Blether Together with Farmstrong Scotland

In this episode of Blether Together, host Sarah Stephen caught up with Rob Wainwright OBE before he sets off on Doddie's Grand Tour 2025 - an 800-mile charity cycle from Dublin to Edinburgh to raise money for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Rob relocated to the Isle of Coll in the 90's to farm with his family after his rugby career as a Scotland international came to an end. Listen in...

Host Sarah Stephen caught up with Iona Murray;  one half of Fed by Farmers and no stranger to podcasting, she’s on the other side of the interview this time, answering the questions instead of asking them!  Iona tells us about her career, which spans being a school teacher, going to work at Dumfries House, working with Cammy Wilson at The Sheep Game , and now adding starting her own business I&apo...

Our special Christmas bonus recording is with the one and only Jim Smith ! You don’t have to be a teuchter to enjoy this, it’s got something for everyone.  Jim tells Sarah about his farming background, how going to Young Farmers helped on his journey to becoming a stand-up comedian and the reason he regularly takes time out to go to the cinema or out for dinner with friends. Listen to the end for...

Host Sarah Stephen talks with Cora Cooper on her journey from law graduate to partner in a farming business in Muirkirk, Ayr. Working as a team with her husband and three young children, Cora discusses their farming system of 3,500 hill ewes on over 5,000 acres of hill ground, and their passion for delivering for both nature and food production. Cora and David have built their business around thei...

Listen in to the recording of our first webinar in the new series, Give Wellbeing a Sporting Chance, with Sam Whitelock. Farmstrong Chairman John Scott welcomes Sam Whitelock, farmer and New Zealand rugby player. As well as giving some insights to his impressive rugby career, Sam also gives an open and honest account of life on the farm and in particular the challenges the family faced when they s...

Scottish rugby player Stafford McDowall has thrown his not insignificant 6ft 4 inches might behind Farmstrong Scotland, and talks with host, Sarah Stephen, on the succession planning that's underway for his farming future. Stafford had his name down to study agriculture at Newcastle University as an 18-year-old, but he deferred the place while he tried to break into the professional rugby ran...

In this episode we talk to Isla Mackenzie – raised on a dairy farm on the Isle of Lewis and now working perfecting parts for the cars that Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton and George Russell drive at Grand Prix around the world for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS.  Host Sarah Stephen finds out more about what farming and F1 have in common and Isla’s career in motorsport, including her own journey to get behind...

In the latest episode of Blether Together, kindly supported by The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, host Sarah Stephen talks with Michael Blanche on his journey to becoming a first-generation farmer, and how he stayed tenacious and resilient through the knock-backs and challenges.  It all started in 2003 when Michael went to buy ten sheep but returned with 50, purchased on a credit card so in his own...

Rory Christie is a partner in the Dourie Farming Company Ltd., a dairy and piggery business that he runs with his brother Gregor in Wigtownshire, Southwest Scotland. Rory, founder of the co-operative The Milk Suppliers Association (MSA), oversees the dairy farm where 1100 dairy cows calve in February and March each year and spend the majority of the year outside. Gregor takes care of the pig side...

In the first episode, Sarah meets up with fourth-generation farmer John Scott, who farms at Fearn Farm, with his wife Fiona and their four children. The family’s mixed enterprise includes 3,500 breeding ewes, 250 beef cattle, renewables, malted barley, meat boxes and holiday cottages.  Many will know John as the chairman of Farmstrong Scotland but what we delve into in the podcast is why he is per...