RátkaiLinksRichard III's DiscoveryRichard III's DNA StudyOsteoarchaeological AnalysisIsotope AnalysisTarbat Discovery CentreContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei ChetvertnykhTranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/07ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Toast to Perry and Place Enjoy an intimate recording from the 2025 Totally Cider Tour_UK Edition. This unforgettable evening featured James Forbes of Little Pomona, leading guests through a cider dinner pairing in the Malvern Hills located on the border of Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England. James presents both a welcome Perry, Ciders and a very special aperitif. We beging with Brut Rosé Perry, crafted from perry pears co-fermented with local damsons. James shared how whole damsons are fermented via carbonic maceration to extract their rich color and flavor before being pressed with early season pears. The result: a radiant sparkling Perry with deep fruit notes and remarkable finesse. “We actually ferment the damsons whole in CO₂ and then co-press them with the first pears. It gives a whole new layer of aroma and flavor.” — James Forbes A Cider for the Table Next up was a single varietal Stoke Red cider, a rarity from Little Pomona's usual blends. James described it as a “fully fermented” cider that is balanced and dry yet vibrant, with a whisper of natural sweetness from the Rural Method. This approach captures the cider before all sugars ferment out, creating harmony between acidity and fruit. Check out Wilding Episode with Sam Leach on the Rural Method “Stoke Red is one of my top three apples. In a less ripe vintage, that touch of sugar brings perfect balance.” Select Cider Apples Dinner continued with Egremont Russet, a still cider with a light sparkle. The russet's golden skin and nutty depth create an almost wine-like cider. Notes of pineapple, anise, and honey appeared with each sip, echoing the richness of the food and the rustic charm of the evening. “FOMO” Caps the Night Dessert brought out a treasure: Little Pomona's “FOMO”—a playful nod to France's Pommeau. Only 192 bottles were made, combining distillate from Bramley apples and Kingston Black juice aged in chestnut barrels. It lent a sweet, amber nectar with layers of floral and plum notes, it was the perfect close to the evening. James Forbes with FOMO “We called it FOMO—a faux Pommeau—because you don't want to miss out on this one.” The Spirit of the Malvern Hills The evening concluded with words from Deborah Fox CEO of the Malvern Hills Trust, who shared the rich history and heritage of this cherished landscape—home to ancient Perry pears, cider orchards, and centuries of cultivation. Ria Windcaller and Deborah Fox “We keep the hills unbuilt, un-encroached upon, and un-urbanized. …The Perry pear and cider have always been part of this land's story.” Deborah Fox Contact info for Little Pomona Website: https://littlepomona.com Past episodes featuring Little Pomona 126: Little Pomona's Big Ciders! | Herefordshire, UK 181: The Cider Insider | 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now 460: James Forbes on Little Pomona's Ciders & Legacy Contact info for Malvern Hills Trust Website: https://www.malvernhills.org.uk Mentions in this Cider Chat Vermont's 1000 Stone Farm – Farmers Hand Kitchen cider to watch for in 2026 Chapeau Bruin 465: The Integrated Table: Cider, Food, and Farming at 1000 Stone Farm Cider Chat Patreon 392: Bent Ladder Estate Ciders & Wine | Ohio Totally Cider Tours – France and UK

Newton Court Cider began as a 30-acre farm selling apples to Bulmers. When the market changed, Paul Stephens turned those same orchards into a modern day cider business. Front view of Newton Court's restaurant and visitor centre in Herefordshire, surrounded by orchards and outdoor seating. His early inspiration came from Brian Shanks, the co-founder of Bold Rock Cider in Virginia. Though Bold Rock produces cider on a large, industrial scale, it was Brian's perspective as a New Zealander who admired Herefordshire's rich cider apple heritage that sparked Paul's drive to build something lasting at home. Today, the recently built out Newton Court tasting room/restaurant is booming showing that tourist and locals alike are thirsty for a full service destination. Cider Making at Newton Court It was noted by Paul that his parents open-minded approach helped the farm transistion into the cider destination that it is today. In additon, a recent collaboration with River Cottage led to the award-winning Elderflower Cider, proving that tradition and creativity can thrive together. Newton Court remains deeply rooted in sustainable farming and regional pride, helping to preserve the orchards and cider heritage of Herefordshire for future generations. Contact Info for Newton Court Website: https://www.newtoncourtcider.com Totally Cider Tours Showering – Shepton Mallet Mill horizontal tanks for cider

Bluetongue affects ruminant animals, like Sheep and Cattle, and it's spread between animals by biting midges. The disease tends to subside as temperatures drop but vets are warning farmers not to become complacent about Bluetongue this autumn. Anna Hill hears from the British Veterinary Association.This week we're focussing on apples, plums and their ilk - known as Top Fruit. Today, a visit to a Herefordshire orchard growing apple varieties old and new, which is enjoying a good harvest.Anna visits a conference in North Norfolk, where farmers are at the sharp end of balancing farming for food production with farming for nature.Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Sarah Swadling

In this episode of Farming Focus, brought to you by Cornish Mutual, we take a deep dive into how climate change is already impacting farming and food production in the South West and beyond. With shifting rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events, the reliability of our food supply faces growing uncertainty.Host Peter Green is joined by Herefordshire farmer and Nuffield Scholar Ben Andrews and Devon-based founder of Riverford Organic Farmers Guy Singh-Watson. Together, they explore what climate change means for farmers, which crops and livestock sectors are most vulnerable, and the practical steps the farming community can take to adapt.Are there topics you'd like us to cover or guests you'd love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs.Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.ukFor our podcast disclaimer click here. If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk 

UK Cider Tour 2025 Audio Snap Shots Wallace and Ria in Bristol In this Episode 469 of Cider Chat, we brings listeners inside the UK Totally Cider Tour 2025 through the voices of the guests who joined. From Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, to Wales guests on this tour discovered not just cider and perry, but also community, history, and inspiration. First Impressions and Highlights Many guests shared that they signed up to experience places they couldn't access on their own. From the scale of Showering's Cider Mill, the second largest in the country to the intimate welcome at Oliver's, the contrast certainly left a deep impression. The discovery of Perry was a recurring theme. From Ohio travelers Chris and Megan who tasted their very first Perry on the tour, while Rodney from Virginia declared he'd be grafting Perry scions at home. Personal Connections Group Selfie with Sam Leach of Wilding Cider For repeat travelers like Debbie and Bryce from California, the tour reaffirmed how relationships with makers enrich the experience: “ They treat us like friends, not tourists.” Ancha from Hungary spoke of the joy of hiking the Malvern Hills in the rain and celebrating with fellow cider lovers. Rachel and Mary of Kanga Cider in Texas noted the value of orchard insights for their own plantings back home, while Thomas from Australia praised the tour for covering the full spectrum of producers—from industrial to artisanal. Learning and Inspiration Guests emphasized that tasting ciders in their native terroir cannot be replaced by books or certifications. Dan from Spacetime Mead and Cider Works in Dunmore Pennsylvania highlighted how only by being in Herefordshire or Somerset can one grasp the range of English cider styles. Susan and Tom of Heeman's Cellars in Ontario pointed out how the pacing of the tour allowed real reflection—something missing from busier farm tours. The Takeaway Whether first-timers or repeat guests, everyone agreed: the Totally Cider Tour offers access, education, and camaraderie that can't be replicated alone. As David of Oregon said it best, “It wasn't really about the cider—it was about the people.” Contact info for Totally Cider Tours Website page: https://ciderchat.com/totally-cider-tours/ For details on upcoming cider journeys and to join the waitlist, send an email to info@ciderchat.com and write in the heading Totally Cider Tours. Let us know how many are in your party Destinations you would like to visit Mentions in this Cider Chat Episode 469 425: Babycham to Triple Vintage – The Showering's Cider Legacy 450th Roger Wilkins – The Cider King 444: Worleys and Honey's: Somerset's Cider Makers 441: Wilding Cider and the Rural Method | Somerset, UK 454: Wild Ferment Meets Fine Cider: Inside Oliver's Barrel Room 460: James Forbes on Little Pomona's Ciders & Legacy 432: Ancha Gergely's Abaliget Garden Projects | Hungarian Cider Maker

