Mark The Bowler Hat Farmer

In this episode, I’m joined by Lynne Franks and Hans-Günther Kern for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of food, farming and community. Lynne shares her journey from fashion and PR into women’s empowerment, SEED pods and grassroots community building, and we dig into why growing food now has to sit alongside growing confidence, connection and local resilience. We talk about women’s lead...

Paul and I kicked things off with a proper catch-up from the farm, from tractor repairs and homemade ice cream to local cherries, farmers’ markets and the never-ending circus of regulation. Then Nicola and Kelly joined us to give the full lowdown on this year’s Weekend Truth Festival in Wrexham — four days of talks, music, camping, children’s activities and a big focus on community, solutions and...

In this episode, I sat down with Istvan, Joshua and Paul to dig into Lana and ask the practical questions small farmers, farm shops and local retailers will want answered. We explored how Lana is being positioned alongside cash and card payments rather than as a straight replacement, how customers can receive a loyalty-style return on their spending, and how participating sellers can build extra v...

In this candid round‑table, I’m joined by co‑host Paul from Bramblebee Farm and our guest Milly Fyfe, newly awarded an MBE, to dig into the reality of British farming in 2026. We cover why diversification keeps family farms alive (from honesty shops and education centres to markets and on‑farm processing), the constant juggle with planning, EHO and Trading Standards, and how surplus supermarket fo...

In this candid episode, I sit down with Paul to unpack a big step he’s taking to build resilience: securing 31 acres of long‑worked orchards to open up new, community‑centred avenues beyond commodity farming. We talk frankly about the realities behind a mixed, first‑generation family farm and butchery in the Fens—cashflow squeeze, breakdowns, slaughter logistics, rules and inspections—alongside th...

On tonight’s show, Paul gives us the latest from Brambleby Farm — long‑awaited rain at last, a fraught pasteuriser move that ended well, steady calving, and the realities of cleanliness, rotations and costs on a small mixed farm. Our guest, holistic veterinarian Roger Meacock, joins me to explore his journey from conventional practice to non‑pharmaceutical approaches, from using magnets with downe...

In tonight’s conversation, I’m joined by Andy and Francesco to explore how electroculture, geotherapy and good soil biology can radically improve food production. We trace our journey from first meetings and early scepticism to practical installations of power towers, minerals such as basalt, dolomite and quartz, and microbe-rich teas—plus the surprising results we’ve witnessed first-hand: extende...

On tonight’s live catch‑up I’m joined by Paul from Norfolk for a properly down‑to‑earth ramble about real farming in 2026. We start with weather woes (finally, much‑needed East Anglian rain), then dive into Paul’s three‑year journey building a tiny dairy from scratch, why ice cream is the make‑or‑break value‑add, and the joy and jeopardy of doing it all cash‑flow‑first. We swap stories on balky ki...

In this episode, I’m joined by Patricia and farmer Paul for a lively, plain‑spoken look at glyphosate, why so many growers feel trapped into using it, and what it takes to step off that treadmill. From Paul’s first‑hand shift away from routine sprays to working with insect predators, ground cover and dung beetles, to Patricia’s decade of public‑facing advocacy and education, we explore practical,...

Mark (the Bowler Hat Farmer) flies solo from Somerset with guest Dean for a frank, plain‑English discussion about how UK farmers can sell direct, reduce dependence on big processors, and push back against red tape. We unpack the idea of running sales through a Private Members’ Association (PMA), why private contracts can shield small producers from some inspections meant for open‑to‑the‑public tra...

In this on-the-road edition, I sit down with James Caswell and Millie to unpack how a 5,000‑acre arable operation is future‑proofing itself by growing and bagging its own peat‑free compost. We cover the realities of input costs, soil health, and why “thinking outside the system” is no longer optional. James explains the farm’s five‑year herbal leys (clover, grasses, chicory), integrating willow fr...

In this episode, I’m joined by co‑host Paul and arable farmer Phil (Fells Farming) for an unvarnished, from‑the‑yard conversation about the realities of British farming in 2026. We cover breakdowns and long journeys home, water worries and parched fields, compliance headaches, and the ever‑rising costs of fuel, fertiliser and kit. Phil talks candidly about recent farmer actions, why public support...

In this live farm-chat, I’m joined by Craig from Maesllyn Meatboxes, Paul from Bramblebee Farms, and engineer–inventor Alan from Farming Solutions. We dig into the realities of selling meat direct: why face‑to‑face markets often outperform online, how footfall and consistent posting can turn the tide, and smart ways to move stock without filling freezers (hello, quickfire Facebook auctions). Craig...

Tonight I flew solo for a good while thanks to some spectacular tech gremlins, then finally welcomed agricultural chaplain-turned-founder Graham Miles to talk candidly about mental health in farming and his new nationwide initiative, Farmers Support UK. We dug into the reality of isolation on farms, the courage it takes to make that first call for support, and why a familiar, confidential voice on...

In this week’s episode, I catch up with Paul after a hectic spell on the farm: an unexpected early run of calving, new piglets, tagging and moving stock, and the roller‑coaster weather. I share an update on my move and getting hands back in the soil—reviving veg beds, trialling compost, electroculture, and noticing how organic matter, worms and mycelium are transforming tired ground. We talk drain...

In tonight’s rambling, real-world catch‑up, Paul and I open up about the mounting pressures across British farming: fuel and fertiliser spikes, volatile commodity prices, and why mental health support for farmers matters more than ever. We talk FairFuelUK’s long-running campaign on duty, the strange economics of Nitram versus growing a crop, and how weather whiplash and input costs are forcing har...

Tonight I catch up with Paul at Bramblebee Farm for a down‑to‑earth look at life on a busy mixed farm: surprise EHO inspections, scrubbing parlours, tagging calves, a Facebook‑live calving, and the little wins that tell you spring is here—hello dung beetles. We shout out the Whittlesey indoor market (Blackboard Events) and Waterbeach Barracks market, talk stall-by-stall demand, and why some “poore...