OnFARM Scottish farming podcast

There has never been more sheep scab in Scotland than there is at the moment, according to advisors at the Moredun animal health research institute. Monty visits one farm struck by its first ever scab outbreak, and hears about the welfare, economic and mental anguish of dealing with the aftermath. There is also expert advice from the Moredun's Stewart Burgess and Scott Brown. This podcast is spons...

Will Evans and Domhnall Macsween have both recently been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Will, who is chair of the Oxford Farming Conference and host of the Rock and Roll Farming podcast, shares thoughts with BBC Alba presenter Domhnall and OnFARM host Anna Davies. Both men believe that undiagnosed ADHD may be prevalent in UK agriculture. Our thanks to episode spons...

Horse racing will make a welcome return to the hills above Galashiels next month (Sunday 16th April) when the Lauderdale point-to-point takes place at Mosshouses. The race meeting, the first since 2019, will celebrate 75 years of racing at the scenic course. Monty caught up with two members of the organising committee, Charlotte Dun and Tony Hogarth, to find out more about the sport and the histor...

Barbara Girvan sells fresh seasonal flowers grown on her family's Highland farm in the heart of Glenurquhart, near Inverness. You can set up a subscription to get monthly bouquets delivered direct to your door. Something to think about with Mother's Day just around the corner! Barbara's flower business 'The Wild Acre': https://corrimonyfarm.co.uk/contact-us Thanks as always to episode sponsor...

A second visit to the home of farmer and Sunday Times-bestselling author James Oswald. Monty's a big fan of James' supernatural crime books, especially the Edinburgh-based Inspector Tony McLean series. This is the second of two episodes recorded at James' home. (Episode photo credit: David Cruickshanks) Mentioned in this episode: Podcast producers Bespoken Media All episodes of OnFARM are produced...

James Oswald is the Sunday Times-bestselling author of dozens of books including the Edinburgh-based Inspector Tony McLean series of supernatural crime novels. He's also a Fife farmer, and particularly proud of his breeding herd of Highland cattle. Monty's a big fan of James' books, and jumped at the chance to pay him a visit for the podcast. This is the first of two episodes recorded at James' ho...

Something a bit different this week: Anna was recently interviewed by Mary Jane Lawrie for the FAS Sounds Agri Culture podcast, so we thought we'd bring you that interview in full as a behind-the-scenes peek at life at Scene and Herd and OnFARM. If you enjoy what you hear, do go and check out the FAS Sounds stable of podcasts at fas.scot/sounds Agri Culture is one of six different shows under the...

Following last week's episode when Monty got to try a Dynescan portable semen quality analyser, we're hearing from a livestock vet who offers Dynescan tests to clients. Tom Oxtoby is from the George Farm Vets practice in Malmesbury in Wiltshire. The Dynescan ensures that vets can provide speedy and reliable advice to farmers looking to improve productivity and profit margins. Find out more about&n...

Created in Scotland: a game-changing portable pen-side semen quality analyser for livestock industries. The Dynescan was developed at Edinburgh University's Roslin Innovation Centre and provides accurate semen quality results within minutes. Its developers say anyone can use it. It helps farms to be more profitable, improving fertility management and reducing carbon emissions. Monty's been speakin...

In February 2021, Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, was a guest on OnFARM, launching a fundraising drive to find a cure for Equine Grass Sickness. The mysterious disease is almost always fatal to horses, and, in recent years, had killed 5 prized Highland ponies on Her Majesty the Queen's Balmoral estate. Efforts to find a treatment are being led by Dr Beth Wells of Edinburgh’s Moredun Research In...

Hannah and Danny Gallagher - better known to many on social media as The Red Shepherdess and Danny the Farrier - share their delight and excitement at not one but two pieces of life-changing news; they have just taken on their first farm in their own names, and - after three miscarriages - have their first baby on the way. The couple talk to Monty about sharing their lives on social media, and how...

For our final episode of 2022, Monty, Anna and Dave look back on the year's highlights. Huge thanks to everyone who's been involved in helping make OnFARM a success this year - especially our series sponsors Scottish legal firm Gillespie Macandrew. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we'll be back with new episodes on 2023. Mentioned in this episode: Podcast producers Bespoken Media All episodes...