Changes to the costs, paperwork and bureaucracy that are hampering agri-food exports from Great Britain to the European Union won't be in place until 2027. Nick Thomas–Symonds, the Minister for EU Relations, has been setting out his priorities for the future of the UK-EU relationship in a speech in front of industry representatives and journalists. We speak to trade expert David Henig and hear how food exporters are 'disappointed' that barriers to trade won't be removed sooner.The pig and poultry industries is damaging our rivers and countryside, according to a report commissioned by the Wildlife Trusts. The UK produces almost one million tonnes of pig meat and two million tonnes of poultry meat per year and the Trusts have been examining the broader environmental risks from farming pigs and poultry. We hear look into the details of the report and hear from the pig industry.Pollinators play an essential part in crop production and we've been looking at them all week. One fruit farm in Herefordshire imports bees from the Netherlands to pollinate fruit in polytunnels. We also speak to the insect charity Buglife. An update on a tiny community which was considered too remote to be connected to the national grid. People living in the Upper Coquet Valley in Northumberland used to be reliant on generators. For 50 years they've campaigned to be connected to the mains - and now they are!Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Join the Broome Farm Orchard Walk audio story. This is a narrative discussion between Albert, our regular host, and his father Mike and his brother Martin, of the Johnson family at Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company in Broome Farm, Herefordshire. This is the complete audio story of their new orchard walk - a free to access walk with a choice of a 2.5km or 5km route, with 27 information signs, two picnic areas, an orchard library, a bike rack, and fully signposted directional signs. The audio for this episode was recorded and edited by neighbour and friend of the farm, Paul Kennedy. This episode is meant to be enjoyed whilst on the walk, but it may work for you as a way to transport yourself to our farm from whereever you discover this podcast! 

A new stakeholder survey has been launched by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales to find out how the Countryside Code is working in England and Wales. The code in Northern Ireland is similar but runs separately, and in Scotland, where they have the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, access, rules are different. We speak to two farmers about whether they feel the code's working for them and what they'd like to see. Pollinators play an essential part in crop production and we're looking at them all week. One fruit farm in Herefordshire imports bees from the Netherlands to pollinate fruit in polytunnels. We also speak to the insect charity Buglife.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Keeping sexual secretsBy neruval442. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. I woke the next morning to the smell of bacon, and Beth appeared in the doorway with a tray. "Thought I'd treat you," she grinned, sitting on the edge of the bed.I bit into a bacon sandwich. "Um."Beth picked up her mug, sipping, and I detected a hint of anxiety in her expression. "Are you Okay?" I queried."I'm fine, really. But Mom will be back later, and I'm not sure how she'd feel if you stayed over again."I nodded. "Do you want to tell her about, well, about us?"Beth puzzled for a few moments. "Of course I want her to know."She smiled softly, putting her hand on mine. "I want everyone to know. But, well, it's still really new to me, and maybe I need some more time before she asks me loads of questions.""Like 'are you being careful?'" I sympathized."Exactly."The look in Beth's eyes changed to one I was starting to become familiar with. "Anyway," she murmured, "I want you all to myself for a while yet."I leaned over to kiss her. "You've definitely got me, love."From somewhere an idea dropped into my head. "I know, why don't we go away somewhere for a few days? We can say it's a last trip before we have to put our heads down and study."Beth's eyes lit up. "Perfect."I could see her beginning to try out different possibilities in her mind. "Where do you fancy?" I queried."How about, You know that place we always used to go, Herefordshire, wasn't it?""Um Hmm.""Well, I remember there was a hotel on the main street, a small one. We never stayed there, but whenever we walked past I noticed that on the sign it said they had a swimming pool, and I always wanted to try it. Especially when the weather's as warm as this."I was momentarily distracted by a picture of Beth in a swimsuit, a one-piece cut high at the sides, or maybe just a barely-there bikini,"Earth calling Tim," Beth teased. "I promise that all your fantasies will come true."I chuckled. "You don't know what you're letting yourself in for. Okay, let's take a look."I picked up Beth's iPad and tapped in a search. "Here it is."Beth leaned closer to look at the screen. "Great, do they have space?"I pulled up the booking calendar. "Oh, wow.""What?" Beth queried."There's one room that's next to the swimming pool, and whoever's staying in it gets sole use of the pool first thing in the morning and last thing at night."It was Beth's turn to let her imagination run away with her. "I could so swim naked."I clicked again. "Okay, it's available from tomorrow night, shall we?""You bet."I made the booking, and my phone buzzed with the email confirmation. "Sorted."Beth leaned over to hug me. "Thanks, Tim. This is going to be amazing!"She sighed. "But I think it would be a good idea if we spent today with our parents, I know Mom's already thinking about missing me when October comes around."I nodded. "We still have time for a shower, though?"Beth grinned. "Always."Again she enjoyed the sensation of my hands smoothing soapy foam over her body, but we resisted the temptation to go any further, "We'll have all the time in the world at the hotel," Beth promised, her voice full of anticipation, and I watched as she dressed and brushed her hair. "You look like butter wouldn't melt in your mouth," I teased."What in my mouth?" she riposted, grinning wickedly, and I kissed her hard on the lips. "Beth, I am so lucky to have you."She stood on the doorstep watching as I set off on the short walk home. "I'll call you," I promised from the end of the path. Then she was out of sight, and I walked the rest of the way with what must have been a distracted smile on my face, anticipating our holiday.My father was at home when I arrived, and when I explained our plans, he just nodded. "Make the most of the weather while you're free, I hear it gets quite misty in the autumn where you two are going."He glanced at the sky. "Talking of which, can you give me a hand with the lawn? If we're lucky, I'll only have to do it a couple more times this year."I spent the day helping in the garden, though I didn't say it, I could tell that Dad was slowing down a little, and it'd be no bad thing if I got some of the heavier jobs out of the way for him before I was away most of the time. Lunch was sandwiches, and when Mom got back from work she looked at the garden, then at two obviously hungry men. "I think you've earned pizza," she grinned."Tim's got some plans to tell you about," Dad dropped into the conversation, and I explained about our trip. "Oh, I remember that place," Mom nodded. "It'll be handy for the craft place, and wasn't there an Indian restaurant somewhere nearby?"I'd forgotten about the restaurant, and I chuckled. "Beth'll be pleased, she loves Indian food."We sat in the lounge to enjoy our pizza, and finally I stretched, covering a yawn. "Think I'll call it a day.""What time are you setting off tomorrow?" queried Dad."I thought about eleven, we can stop for lunch somewhere, and we'll still get there in plenty of time to check in to the hotel and decide where to have dinner.""Night, then."I made my way upstairs, closing the door of my room, and sprawled on the bed. I picked up my phone and tapped on Beth's name, listening to the soft trilling of the dial tone. She must have set her computer to answer calls from me automatically, and my screen lit to show her standing by her bed putting things into a suitcase.She glanced towards the camera, and quickly closed the suitcase lid. "A girl has to have some secrets, you know," she grinned.She came to sit down in front of her desk. "How was the rest of your day?"I ran through what I'd been up to. "The garden looks a lot tidier, anyway. How about you?"Beth gave me a wry smile. "Mom did try fishing a little when she got back, especially when I told her about our trip. But I managed to steer the conversation in a different direction."She glanced towards the bed. "I know we've only had a couple of nights together so far, but I'm already going to miss you.""I know, love."I thought for a moment. "Why don't we both go through our usual routine, but stay on here, then it'll feel like we're together, sort of."Beth nodded. "I like that idea. Okay, I'll get ready for bed."She moved her case onto the floor, then looked directly into the camera while she started to unbutton her blouse. Her skirt went next, and she grinned as she posed in her underwear, one hand on her hip. "Okay so far?"I nodded. "Definitely."She reached behind her back to unfasten her bra, dropping it on the chair, then slipped off her panties, standing with her arms by her sides. "You are beautiful," I offered. "Wish I could wrap my arms around you right now."She pulled back the bed covers and lay down, stretching her legs out. "Burr, sheet's a little cold."She glanced down at her nipples, standing up in the slight chill, and I couldn't help myself. "If I was with you, I would definitely put my mouth there to warm you up."Beth breathed in, almost a gasp. "Um, I'd like that."She covered one breast with a hand, resting her other palm on her stomach. "Tim, I'm feeling a little shy right now, but, if this was really my usual routine, I'd probably, well,”I gave her a reassuring smile. "I can go if you want to."Beth shook her head determinedly. "No, please stay."She slid her hand a little further down, fingers reaching her soft fur, then closed her eyes as she parted her thighs a little. I hardly dared breathe as I watched her touch her most sensitive place with one fingertip, her mouth forming an O as her hips flexed upwards a little. "Um."She squeezed her breast, then touched a finger to her tongue, using her wet fingertip to brush her nipple. "Oh, not as good as your mouth but feels nice."Her hand between her thighs moved again, and she looked up at the camera. "You've ruined me, you know." Her voice was matter-of-fact, but her dancing eyes reassured me that she was only teasing."How so?" I queried."Before, I would have been fine touching myself like this, but now, I need something inside me."She followed her words with action, sliding two fingers deep inside herself, parting her thighs more. Her other hand left her breast, her fingers touching her hard nub, and she moaned loudly, then caught her lip between her teeth, looking towards her bedroom door. "Oops."She moved her fingers more urgently. "Oh, yes, I can definitely imagine this is you in me, we'll have to try this, me using my fingers on myself at the same time."She shifted nearer to the bottom of the bed, giving me a closer view, and I couldn't help pressing my hand to the front of my jeans. "In case you didn't guess, you've made me so hard right now."Beth nodded wordlessly, her hips now flexing in rhythm with the movement of her fingers, and I watched spellbound as her muscles started to tense visibly. "Um, oh, so close, wish you were about to get there too,"She pressed her lips together in an attempt to be quiet, but I heard the unmistakable creak of the bed as Beth's back arched, her whole body shaking for long seconds. Finally she let out a gasp, eyes wide open, and turned onto her side, squeezing her thighs together around her fingers. "Oh, my goodness."She turned onto her back again, withdrawing her fingers, and I felt a thrill as she brought them deliberately to her mouth, her tongue tasting the glossy slipperiness I could see. "Um, wish you could taste this," she breathed.I fanned my face. "Goodness, Beth, you've really got me going."Beth grinned wickedly. "Why don't you do something about it, then."I blinked. "Really?""Sure, I'm curious. Why not?"I thought for a moment. "I always thought it'd look clumsy, awkward,”Beth shook her head. "I really want to see.""Okay." I propped my phone up. "Is that working?"She nodded, and I stepped back to quickly undress, then stretched out on the bed. I reached for the tissue box, but I saw Beth grinning. "Don't bother with those yet."I raised my eyebrows. "Okay, you can see everything, then. But it'll be messy.""The messier the better," she chuckled.I started to touch my nipples, and I saw Beth looking thoughtful. "Yours are really sensitive, aren't they."I nodded, and she smiled. "I'll remember."After a few moments I glanced at her, then used my tongue to wet my palm, my fingers, starting to touch myself. I could see Beth lean closer to her screen. "So that's how,” she mused.She thought for a moment. "Maybe it'd feel a bit the same if you were between my breasts?"She moved her fingers experimentally up and down her cleavage, then pushed her breasts together with her hands. "Like this, maybe,”

