Meet the Farmers

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Sarah and Georgia Weatherlake, who manage a 500-acre farm in Exmoor National Park.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agenc...

Ben Aveling, known as Radmore Farm on social media, reveals all about his farming and diversification journey over the past few years, as well as his entry into social media.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist ru...

In this episode Baroness Minette Batters comes on the show to discuss her Farm Profitability Review and consider what might be next for the report? She also reflects on the elements of Secretary of State for the Environment Emma Reynolds' Oxford Farming Conference speech that nodded to the review.  Ally and Sophie also discuss farming conferences and events including Oxford Farming Conference, Oxf...

With thanks to our guests: Charlotte Allender (Head of UK Vegetable Genebank at the University of Warwick); Elaine Bradley (Exec Director of the Irish Seed Savers Association) and Catrina Fenton (Head of Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library).  Photo credit: Hugh Warwick 🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and b...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle engages with Kayleigh Robb and Tim Scott, two tenant farmers who share the same landlord - the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT). They share their unique journeys in agriculture, discussing the challenges and opportunities they face in modern farming. The conversation delves into the importance of wildlife-friendly practices, the dynamics of l...

Downlands was purchased by the Gilboy family in the summer of 2023. In this episode we take a look behind the scenes at their farming journey so far.  With thanks to Becca Smith for guest producing this episode.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by R...

In this episode of the Meet the Farmers podcast, host Ben Eagle leads a lively quiz featuring a panel of guests reflecting on the year 2025 in farming.  Huge thanks to Ben Briggs, Bronagh Dempster, Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair for taking part.  The conversation covers the challenges faced by farmers, the impact of market trends and political decisions, and the resilience of the agricultura...

For this week's Big Debate Ally and Sophie explore the future of traditional livestock markets in the UK, featuring insights from Dan Luff, co-founder of Sell My Livestock, and Scott Donaldson, a seasoned auctioneer and Group Director of H&H Group. The discussion covers the evolution of livestock trading, the impact of online platforms, the social aspects of markets, and predictions for the future...

The UK government has published the Farm Profitability Review which was authored by Baroness Minette Batters. In this 'emergency podcast episode' Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory are joined by Ben Briggs to give an initial reaction to the document.  To view the whole report visit - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-profitability-review-2025-an-independent-review  🎧 Subscribe...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Trevor Wayborn, the owner of The Sheep Show, a mobile show promoting British sheep and wool. Trevor shares his journey from a paramedic to a farmer, discussing his family history in agriculture, the challenges he faced in his career, and how he transitioned to running The Sheep Show. The conversation highlights the importance of menta...

Brian Richardson is Head of Agriculture at Virgin Money. As part of Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate, once a season Brian will be giving an 'agri-economic report', assessing the agricultural sector as a whole from his perspective in terms of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks for agricultural businesses.  In this report he is joined by Ben Eagle.  Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate i...

Sophie and Ally are on holiday this week so Cammy Wilson from Fed by Farmers joins the Big Debate team this week for an episode with a Scottish focus. They also discuss the long awaited Farm Profitability review, dogs on leads and Christmas cheese.  For the Big Debate Cammy and Sophie are joined by John Sleigh, editor of The Scottish Farmer, and Sally Williams, a dairy farmer from Berwickshire. Th...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Erin McNaught, a fourth-generation farmer in North Wales. Erin shares her journey of taking over the family farm at a young age, the challenges of farming in a rugged landscape, and the balance between education and agricultural responsibilities. She highlights the importance of family legacy and the support from her grandfather in re...

In this episode Ben speaks with Sam Walton, the Livestock Manager at Cotswold Farm Park. Sam shares his journey from growing up on a family farm in Cheshire to his current role, emphasizing the importance of public engagement and education in farming. He discusses his experiences in New Zealand, insights on agritourism, and the significance of mental health awareness in the agricultural sector. Sa...

In this third episode of Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory give their reaction to the recent Budget. They are joined by Yorkshire farmer Paul Temple and Editor of Farmers Guardian Olivia Midgley. Chris Coupland from Birketts also offers his initial appraisal of the budget.  They also talk about Open Farm Sunday and some news stories from the past fortnight...

We talk fitness on the show today. Does farming need a new fitness culture? Ben is joined by Paul Norton who has driven farm machinery across the world and is on a mission to get farmers fit.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the o...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Richard Cornock, known as The Funky Farmer, about his experience in dairy farming and his journey as a pioneering YouTuber. They discuss the challenges faced by farmers, including inheritance tax, the volatility of the dairy market, and the importance of community among farmers. Rich shares insights from his 40 years in the industry,...

In this second episode of Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate hosts Ally Hunter Blair and Sophie Gregory turn to the topic of climate as COP30 kicks off in Brazil. They are joined by Brazilian agricultural journalist Marianna Grilli and Professor Tim Benton to explore the subject. They also discuss cheese awards, Christmas trees and why Sophie is recording in an ironing cupboard in Denmark.  🎧 Subsc...

In this second episode Ben reveals more of his trip to Kenya. He interviews the Congress Director Aghan Daniel to set the scene for the congress in Nairobi. He also dives into issues such as women in farming in Kenya and takes listeners behind the scenes at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO).  Make sure you listen to episode 1 to make the most of this episode.  🎧 S...

Ben travels to Kenya in this episode as part of the Alltech Young Leader Programme and the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists annual congress, which takes place in a different country each year. In this episode he speaks to his fellow young leaders to discover more about agriculture in their respective countries.  🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, a...

In this episode, host Ben Eagle speaks with Jack Bradley, a first-generation dairy farmer in Iceland. Jack shares his unique journey from the UK to Iceland, detailing his experiences in the military, a pivotal holiday in Kavos that indirectly sparked his interest in farming, and his time working in New Zealand. He discusses the cultural differences between the UK and Iceland, the challenges of her...

Join new co-hosts of The Big Debate series Sophie Gregory and Ally Hunter Blair in the very first episode of "Meet the Farmers: The Big Debate." Dive into discussions on sustainability, the impact of climate change on farming, and the quirky issue of 'snail farming' in Westminster. Sophie and Ally reflect on how the farming community is adapting to new challenges and opportunities, with insights i...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben sits down with Charlotte Ashley, a farmer, podcaster, and prominent countryside content creator, who shares her journey into farming, farming life today, and the power of social media to bridge the gap between rural and urban communities. We’ll also dive into Charlotte’s role as a content creator and her thoughts on the “influencer” label, as well as her p...

In this special episode of the podcast Ben announces the launch of a brand new ongoing current affairs series on the podcast, with two new hosts joining the Meet the Farmers team!   🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only special...

In this heartfelt episode, Michael Kavanagh shares his journey of grief following the tragic loss of his daughter Eleanor in January 2025. He discusses the challenges faced by his family, the importance of community support, and the promise he made to Eleanor to live a life well lived.  On Sunday 26th January 2025, 2 year old, Eleanor and her big sister Fiona, went to bed like any other night. The...