Rising costs, increasing uncertainty and a squeeze on prices are all contributing to a "full blown crisis" for Scottish fruit growers, according to Angus Soft Fruit's James Porter. James has been speaking to OnFARM's Dave Howard - and has issued a plea for greater support from UK and Scottish governments, farming unions, and anyone else with influence to change things. Mentioned in this episode: P...

Scottish agritourism faces “the opportunity to become world renowned”, according to Visit Scotland’s Vicki Millar. Monty also meets Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon, Scottish Agritourism lead Caroline Millar and many others, in this episode recorded at the 2021 Scottish Agritourism conference. Contributors: Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon Scottish Agritourism’s Caroline Millar Visit Scotland’s Vick...

We are all adjusting to life without Doddie Weir - Scotland and Lions rugby legend, Motor Neuron Disease campaigner, and Borders farmer. In this OnFARM edition, recorded around Christmas 2019, Monty visited his friend and farming neighbour for a coffee and blether. The pair recall Doddie's early days in eventing and his time at the SAC agricultural college (now SRUC), and talk about Doddie's deter...

Midlothian mum Rachel Moyes broke her back in four places after being flung from a horse's back in a remote location. Ambulance workers used the What3Words app to find quickly Rachel, and take her to hospital for treatment. Monty hears Rachel's story, and also speaks with What3Words' Albe Pereira. If you spend time in remote areas, whether for work or for leisure activities like riding, biking, or...

Denise Walton trained as an ecologist, but has spent 30 years alongside family and business partners building up Peelham Farm, and expanding into butchery and charcuterie. Denise is Scotland chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, and is passionate about how farming can be part of solutions to both climate change and biodiversity - while still being productive. Thanks to this episode's spons...

What needs to happen to prices and ways of working, to enable farming and food production to meet carbon reduction targets? A year on from world leaders amassing in Glasgow to discuss climate change action, and with COP27 underway in Egypt, we're revisiting Anna's chat from this time last year with SAOS chairman John Hutcheson, and Emma Patterson-Taylor, SAOS's climate change and sustainability ma...

A chat with Scotland's only Savory Institute-trained holistic management educator. Anna spends time with William Houstoun, who works with farms, estates and other organisations to support transitions to becoming more holistically-managed and regenerative. William's website is here: https://www.land.scot/ Find out more about the work of the Savory Institute here: https://savory.global/ This episode...

Amanda Owen, 'The Yorkshire Shepherdess', is one of the UK’s most famous famers. She chats with Anna about her hill farm, and her life as a shepherd, sheepdog trainer, mum-of-9, and best-selling author. Find Amanda's latest book 'Celebrating the Seasons' at her website here: https://www.yorkshireshepherdess.com/books/ Mentioned in this episode: Podcast producers Bespoken Media All episodes of OnFA...

Anna speaks with some of the shortlisted teams and winners at the recent Scottish Land and Estates 'Helping It Happen' awards. The awards recognise the role of estates, farms, rural businesses and individuals who are helping rural Scotland thrive. More here: https://scottishlandandestates.co.uk/helping-it-happen Mentioned in this episode: Podcast producers Bespoken Media All episodes of OnFAR...

Four rural communities from around Scotland have been shortlisted for up to £50,000 of Scottish Government funding to support climate change solutions - administered by Firstport, Scotland's agency for start-up social entrepreneurs. Anna speaks with Firstport's Carmen Paputa-Dutu about the shortlisted projects, and funding for similar projects in years to come. This episode is supported by Scottis...

A wander around the 2022 Tillage Live event held at Dunbar in East Lothian, and organised by the  Agricultural Engineers Association . Monty and producer Dave talk to exhibitors and punters, and narrowly avoid getting run over by some big shiny kit. Episode kindly supported by Cefetra . Mentioned in this episode: Podcast producers Bespoken Media All episodes of OnFARM are produced and edited...

Advice and support for anyone looking to maximise the impact of social media to support your rural business. Anna is joined by social media expert Pam Newby, to make sense of the sometimes intimidating world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. Pam is a farmer's daughter, and passionate about helping rural businesses. Pam has created some fantastic content for the OnFARM Academy which provid...

Rodney Blackhall and Emma Cheape describe how they both - independently of each other - organised moving rural tributes to Her Majesty the Queen as she was carried by cortège from Balmoral to Edinburgh. Rodney brought together over 40 tractors to stand guard as the convoy passed through Aberdeenshire. Down the road in Perthshire, Emma was standing by with over 30 riders on horseback. Helicopter im...