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv White House talks more important than US Russia summit in Alaska Methanol poisoning Man saw kaleidoscopic light before going blind Skibidi and tradwife among words added to Cambridge Dictionary Man guilty over role in shooting of nine year old girl in Dalston Croatian ultra nationalist mega gig exposes divided society Swatch apologises for slanted eyes ad after uproar in China Herefordshire farmer sees broccoli harvest hit by heatwave and lack of water James Bond should be a man, says Dame Helen Mirren Liverpool man banned after Antoine Semenyo racist abuse report BBC witnesses Israeli settlers attack on Palestinian farm in West Bank

Patreon Series: Context of a ConquestEpisode 173: Eadric the WildThis tale is one of alliance, defiance, and no small amount of grit. We're headed to the borderlands in this episode. Eadric of Herefordshire and Shropshire teams up with Welsh princes in a last-ditch effort to push back the Norman tide. Anglo-Saxon resistance isn't dead—not yet. And in the shadowy woods and rugged hills, a fragile hope still flickers.[Fits nicely between public Episodes 76 and 77.]NOTE: Any mispronunciation of Welsh names is entirely due to my Midwestern 'Merican accent. I hope I can bring respect through the attempt, but I'm afraid my attempts may be so bad it's in fact disrespectful. Forgive me. :)No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what's happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!Social Media:YouTube: Fortune's Wheel PodcastMeta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcastBuy Me A Coffee!Music:“Beyond Time” by Danijel Zambo Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/danijel-zambo/beyond-timeLicense code: 8TGHY8YXD5D73OVH

Our first guest Malcolm was an arch sceptic on big cats being wild in Britain. Then one night driving home in 2011 he encountered a big black panther on the lane outside his property in Herefordshire. It rushed off, doing a long leap through a high gap in the hedge. Malcolm then asked around and found that other people in the area had also seen a panther around the same time.Malcolm is coincidentally about 3 miles away from Craig, a podcast guest from episodes 72 and 116. Craig joins us again for the second half, updating us on events in the area where he found the clawed carcass and set out trail cams. Craig has a recent trail cam photo to describe, captured in mid July 2025 - see copies on BCC website Refs & Links. Then the following week, at 7pm in the woods, he experienced a full-on hiss directed at him – a google search confirmed his view that it came from a big cat, most likely a puma. Craig and Rick discuss the reports of both black and brown big cats, described over many years in this corner of Herefordshire and seemingly keeping to themselves…Word of the week:   GISS (General Impression of Shape & Size)9 August 2025

