Toplines and Tales

To wrap up this 3 episode series, we look at the commercial aspects of the modern Ryeland sheep and identify where it sits within todays sheep industry. I speak to top commercial sheep breeder Bobby Morgan about his large Ryeland flock as well as Philippa Gray about her journey into the breed and how Ryeland meat takes pride of place in their farm-shop and butchery. 

In this, episode 2, of the Ryeland sheep podcast, we discuss the finer points of wool with one of the country's leading experts who also happens to be a long standing Ryeland breeder, Stephen Hipps. This certainly is highly educational for anyone with an interest in sheep. I also speak to Susan Bryden from Dumfries about how the Ryeland breed has spread its way across the UK and beyond. 

In the first of a 3 part series for the Ryeland Flock Book Society, I speak to an old friend of the Toplines and Tales podcast, livestock historian Clive Davies, as well as local breeder Jonathan Webb, about the ancient history of the Ryeland Breed. Dating back to medieval times, the breed rose to prominence in Herefordshire and the surrounding areas and found global fame for its excellent quality...

After 5 years creating and running the Toplines and Tales podcast, and 4 months away from it being extremely busy, T&T is back. Going forward, we will have a variety of formats, but still include some good guests and interviews.  This week we start a series of short poems, written by myself, and others. I have also narrated this one, but we will may have guest narrators in future ones.  Volcan...

This week is an interesting and inspiring story from Andrew Keiley who runs the Hardrow Limousin herd alongside his sheep enterprise in Hawes, North Yorkshire. From being born in Manchester suburbs, and the family farm being sold before he had chance to get started, to working his way through the industry, living in a caravan before eventually getting his own farm. We discuss his pedigree interest...

After a trip to France to speak to an Angus Producers Group a few weeks ago, I pull together some highly interesting guests who cover some quite unusual subjects. Scottish beef in France, a beef vending machine, 100% grants for solar panel barns, a highly intensive sheep enterprise and growing onion seeds; this podcast will open a few eyes to how France is much more forward thinking in a lot of se...

Three real characters: Scott Brown, Derek Redpath and Findlay McIntire join me this week for a blether as we have our annual Christmas get together over a few drams. Our topics cover those we have lost this year, great men who have mentored us, top breeds of cattle as well as getting into controversial waters around trees, climate change and carbon nonsense. As always happens, our two and a half h...

Merry Christmas from Toplines and Tales. A song I wrote called Living Well and Christmas. Lyrics below: Christmas day, no time for regret A year gone by, a great time to reflect A family, all around the table The lights are on and everything is stable If you can be really happy with yourself And keep an eye on each others mental health Make a serious effort in every way No reason why it cant alway...

Hugh Watson and William McCombie will go down in history as the two great men who, between them, started and shaped the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed in the 1800s. From our in-depth research, my guest Dr Bob Hough and myself discuss the merits of these two great men in a debate which will be finalised by you, the podcast listener. This episode makes up the history part of our 5th birthday celebratio...

This episode is a condensed version of episode 214, which talks through the new album download and CD Toplines and Tales has just produced, with guest host Wallace Currie. You an download your copy at www.toplinesandtales.bandcamp.com  

Something quite different to celebrate our 5th birthday in a special episode as my guest host Wallace Currie talks about the launch of the new Toplines and Tales Album download, The Family Farm. This is a new on-off music project with proceeds going to Farmstrong Scotland charity. In his usual superb way Wallace quizzes his guest about this project and other controversial issues. Please give it a...

We get a great insight into sheep farming in New Zealand from well-known Kiwi Daniel Wheeler. Spending a third of his year pregnancy scanning a staggering quarter of a million ewes in both New Zealand and Scotland, Dan-the-Scan and I chat about breeds of sheep, data recording, Luing cattle and sheep exports in this highly entertaining podcast.

Nuffield scholar, Jock Gibson has studied eatabilty of beef around the world and has some strong views on how we could apply some of the overseas grading principles to the beef industry in UK in this interesting insight. We have a fascinating discussion about transparency of different types of beef labeled on the consumer shelves. Jock then goes on to talk about his own Pasture for Life-certified...

Fresh from a weekend in Aberdeen, what a fantastic opportunity the Youth Development Programme offers young people in the livestock community. This week I bring an episode right from the heart of the YDP finals, chatting to organisers, judges and competitors and capturing the phenomenal enthusiasm that this project inspires. 

I chat to Stephen Dodsworth about North East Live, the first fatstock show of the UK season and what can be expected there. Then I introduce a new feature from the Toplines and Tales team along with other news. 

This week I am live at the Ploughing Championships in Ireland and reporting from the Growvite All Ireland Aberdeen-angus Championships. As well as an overview of the event I speak with exhibitors and winners before catching up with some of the organisations that underpin the beef supply chain in Ireland. We finish with a recap of a couple of farm visits that I also took in, including Michael O'Lea...

British Lion, ex-Scotland rugby captain and a legend with the oval ball, Rob Wainwright and I chat rugby, and then his move to a farm on the Hebridean Island of Coll. Rob discusses his past team-mate Doddie Weir, and the work he has been involved in the MyNamesDoddie charity foundation for Motor Neurone Disease. Finally we hear about island life and the advanced methods of regenerative farming he...

A fascinating story this week from Steve Jones, from working with possibly the two most prestigious pedigree beef herds in the UK, Maerdy and Graham’s, to managing an livestock export business in Canada and being at the pinnacle of the sheep breeding world on two continents. Steve’s infectious dedication to quality livestock coupled with his unrivalled enthusiasm, has seen him go on a journey so u...

Now 93 years old, Aberdeenshire legend, Harrold Murray talks about his early days in farming, Angus cattle and his lucrative bull hire business as we reminisce together in his home near Huntly.   Re-edited to avoid character slur! 

Back to Ireland this week, chatting to John, Leo and Sean McEnroe, recapping the history of the Liss and Lissduff Angus herd, speaking about exports and their upcoming sale in August.

We are amongst Angus Royalty this week, as I speak to Dawn and Lee Wilson from the Miller Wilson herd in Alberta, Canada. They discuss the beginnings of two herds that amalgamated to one of the world’s leading names, and some of the successes and ideologies they hold dear. In a changing world, they have become suppliers of embryo genetics in all countries round the world where Angus is to the fore...

The issue of methane emissions from livestock has been a very hot topic over the last few months. In this special episode I try to look at it from all angles by chatting to a top breeder and some experts in the livestock industry, to hopefully dispel a few myths and shed some light onto current developments.

Ewan Gordon runs the family farm at Wellheads in Aberdeenshire with his father John. Running a lot of suckler cows and sheep in a streamlined operation with just the two of them managing 1250 acres, Ewan chats about his stock, their business and the future of the family farm.  

A highly interesting and inspirational chat with good friends Mike and Jane Rocks in Australia who have had a most fascinating life, recently settling into a farm in New south Wales. This pair truly are entrepreneurs of the highest order and have reinvented their life many times, through dairy farming, property development, honey packing, a yacht in Scotland and a whole list of other interesting c...

This week a live episode all the way from New South Wales, Australia at the World Angus Expo. During a busy weekend, I caught up with the hugely enthusiastic British and Irish Lions youth team competing in the World Angus Youth competition, as well with a chat some of the organisers of this spectacular event.