Meet the Farmers

Ben speaks to Yorkshire farmer Andrew Wilson in this week's 'Farmer Focus' and also to Nicola Palfrey who is a Rural Surveyor and member of the NFYFC Agri Committee.

Ben speaks to Robin Milton, an Exmoor farmer who is also the Chair of the Exmoor National Park Authority and a former Chair of the NFU's Uplands Forum. Listen also for news and views and of course this week's 'Guess the Crop'.

Discover more about How Now Dairy here - https://www.hownowdairy.co.uk/ Listen to the full interview with Oliver on YouTube. 

As we go into the next full week of lockdown here's another episode of the new format of the show to raise spirits. As well as looking at the week's farming news Ben speaks to Suffolk farm manager Matthew Hawthorne from the Euston Estate.

It's the first episode of the new format of the podcast and Ben speaks to three previous guests from the show including Anna Bryant, Will Evans and Ally Hunter-Blair. Plus, play new game 'Guess the Crop'!

A sneak peak into the new show format...including the new music

Ben has a message about the future of the show.

Meet the Farmers specials look at a farming issue or subject in more depth and for this mini-series we are exploring potential changes in the dairy sector over the next few years from environmental policy to competition from plant based alternatives. In this final episode of the mini series which comes out throughout this week Ben speaks to vegan activist and political lead at Animal Rebellion, Ke...

Meet the Farmers specials look at a farming issue or subject in more depth and for this mini-series we are exploring potential changes in the dairy sector over the next few years from environmental policy to competition from plant based alternatives. In this third episode of the mini series which comes out throughout this week Ben speaks to dairy consultant and animal scientist Dr Jude Capper at t...

Meet the Farmers specials look at a farming issue or subject in more depth and for this mini series we are exploring potential changes in the dairy sector over the next few years from environmental policy to competition from plant based alternatives. In this second episode of the mini series which comes out throughout this week Ben speaks to dairy consultant John Allen. 

oday's guest Matt Swain is an expert in managing change and change is certainly something that the dairy sector has faced in the past and faces again today with numerous challenges and opportunities ahead. In this mini series we talk about the subject of change in relation to dairy, from environmental policy to plant based alternative products. This episode in particular introduces the subject of...

Robin Asquith is a farmer from Yorkshire. He's the Care Farm Manager for the Camphill Village Trust, was a 2016 Nuffield Scholar and in 2017 was named a Farmers Weekly Rising Star. He's also an all round great guy who is easy to get along with and that was evident when I went to meet him up in Yorkshire on a particularly windy day (although I was told it was pretty typical for the area). Robin sit...

Ben visits arable farmer Andy Howard in Kent.

In the Meet the Farmers 'special' episode Ben speaks to Dan Goodwin who was the Suffolk Agricultural Apprentice of the Year in 2018 and Steve Loeber who works for Network Rail about mental health and the similarities between working on farms and working on the railways.

My final stop on my Welsh podcast road trip was to mixed farmer and fellow podcaster Will Evans who presents the Rock and Roll Farming podcast. We speak about social media, family, tb and why Will decided to step back from his podcast earlier this year. Huge thanks to Will for having me for an evening. He’s probably one of my favourite farmers!

Ben visits Gareth Wyn Jones to talk about his farm, sheep, ponies, community, broadcasting and the future of hill farming.

Ben continues his trip through north Wales and meets entrepreneurial farmer Llyr Jones. Llyr runs multiple enterprises on his farm including 1500 ewes, 30 cattle, an oil seed rape press, 16000 laying hens and a dead stock collection unit.

Ben meets hill farmer Emlyn Roberts and talks about the future of the uplands.

Ben's next stop on his road trip is to Ben Andrews just outside of Leominster in Herefordshire. Ben is a tenant veg and beef farmer who has thousands of followers on Instagram showing people what he does on the farm every day. He's also involved with Agrespect, which aims to unite and celebrate LGBTQ+ people in the countryside and encourage inclusiveness in rural communities.

Ben heads to Herefordshire to speak to arable farmer Ally Hunter Blair.

Ben's next stop on his Cotswolds roadtrip is to James and Katie Allen, new entrants to farming who run sheep and cattle using a 'conservation grazing' strategy.

In the next stop on his latest road trip Ben visits beef farmer Rob Havard.

Ben heads to the heart of the Cotswolds to speak to National Trust tenant and Nuffield Scholar Jonty Brunyee.

It's the start of another road trip and Ben's first stop is to Abbey Home Farm just outside of Cirencester in the Cotswolds. Ben is shown around by Andy Dibben, the Head of Growing and Kate Yells, the lead stockperson.

Ben visits the Kenton Hall Estate in Suffolk to speak to Emily McVeigh who together with her parents, sister and brother manages this true family business. Emily runs the events, weddings and glamping on the estate.