Scottish gamekeepers may refuse to help tackle wildfires in a dispute over licences for muirburn. Muirburn is the controlled burning of heather and other vegetation to encourage new growth, mostly to raise game birds for shooting. It takes place from autumn to spring, but from January next year it will be licensed and it will be an offence to carry out any burning without a licence. Gamekeepers say controlled burning reduces the amount of dead vegetation which fuels wildfires and if they can't do it, they say tackling future wildfires will become too dangerous.All week we've been following the harvest. It started early for many and one of the country's largest cherry growers in Herefordshire says warmer winters and summers are shortening the growing season. Britain's newest and largest Green Bridge is under construction in the Cotswolds as part of a half billion-pound road building scheme. When it's completed at the end of the year, the bridge won't be tarmacked - instead it'll be planted with grasses, wildflowers and shrubs designed to create a crossing for wildlife, and walkers over a new eight lane highway near Cheltenham.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Ben Andrews is a farmer. Ben comes from a very long line of farming, in fact, his family date back 7 generations. He's also been voted the UK's 3rd hottest farmer by Farming Weekly Magazine. And that's not all, Ben is a voice person for farming and mental health and uses his social media to shine a spotlight on the contemporary agriculture landscape. Ben is also a supporter of the global LGBTQ+ farming network agrespect which promotes and supports diversity in the countryside.    Ben farms organic beef and vegetables, supplying Abel and Cole amongst other shops. He is also the beneficiary of Nuffield Farming Scholarship which supports young farmers seeking to explore the work of new and revolutionary farming communities world-wide. Ben is currently studying the water and river systems of New Zealand, how and why they are managed differently, in the hope his findings bring new insight to waterways and flood management here in the U.K.     The episode starts with Claire driving down tiny country lanes on route to Ben's farmhouse. It's a hot sunny day and the birds are chirping high up in the trees. There are also some sheep in the field next to Ben's house, so enormous, that Claire first mistakes them for cows. It's off to a good start for the recording!    Ben wants to cook Bulgogi beef, he's using his own rump steak from the farm, naturally. Outside the BBQ is lit and together Ben and Claire make a start on cooking his Herefordshire take on a Korean classic, all the while tackling topics such as mental heath, clubbing in the countryside, his mum's love of kitchen knickknackery, and his neighbour, “just over that hedge”, Monty Don.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our PRIDE special episode, Patrick O'Donnell sits down with Ben Andrews, an organic farmer from Herefordshire and founding member of Agrespect, a group that aims to tackle LGBTQIA+ discrimination and share positivity, to encourage the agricultural industry to be a more inclusive and diverse environment.While exploring Ben's family farm, the pair discuss his childhood, defined by his grandparents' sofa, a winning foray into rowing and his love for golden hour. From the importance of ecosystems in organic farming, to his passion for river health and bird photography, Ben's story is blossoming with enthusiasm for the great outdoors.Learn about the colours featured in each episode hereSee the colours of Ben's Life hereFollow Ben on Instagram hereFollow us on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suzy in Herefordshire and David in Warrington give it their best shot!

The US Agriculture Secretary has been in the UK to discuss trade deals with importers and exporters. Brooke Rollins said the 'historic' trade deal announced by Donald Trump and Keir Starmer would create billions of dollars in opportunity for U.S. export markets and more choice for British consumers. She also said she would like to see the UK and US more aligned on food standards regulations. We speak to the NFU for their response.All week we're taking a closer look at grassland - vital to livestock farmers for their animal feed. Improving the soil under the pasture is key and helps the farm become more sustainable by sequestering more carbon. We visit a farm in Herefordshire which has been improving soil health and bio-diversity with a system of rotational grazing.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

In this episode, Dan & Julia talk to Thomas Pearson, a young entrepreneur who takes an old-fashioned approach to selling terracotta pots from his yard in rural Herefordshire. Julia extols the virtues of growing salad leaves in containers and ponders on how long to protect her precious lemons, while Dan suggests three products to take the strain out of filling and watering pots. Your hosts conclude with a list of jobs to do in your garden and share what they're getting up to over the next fortnight.Website links:Dan Cooper GardenParker's PatchTom's Yard WebsiteTom's Instagram AccountExpertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined by blogger, museum worker, tour guide, and all-round champion for Herefordshire, The Herefordian Historian.Real name Tom Quinsey, The Herefordian Historian was born in Swansea and is an identical twin. His parents, who are both from Herefordshire, eventually settled back there before Tom turned 10 years old - but even before then he had developed a passion for history.At first, prompted by the film Titanic, he was preoccupied by boats, steam engines, and all things maritime, only then, while Tom was studying Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth, he developed an interest in the stories of the county he calls home.Out of this new interest his new superhero alter-ego was born: The Herefordian Historian, with Tom's blog being a brilliant repository of history, legends and all sorts of Herefordshire curiosities, which he has been maintaining since the lockdown.All the while, Tom has also become Hereford Waterworks Museum's writer and editor, and he is also a member of the Mayor of Hereford's Guild of Guides, so there really couldn't be a much better or more passionate person we could hope to speak to for this episode!To learn more about Tom, including his writing and his other work, do visit his website at herefordianhistorian.co.uk, and otherwise do please join us around the Three Ravens campfire for a chat about angry ghosts shaking cathedrals, thousands of years of territorial conflict across the Welsh Marches, little drummer boys saving cities with peas, and so much more!We really hope you enjoy it, and will be back on Monday with our brand new County Episode all about the history and folklore of Derbyshire!Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Janine is joined by Tom Jones, a Herefordshire-based farmer and supplier of ethically reared and sourced meat for some of the UK's best restaurants, including St. John, Lyle's and The Camberwell Arms. With Easter coming up he's launching a campaign urging people to swap new season spring lamb for hogget and explains why it's a better choice for consumers and farmers as well as a much more flavourful meat for your Sunday roast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week's episode of Three Ravens we're heading into disputed territory: Herefordshire in the Welsh Marches, which is a county with so much history and folklore!We start off by going over all Queer Eye and giving April 14th a makeover, concluding that, while we could make this 'Nothing Day' about gardening, or ice skating on bone-bladed skates, it really ought to be a day devoted to the celebration of Justin. Be that the ancient pre-Christian philosopher, or the Justin's in your life. All with dubious historical justification. After that, we hurry on into Herefordshire, where we may have gone a bit overboard...In terms of the county's history, we whip back to pre-Roman times to talk about the contested tribal status of what later became Herefordshire - and why all the fighting over it never really stopped - while also chatting about some of the stunning heritage sites in the county, from Hereford Cathedral's fractious history and Chained Library to King Arthur's Stone and Cave, the Nameless Church, and more - all before Martin plies us with cider, prehistoric cheese, and several pudding options, for this week's County Dish.After that, it's Folklore Time, and we've got plague spreading 12th century vampires, we've got vengeful ghosts, we've got fairies, miracle babies, Dribbling Kings, and so much more, all enriched by some excerpts from Saturday's upcoming Local Legends interview with blogger and all-round lovely person 'The Herefordian Historian.'Then it's on to the main event: Martin's retelling of "Black Vaughan" which has been reframed as a Spenser & Associates mystery - hence the epic length of this episode - so prepare to get a bit spooked while also having a good old giggle.We really hope you enjoy the episode, and will be back on Thursday with a new Forgotten Melodies bonus episode about Fair Songs, all before the full interview with The Herefordian Historian comes out on Saturday!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined by storyteller, library manager, and Secretary of the Leicestershire and Rutland Guild of Storytelling, Matthew Vaughan.Matt has been a storyteller for well over a decade. Since 2011 he has also worked in East Midlands' Public Library Services, and, in addition to working as a storyteller in Early Years, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Colleges, Universities, Youth organisations, the Care, Health and Heritage Sectors, and in Prisons, he tells stories in libraries as part of his job. As Matt explains in the episode, he particularly enjoys performing international folk tales, along with Wonder Tales of all kinds, and he also has a particular interest in the stories of working folk of Britain and the wild places of our islands. To learn more about the Guild and the Story Tree project as mentioned in the episode, do visit leicesterstorytelling.com. If you are interested in learning more about Matt's work or would like to book him to tell stories to you or your school group or community organisation, please do get in touch with him via his profile on the Society for Storytelling website, sfs.org.uk. Otherwise, settle in around the cosy confines of the Three Ravens campfire for a conversation which ranges from the drowned villages beneath Rutland Water to the politics of how to hang a horseshoe, from the smallest man in history to one of the biggest, via witches, poachers, and dastardly highwayman, with a true Local Legend, Matthew Vaughan!We really hope you enjoy it, and will be back on Monday with our brand new County Episode all about the history and folklore of Herefordshire!Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rainy Days Goes Best with Dry Cider in the Barrel Room Walking into the barrel room at Oliver's Cider and Perry Company, you might think you know what to expect. But surrounded by whitewashed stone walls, standing beneath the old Hessian sacking floor, and facing rows of aging barrels, I quickly realized this wasn't just a cidery—it's a living, breathing creative space for cider making. Tom Oliver sources fruit both from his farm and from local orchards across Herefordshire. This isn't an estate cidery where everything is grown on-site—but what sets Oliver's cider and perry apart is Tom himself. A master blender with an instinct for balance, he brings character to every bottle. And while the farm may not produce every apple, it certainly imparts its own terroir through the land, the barns, and the quiet, purposeful rhythm of the work. Tom and Ria In this Cider Chat Blending Tradition with Innovation Tom is now experimenting with distillation: apple brandy, pommeau-style blends, and barrel-aged perry into brandy too! He's careful with naming, refusing to call something a “Pommeau” unless it honors French tradition. Barrels sourced from rum, sherry, port, bourbon, and white wine shape each unique blend. Tasting in the Barrel Room In the barrel room We tasted perries straight from the barrel—some from single ancient trees, others blended with gin pears or red pear varieties. Each sip revealed: Confectionary sweetness Banana, melon, pineapple notes Mellow malolactic fermentation This isn't a showpiece cidery as Tom puts it, “It's a working farm“, evolving from a hop yard and now cider. Tom calls it “just a part of the agricultural calendar.” No pretense, just purpose. Tom Oliver straddles the line between tradition and experimentation with ease. Whether it's a single-varietal showcase or a spirit-kissed blend, the goal remains the same: make cider that speaks of time, place, and people. Contact info for Oliver's Cider and Perry Co. Website: https://www.oliversciderandperry.co.uk Mentions in this Cider Chat 2025 Totally Cider Tour_UK Edition Send an email to info@ciderchat.com to get on the wait list for the next cider tour! Tom Oliver Featured episodes: 029 Tom Oliver| Oliver's Cider and Perry, UK 105 Tom Oliver on Making Perry | UK 366 Acclaimed Cider w/Minimal Intervention | Tom Oliver

