Meet the Farmers

Jeremy Gibbs had a career with John Deere, principally in Germany, before returning to the UK where he launched Forces Farming as a bridge between the armed forces and agriculture.  We talk about the armed services, mental health, the machinery sector, careers and Jeremy's own life path.  Forces Farming website

Boots and Heels on Farmers Weekly

Follow Ioan on Instagram @that_welsh_farmer

Ben hears from 8 farmers from England and Wales about their experience of harvest this year.

Ben heads to Dorset for an afternoon of milking with Tom and Sophie Gregory who milk 360 cows, farming across two tenanted units of 900 acres in total. They sell their milk through Arla.

http://www.alfredgpearce.co.uk/ @jack_grows (Instagram)

https://outandaboutpoultry.co.uk/ Jade's Instagram  

Go and camp at the Cothelstone estate  - click here to book Pasture for Life page for Cothelstone Estate Instagram - @cothelstoneestate

https://www.thronefarm.co.uk/

Ben speaks to Powys sheep, beef and poultry farmer and entrepreneur Sarah James about her growing her business and about her efforts to bring various groups together to tackle the River Wye pollution issue.

Groundswell in Hertfordshire is the biggest regenerative agriculture event in the UK. Two days of festival feel networking, speaker sessions and machinery demonstrations. In reality, one big party that brings the movers and shakers of regenerative farming, and those interested, together.

Rees Keene runs Over Farm on the outskirts of Gloucester, employing around 50 people on a heavily diversified business.

Meet Matt Izod, an arable farmer (with a few sheep) who farms in the Cotswolds, just 4 miles from Jeremy Clarkson. Ben and Matt talk about regenerative agriculture, life after subsidies, the farming year as an arable farmer and much more.

Ben speaks to ever inspiring dairy farmer Andy Farrow who is based in Shropshire.

Ben speaks to Goat Farmer and former dairy farmer Tim Dobson, who farms in Cheshire. Among other things Tim has been: Acting Chair of the Association of Dairy Farmers in 2001; From 2004-2010 he was a Council Member for the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers; he was runner up in the Farm Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008, and a finalist in the British Farming awards Diversification Innovator...

Ben visits the Cultivate Conference near Macclesfield. Hear from keynote speakers: business coach Marcus Child; co-CEO of COOK Rosie Brown; 'The Black Farmer' - Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones; and Winter Olympian and presenter of Ski Sunday - Chemmy Alcott. Get inspired.

Ben meet first generation tenant farmer Matt Elliott who farms Hereford cattle for beef in the Cotswolds. Matt used to be a police officer in Bristol - hear about how he left city life for farming.

Suffolk based egg and arable farmer Dan Brown built his first chicken shed in 2004, with another following in 2015. He now keeps around 44,000 chickens and farms around 600 acres of arable crops. Also hear the story of how he made his first media appearance on the Today Show.

https://gallowaychillies.co.uk/ @SheenaHorner    

https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/  

Ben speaks to LEAF's Open Farm Sunday Manager Annabel Shackleton and arable farmer Lucy Nott who did Open Farm Sunday for the first time last year.

Ben meets Leicestershire dairy farmer Ruth Grice who also works part time for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Ruth farms in partnership with her parents and milks around 180 pedigree Holsteins, selling milk to Long Clawson Dairy just 5 miles away from the farm to make world famous Stilton cheese.

Ben meets Abedeenshire based new entrant farmer and grazier Nikki Yoxall. With a background in further education Nikki, alongside her husband James, now uses holistic management and agroecological techniques to develop the business on their own land and with neighbours.

Charlie Beaty is a young farmer with bags of drive. She has worked in Australia and traveled Down Under working on farms before coming home to the family farm in the Midlands. Now farming alongside her dad and uncle in Warwickshire, Charlie is also a Farmers Weekly columnist and involved in FarmerTime. She’s also county Chair of Warwickshire Young Farmers.

Ben speaks to cookbook author Jenny Jefferies about her book 'For the Love of the Land' which profiles 40 different farmers from across the UK and their favourite recipes.