Throughout the early 1970s, California's Bay Area was in the grip of terror as multiple serial killers operated at the time same time and in more or less the same space. In time, some of these killers, like Ed Kemper, would be caught, while others, like the Zodiac Killer, would remain unidentified. Yet it was the ones who appeared to kill at random, without any preferred victim, that would prove the most terrifying and most difficult to catch. Herbert Mullin was one such killer, and while he may have been active for a very short period, he managed to do a tremendous amount of damage in such a little amount of time.Over a five-month period in late 1972 and early 1973, Herbert Mullin killed thirteen people, including a college girl, a Catholic priest, and a former high school friend and that friend's neighbors. To investigators, Mullin's victims appeared to be—and indeed largely were—chosen at random and the weapons used were chosen more out of convenience than pathology. Had Mullin's final murder not been committed in full view of witnesses, there's a very good chance he would have gone on to kill many more people before being caught, if he ever was.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesAssociated Press. 1972. "Dragnet set up for Catholic priest's slayer." Los Angeles Times, November 4: 34.Dowd, Katie. 2022. "'Murder capital of the world': The terrifying years when multiple serial killers stalked Santa Cruz." SF Gate, August 21.Green, Ryan. 2024. I Hear Voices: A Descent into the Dark Half of Psychotic Killer, Herbert Mullin. Herefordshire, UK: Independent.Honig, Tom. 1973. "Did Mullin slay fourteen." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 10: 1.—. 1973. "Mullin enters plea: innocent, insanity." Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 13: 1.—. 1973. "Mullin explains his reason for killing." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 15: 1.—. 1973. "Mullin is found guilty." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 20: 1.—. 1973. "'Overtones' of drugs in five slayings." Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 28: 1.—. 1973. "Slaying suspect called a 'quiet, regular guy'." Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 15: 1.Lunde, Donald, and Jefferson Morgan. 1980. The Die Song: A Journey into the Mind of a Mass Murderer. New York, NY: Norton.Santa Crus Sentinel. 1973. "Suspect charged in six shootings." Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 15: 1.Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1972. "Another disturbance at SC County Jail." Santa Cruz Sentinel, September 14: 19.—. 1972. "Body of slain transient is identified." Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 16: 10.—. 1972. "Investigator hired to find Cabrillo coed." Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 26: 46.—. 1972. "Priest slain in confessional box of church." Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 3: 2.Smith, Dave. 1973. "Killer of killers? Town waiting for answer." Los Angeles Times, February 19: 3.United Press International. 1973. "Friends claim man charged with 7 deaths used drugs." Sacramento Bee, February 16: 21.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Throughout the early 1970s, California's Bay Area was in the grip of terror as multiple serial killers operated at the time same time and in more or less the same space. In time, some of these killers, like Ed Kemper, would be caught, while others, like the Zodiac Killer, would remain unidentified. Yet it was the ones who appeared to kill at random, without any preferred victim, that would prove the most terrifying and most difficult to catch. Herbert Mullin was one such killer, and while he may have been active for a very short period, he managed to do a tremendous amount of damage in such a little amount of time.Over a five-month period in late 1972 and early 1973, Herbert Mullin killed thirteen people, including a college girl, a Catholic priest, and a former high school friend and that friend's neighbors. To investigators, Mullin's victims appeared to be—and indeed largely were—chosen at random and the weapons used were chosen more out of convenience than pathology. Had Mullin's final murder not been committed in full view of witnesses, there's a very good chance he would have gone on to kill many more people before being caught, if he ever was.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesAssociated Press. 1972. "Dragnet set up for Catholic priest's slayer." Los Angeles Times, November 4: 34.Dowd, Katie. 2022. "'Murder capital of the world': The terrifying years when multiple serial killers stalked Santa Cruz." SF Gate, August 21.Green, Ryan. 2024. I Hear Voices: A Descent into the Dark Half of Psychotic Killer, Herbert Mullin. Herefordshire, UK: Independent.Honig, Tom. 1973. "Did Mullin slay fourteen." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 10: 1.—. 1973. "Mullin enters plea: innocent, insanity." Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 13: 1.—. 1973. "Mullin explains his reason for killing." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 15: 1.—. 1973. "Mullin is found guilty." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 20: 1.—. 1973. "'Overtones' of drugs in five slayings." Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 28: 1.—. 1973. "Slaying suspect called a 'quiet, regular guy'." Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 15: 1.Lunde, Donald, and Jefferson Morgan. 1980. The Die Song: A Journey into the Mind of a Mass Murderer. New York, NY: Norton.Santa Crus Sentinel. 1973. "Suspect charged in six shootings." Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 15: 1.Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1972. "Another disturbance at SC County Jail." Santa Cruz Sentinel, September 14: 19.—. 1972. "Body of slain transient is identified." Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 16: 10.—. 1972. "Investigator hired to find Cabrillo coed." Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 26: 46.—. 1972. "Priest slain in confessional box of church." Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 3: 2.Smith, Dave. 1973. "Killer of killers? Town waiting for answer." Los Angeles Times, February 19: 3.United Press International. 1973. "Friends claim man charged with 7 deaths used drugs." Sacramento Bee, February 16: 21.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If we are in the midst of the Great Derangement (thank you Amitav Ghosh), what tools do we have to help us shape a system that is actually fit for purpose? Who are our elders and what can they teach us? How do we learn to listen to our heart's (and hearts') desire and shape the communities of place, passion and purpose that will allow us to emerge into a different culture? Our two guests this week live and work at the heart of a global movement for cultural change.  Looby Macnamara is the co-founder of the Cultural Emergence movement. She is an author, designer, gardener, song leader, mother, and artist. She has written four influential books including People & Permaculture and Cultural Emergence - and she has a new one coming out in September: Design Adventures: Discover a Creative Framework for Effective Change.  She is also creator of the CEED card deck - Cultural Emergence Empowerment & Design.  With her partner, Chris, Looby runs Applewood Permaculture Centre in Herefordshire, UK, where they facilitate courses and demonstrate permaculture of both land and people . Leona Johnson, host of Connection Matters Podcast, is a transformational life coach, connection facilitator, and guide dedicated to personal growth, cultural emergence, and regenerative ways of being. She has spent decades exploring how we heal the crisis of disconnection, within ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world around us.Through her work in nature connection, rites of passage, life coaching, and cultural emergence, she supports people to step into Connected Self-Leadership and what she calls ‘Everyday Spirituality' practical, embodied ways of living with depth, purpose, and alignment.Leona co-hosts the PEACE course with Looby and online with Jon Young, runs the Connection Matters Leadership Programme, Nature Quests around the world, and Children, Nature & Spirituality courses. At the heart of her work is a simple but powerful message: When we remember our interconnectedness, with ourselves, each other, and the other than human world, we step into our fullest potential and create the conditions for a thriving world.These two transformational women are part of a growing movement to shift the entire foundation of our culture. What happens if we stop being the hamsters in the wheel of modernity and become the lively, inspiring, inspired - and connected - individuals we could be?  In this episode we explore the nature of cultural emergence, the values that could underpin our new culture and the real, grounded, practical ways we can begin the journeys of shift in ourselves and our communities. Cultural Emergence www.cultural-emrgence.comCultural Emergence Courses https://cultural-emergence.com/courses-overview/PEACE Course (24th - 29th June 2025)  https://applewoodcourses.com/uk_courses/peace-empowerment-and-cultural-emergence/Applewood Courses https://applewoodcourses.com/courses/Looby's Books https://applewoodcourses.com/sales/books/Leona's website: https://www.leonajohnson.life/Leona's podcast Connection Matters https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/connection-matters-podcast/id1515564368Leona's FREE mini course on Elemental Connection  https://pages.leonajohnson.life/elemental-connections-helloandIf you want to share the journey with Accidental Gods, we're here: Accidental Gods Gatherings https://accidentalgods.life/gatherings-2025/Accidental Gods Membership https://accidentalgods.life/join-us/

Celebrating Perry's Past, Present, and Future Tom Oliver began his keynote by saying, "At this year's Applefest Banquet, I had the honor of lifting a glass to the people behind the pear—specifically Perry. It wasn't just a toast to the drink itself, but to the incredible commitment behind its preservation and craft." Tom Oliver Three Perry Legends Charles Martel Known for his Stinking Bishop cheese and peri-based products. Catalogued disappearing peri pear varieties, creating the first national collection at the Three Counties Showground. His book on Gloucestershire pears remains a landmark work. Jim Chapman Solicitor turned perry champion. Discovered the Hartbury Green pear and launched the Hartbury Orchard Centre. Now curates over 100 varietals displayed annually at the Malvern Autumn Show. Prefers dry, still perry—no bubbles, no fuss. Kevin Minchew Perry pioneer bottling single varietals long before it was fashionable. Crafted standout perries like Gin and Huffcap in whiskey barrels. His final release, Last Hurrah, is a 23-year-aged marvel at 11% ABV. Why Perry Matters "Each of these individuals helped elevate Perry to something worth saving, savoring, and sharing. Their legacies shape not just what's in our glass—but how we think about heritage, land, and tradition. Let's keep their torch lit. Raise your glass—Perry!" quote from Tom Oliver AppleFest menu   Contact info for Oliver's Cider and Perry Website: https://www.oliversciderandperry.co.uk Contact info for Hereford AppleFest Website: https://herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk/hereford-applefest-2025/ The AppleFest will be taking a pause for 2025 - stay tuned for 2026 Mentions in this Cider Chat Totally Cider Tours - UK Cider Tour 2025 Ciderganza at Ross Cider and Perry Co. Gabe Cook - Ciderologist Hereford Beer House - United Kingdom Jane Peyton Keynote Episode 440: Jane Peyton Keynote |Hereford AppleFest Banquet

Bex Simon is a British Artsmith who has overcome difficult mental health issues to become highly sought after for her creative work in metal. Bex is unconstrained in her approach to design by combining geometric shapes and textures. Her sculptures and public art tell stories relative to the surrounding environment and can be found around the UK. Bex was born in Chertsey, Surrey in 1973, the third of four children—she has an older sister and brother and a younger brother. She reflects on a very strict upbringing from parents Tim, a computer programmer and Gel a retired teacher who later volunteered at a school for handicapped children; a relationship which has mellowed with time and understanding of Bex's mental health. Bex was attracted to the art of blacksmithing as a teenager and despite struggling at school with dyslexia, she studied at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design – Foundation graduating in 1992.  In 1995 she graduated with a BA in Three-Dimensional Design in Metal Surrey from the Institute of Art and Design; followed in 1998 by a Diploma and National Certificate from Hereford College of Technology and in 2017 a Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Forge Work DFS from Herefordshire and Ludlow College. In 2019 she began studying Geometry at the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts. In 1999 Bex moved to London and established her creative blacksmithing business with the help of the Prince's Trust. Initially, she worked on private commissions acquired from exhibiting regularly at RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Later, she moved on to larger scale public artwork projects via collaborations with a selected group of artist blacksmiths. Her biggest commission to date being a forty meter public artwork for Westminster Magistrates' Courts in London. It was for that installation that she became the first woman to receive the Tonypandy Cup; the most prestigious award given by the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths.  Bex lives in North Devon with her husband Dave and their daughters Molly and Lyonie. The book that Bex recommended on the YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/@theaartpodcast -The Creative Art, A Way of Being by Rick Rubin Bex's links:https://bexsimon.com/https://www.instagram.com/bexsimonartsmith/ Bex's favorite female artists:Zaha HadidEmma KunzLousie Bourgeois Bex's playlist:Beastie Boys / SabotageSinead O'Connor / TroyDoja Cat / Paint the Town RedRadiohead / Street SpiritSleaford Mods / Nudge ItThe Sundays / Can't Be SureChase & Status / BackboneGoldfrapp / Ooh La LaSystem of A Down / Chop SueyRoyksopp Robyn / MonumentNia Archives / Off Wiv Ya HeadzHost: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramThe AART Podcast on YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/@theaartpodcastEmail: theaartpodcast@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wisp--4769409/support.

Bex Simon is a British Artsmith who has overcome difficult mental health issues to become highly sought after for her creative work in metal. Bex is unconstrained in her approach to design by combining geometric shapes and textures. Her sculptures and public art tell stories relative to the surrounding environment and can be found around the UK. Bex was born in Chertsey, Surrey in 1973, the third of four children—she has an older sister and brother and a younger brother. She reflects on a very strict upbringing from parents Tim, a computer programmer and Gel a retired teacher who later volunteered at a school for handicapped children; a relationship which has mellowed with time and understanding of Bex's mental health. Bex was attracted to the art of blacksmithing as a teenager and despite struggling at school with dyslexia, she studied at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design – Foundation graduating in 1992.  In 1995 she graduated with a BA in Three-Dimensional Design in Metal Surrey from the Institute of Art and Design; followed in 1998 by a Diploma and National Certificate from Hereford College of Technology and in 2017 a Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Forge Work DFS from Herefordshire and Ludlow College. In 2019 she began studying Geometry at the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts. In 1999 Bex moved to London and established her creative blacksmithing business with the help of the Prince's Trust. Initially, she worked on private commissions acquired from exhibiting regularly at RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Later, she moved on to larger scale public artwork projects via collaborations with a selected group of artist blacksmiths. Her biggest commission to date being a forty meter public artwork for Westminster Magistrates' Courts in London. It was for that installation that she became the first woman to receive the Tonypandy Cup; the most prestigious award given by the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths.  Bex lives in North Devon with her husband Dave and their daughters Molly and Lyonie. The book that Bex recommended on the YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/@theaartpodcast -The Creative Art, A Way of Being by Rick Rubin Bex's links:https://bexsimon.com/https://www.instagram.com/bexsimonartsmith/ Bex's favorite female artists:Zaha HadidEmma KunzLousie Bourgeois Bex's playlist:Beastie Boys / SabotageSinead O'Connor / TroyDoja Cat / Paint the Town RedRadiohead / Street SpiritSleaford Mods / Nudge ItThe Sundays / Can't Be SureChase & Status / BackboneGoldfrapp / Ooh La LaSystem of A Down / Chop SueyRoyksopp Robyn / MonumentNia Archives / Off Wiv Ya HeadzHost: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramThe AART Podcast on YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/@theaartpodcastEmail: theaartpodcast@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aart--5814675/support.

Walk Hergest Ridge in Herefordshire on the Welsh border in the company of walker and writer Mike Parker who has spent years exploring the unique people, landscape and history of this borderland. With Plodcast host Fergus, Mike talks Offa's Dyke, the Welsh-English divide and the reason why these 'Marcherlands' are so attractive to those looking for somewhere off the beaten track. Mike Parker's book All the Wide Border: Wales, England and The Places Between is published by HarperNorth. The BBC Countryfile Magazine Plodcast is the Publishers Podcast Awards Special Interest Podcast of the Year 2024 and the PPA Podcast of the Year 2022. If you've enjoyed the plodcast, don't forget to leave likes and positive reviews. Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: theplodcast@countryfile.com. If your letter, email or message is read out on the show, you could WIN a Plodcast Postbag prize of a wildlife- or countryside-themed book chosen by the team. The Plodcast is produced by Jack Bateman and Lewis Dobbs. The theme tune was written and performed by Blair Dunlop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Free Range egg producers say the Government's latest measures to combat bird flu don't go far enough. The Chief Vet says that from Sunday, poultry in a further five English counties, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire, must be brought inside, joining restrictions already imposed in Hull, East and North Yorkshire, York, Norfolk, Suffolk and Shropshire. Gatherings of poultry have also been banned in England, and enhanced biosecurity measures are already in force across the country, but Gary Ford from the British Free Range Egg Producers Association tells us they want a stronger response.The British Trust for Ornithology says there's been an increase in the number of wild birds infected with avian flu, and as many species have had a massive shock to their population, it's all about whether they can recover and how long it will take.All this week we are celebrating rural community champions and today our reporter Sarah Swadling takes us to the winding lanes of the Exe valley in Devon. There a Church of England minister rides her Highland pony to services, and to visit parishioners in their homes.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Joining Jill and Doron on the 36th episode of the podcast, the eighteenth and final of our second season, to tell us his story is British journalist Matthew Engel, who attended Carmel College from 1959 to ‘69, preceded by his two older brothers.     Matthew attended Manchester University and became a journalist, mostly for The Guardian and later the Financial Times. Initially, he specialized in sport, and has covered over 70 different sports, from cricket and football to tiddlywinks and underwater hockey.  Over the years, he reported on just about everything, including the First Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 - and from all seven continents, the South Pole included.  He lives on a farm in rural Herefordshire, where he is now a county councillor, with his publisher wife Hilary of 34 years, their daughter Vika, and their two dogs, three cats and three horses.   Hear Matthew talk about Carmel's horsehair mattresses; listening to ‘Around the Horn'; ‘what's wrong with the world today'; smoking in the pillbox; becoming known as the school cynic; an attempt to bribe the school barber; Carmel's moment in The Guardian's newsroom; the golden age of newspapers; and the most important piece he ever wrote, “The Day the Sky fell in” (see https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2005/dec/03/familyandrelationships.health).   Thank you, Matthew Engel, for turning us again to Carmel days!   Personal mentions in this episode: Rabbi Dr. Kopul Rosen (Founder & Principal) David Stamler (Headmaster) Philip Skelker (Headmaster) Joshua Gabay (French & Junior School Headmaster) June Glover (Primary Department) Isabel Craston (English & EFL) Mr. P.J. Hobson (English) Ron Evans (Mathematics) Anthony Engel Richard Engel Kenneth Kaufman Harvey Kaufman Avrom Sherr Michael Sternberg Simon Serota David Robson Simon Silver Steven Fogel   Feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you liked about this episode, and rate us on your favorite podcast platform

Join a quest in the little-visited no-man's land between Monmouthshire and Herefordshire to seek out a mysterious church built by the Knights Templar 800 years ago. Who were these warrior monks and what were they doing in this corner of the British countryside? And should we believe any of the modern legends about the Templars? As ever, there will be wildlife surprises along the way. The Countryfile Magazine Plodcast is the Publishers Podcast Awards Special Interest Podcast of the Year 2024 and the PPA Podcast of the Year 2022. If you've enjoyed the plodcast, don't forget to leave likes and positive reviews. Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: theplodcast@countryfile.com. If your letter, email or message is read out on the show, you could WIN a Plodcast Postbag prize of a wildlife- or countryside-themed book chosen by the team. The Plodcast is produced by Jack Bateman and Lewis Dobbs. The theme music was written and performed by Blair Dunlop. Visit the Countryfile Magazine website: countryfile.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're walking up a shallow valley, smoky with mist, on the border between Wales and Herefordshire. Ravens and jackdaws rule the airwaves here while hungry sheep gather around in the hope that you might be the farmer with a bag of feed. In the hedge, a dunnock gently calls. BBC Countryfile Magazine's Sound Escapes are a weekly audio postcard from the countryside to help you relax and transport you somewhere beautiful, wherever you happen to be. Recorded by Fergus Collins, introduced by Hannah Tribe. Email the Plodcast team – and send your sound recordings of the countryside – to: theplodcast@countryfile.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Finding the perfect gift for the cider lover in your life just got easier. Whether you're shopping for seasoned cider enthusiasts, budding cider makers, or thoughtful gift givers looking to impress, this guide has everything you need to celebrate the holidays with cider. From curated picks with our Cider Chat partners to tools and tips for home fermenters, we've got you covered. Top Cider Gifts from the Cider Chat Partners The following brands are part of the #ciderGoingUP Campaign. Become a partners today at the Cider Chat Patreon page! 1. Ross Cider and Perry | Herefordshire Shop Ross Cider and Perry Explore a variety of ciders and perries from one of the most esteemed cideries in the UK. Perfect for those who love rich tradition and bold flavors. 2. DuckChicken Cider | London Shop DuckChicken Cider Find distinctive ciders crafted in small batches, ideal for the adventurous cider drinker. 3. SpaceTime Mead and Cider Works | Pennsylvania Shop SpaceTime Mead and Cider Works Browse their innovative blends that bridge the worlds of cider and mead. 4. EsoTerra Ciderworks | Colorado Shop EsoTerra Ciderworks Gift fine ciders that showcase the terroir of the American Southwest. 5. Tattiebogle CiderWorks | Pennsylvania Shop Tattiebogle Closed till December 20th Give the gift of anticipation with a Tattiebogle gift certificate—perfect for cider fans eager to try their unique offerings. 6. Bent Ladder | Ohio Shop Bent Ladder Purchase ciders or gift certificates online to share a taste of Ohio's finest. 7. Press Then Press Shop Press Then Press Discover curated cider gift packs from a variety of top producers. 8. Oliver's Cider and Perry | Herefordshire Shop Oliver's Cider and Perry Dive into premium ciders and the newly touted perry selection for a true taste of Herefordshire. 9. InCiderJapan Shop InCiderJapan Explore unique Japanese ciders, offering a fresh perspective on the craft. 10. American Cider Association Shop American Cider Association CiderCon swag showcases pride in this powerhouse organization 11. Locust Grove Brewery…and Cider! | New York Shop Locust Grove Gift Card Certificates and Growlers to-go! 12. Heeman's Cellar | London, Ontaria Shop Heeman's Cellar From gardening and orchard workshops to cider and mead online, this Ontario based family owned enterprise has a bevy of cider gifts! Gifts for the Aspiring Cider Maker For those who dream of crafting their own cider, these thoughtful gifts will kick-start their journey. Cider Maker's Starter Kit Download the Cider Making Equipment PDF to build a custom gift pack with essential tools. Pair the equipment with a box of fresh cider apples for an unforgettable gift. Books for Every Skill Level Head to the Cider Books page at Cider Chat for resources ranging from beginner guides to expert cider-making tips. Consider books on orchard care, apple varieties, or rare fruits like medlars and sorbs domestica to deepen their knowledge. Cider Chat Swag for the Holidays Support your favorite cider podcast “Cider Chat” and surprise your cider-loving friends with some exclusive swag. Where to Shop:Cider Chat Swag Store on Teepublic Tips: Order a size up for a perfect fit, and if the t-shirt isn't quite right, simply reorder for free! Why Cider is the Perfect Gift Cider is more than just a drink—it's a story of tradition, craftsmanship, and community. By gifting cider or cider-related items, you're sharing a piece of this heritage with friends and loved ones. This holiday season, shop thoughtfully and enjoy the process of picking gifts that celebrate the world of cider. And don't forget to check out the Cider Chat podcast for more cider tips, stories, and inspiration. Support Cider Chat: The Gift That Keeps on Giving For the cider lover who already has it all, consider a meaningful and impactful gift by supporting the work of Cider Chat. Make a Donation Help keep the cider community thriving by making a one-time donation to Cider Chat. Your contribution supports the podcast, cider stories, and educational content that bring the world of cider to life. Become a Cider Chat Patron Visit the Cider Chat Patreon Page and sign up as a patron. Choose a tier that matches your budget and enjoy exclusive perks like behind-the-scenes updates, early access to episodes, and more. This gift not only shows your appreciation for cider culture but also ensures that Cider Chat continues to inspire and connect cider enthusiasts around the globe. Pro Tip: Pair this donation or patronage with a physical gift, like a Cider Chat t-shirt or mug from the Cider Chat Swag Store, for a thoughtful and well-rounded present. Mentions in this Cider Chat CiderCon2025 Promo Code –  Once you get to the registration form, towards the end of the first page you'll reach a section in the form that says “additional registration information” and there is a question: If you have a coupon, please enter code here (case-sensitive): CiderChat #xpromoteCider – Tips of the glass to the following brands! Do follow them on instagram! @spacetimemeads – Dunmore, Pennsylvania @anchgergely of Abilaget Garden Projects @thompsons_brood home cider maker @tomoliverscider – Herefordshire, UK Rødding – Æblets By i Salling -Denmark cider club @degerdenner Netherlands Rootwood Cider Company– Washington #ciderGoingUP campaign page Cider Gift Ideas

Today's guest is truly beloved figure in British television - someone who many of us feel we already know so well - Monty Don. For over two decades, Monty has been the heart and soul of BBC's Gardeners' World, inspiring millions to embrace the joys and therapeutic benefits of gardening. His connection to nature has taken him all over the globe, all in search of the profound ways that different cultures engage with the land. Alongside Gardeners' World, Monty has brought us stunning travel series like Around the World in 80 Gardens, Monty Don's Italian Gardens, Adriatic Gardens and most recently, Spanish Gardens. This latest series, which is accompanied by a beautiful book, delves into the country's breathtaking historic and contemporary landscapes, from Moorish-inspired patios to vibrant urban greens paces, revealing the depth and diversity of Spanish garden design.It was also fascinating to hear about Monty's journey to TV stardom, and how he had a completely different and hugely successful career in the fashion world, before, somewhat by chance, getting a new break into gardening and TV.From the gardens that stole his heart to the wild landscapes that left a lasting impression, here are Monty's travel diaries.Destination Recap:Leominster, Herefordshire, EnglandThe Black Mountains, WalesHydra, Greece Budleigh Salterton, Devon, England Mevagissey, Cornwall Provence, FranceLondon, EnglandAnnapurna, Nepal Native Tree Fern Forests, New ZealandThe Amazon Rainforest, BrazilIranChileJapanSummer Palace, Beijing, China Galicia, SpainNinfa Gardens, ItalyWollerton Hall, Shropshire, EnglandFinland through Eastern Europe to TriesteSpanish Gardens by Monty Don and Derry Moore, BBC Books, £39.99 out now.*COMPETITION* Head to my Instagram, @hollyrubenstein, for a chance to win a 3 night full board stay at one of the Maldives' most luxurious hotels, Kuda Villingili. Good Luck!With thanks to Skyscanner - The full travel trends 2025 report is available on Skyscanner app/site and of course you can always look for your 2025 trip whether it's flights, hotels or car hire on Skyscanner too.And to Airbnb - Your home could be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.co.uk/host. Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don't forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week's episode come and follow me on Instagram I'm @hollyrubenstein, and you'll also find me on TikTok - I'd love to hear from you.And if you can't want until then remember there's the first 12 seasons to catch up on, that's over 125 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you miss it? One of the most popular episodes we ever released from Season One is back for an encore listen:Russian and Chinese-backed rebels were making deadly headway in Oman during its Civil War of the early 1970s. In support of the Western-allied Sultan, the British Army secretly deployed nine operators from its most elite unit, the SAS. HBH is honored to have our guest, Pete Winner, with a special appearance by Sekonaia ‘Tak' Takevisi, two of the nine SAS heroes who took on over 400 Omani rebels at the Battle of Mirbat.At stake on July 19th 1972 was more than just a single battle for a small town on the Gulf of Oman. Due to Mirbat's geographic significance, had the SAS fallen the communist rebels would have taken hold of the region – and controlled the global shipping routs for Middle Eastern oil. Statues of individual soldiers are rare, but due to his heroism at the Battle of MIrbat, there are not one but two statues of Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba. One unveiled in 2009 at the SAS headquarters in Herefordshire, and another in 2018 by Harry and Megan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in Fiji - which at the time of Labalaba's enlistment was still a British colony.Pete Winner is the author of his bestselling memoir "SOLDIER, I," which he wrote with Michael Kennedy.