Farmerama

This month we meet two people who are building a community group to celebrate an earth-based connection between their religion and the land. We learn about the success of a mentoring programme for farmers. And we end with a request from a Botanist.   We're very grateful to those of you that support us and allow us to bring you these stories every month. Even the smallest contribution makes a big difference to us. So if you'd like to become a supporter, you can visit patreon.com/farmerama.

This is a short episode about the Jumping Fences report. Jumping Fences is about understanding the barriers that prevent Black people and people of colour from accessing land for agroecological farming in Britain – and addressing those barriers. The report is a collaboration between the Landworkers’ Alliance, Land in Our Names and the Ecological Land Cooperative. It builds on a previous project, Rootz into Food Growing, which was focused on London. Jumping Fences was launched in the Justice Hub at the 2023 Oxford Real Farming Conference. Following the launch, Katie spoke to Jumping Fences’ lead researcher, Naomi Terry, as well as two of the people interviewed for the report – pig farmer Flavian Obiero, and cut flower farmer Cel Robertson. Links: Read the report here: https://landinournames.community/projects/jumping-fences Listen back to the launch event and discussion here: https://orfc.org.uk/session/jumping-fences-report-land-justice-food-justice-and-racial-justice-in-british-farming/ Tags: Naomi Terry

This month we start by hearing about the possibilities of supply networks fuelled by sailing ships. We are encouraged to think again about water in the landscapes we are part of, and we hear how one woman in Mexico is working on connecting people in the financial world and those who work with the land with the aim of re-orienting our economy so it serves life. We're very grateful to those of you that support us and allow us to bring you these stories every month. Even the smallest contribution makes a big difference to us. So if you'd like to become a supporter, please visit. https://www.patreon.com/farmerama This episode of Farmerama was made by me, Jo Barratt, Abby Rose, and Dora Taylor. A big thanks to the rest of the Farmerama team Katie Revell, Olivia Oldham, Fran Bailey, Annie Landless, Eliza Jenkins and Lucy Fisher. Our theme music is by Owen Barratt

This month Severine von Tscharner Fleming tells us all about the work she's been doing as part of the Seaweed Commons, an international learning and advocacy network for conservation minded seaweed farmers, wild harvesters, marine biologists and researchers. We also have the third and final installment of our series on animal feed made in collaboration with Wicked Leeks. This episode, Wicked Leeks editor Nina Pullman speaks with Amy Chapple - daughter of Mark Chapple who you’ll remember from last week’s episode - about her soy-free pigs. Wicked Leeks are exploring this topic in a documentary entitled ‘What’s the Problem with Animal Feed?’ which meets some of the farmers trying to reverse agriculture’s soy addiction. If you are interested in more stories on sustainable food and ethical business, you can sign up online to receive the weekly edition of the Wicked Leeks magazine. Finally, we hear from Sérgio Nicolau in Portugal about his transition from conventional to organic, and then regenerative winemaking.

This special episode features a conversation recorded with Vandana Shiva at the 2023 Oxford Real Farming Conference. Following the publication of her memoir, Terra Viva: My Life in a Biodiversity of Movements – which coincided with her 70th birthday – the writer and activist was at ORFC to reflect on her life and to take part in a discussion on the future of GM in the UK. We asked her about her four decades of work as an advocate for farmers’ rights, indigenous knowledge, food and seed sovereignty, diversity, and localisation, her thoughts on gene editing, and her sources of motivation. Terra Viva: My Life in a Biodiversity of Movements is published by Chelsea Green. Find out more at: https://chelseagreen.co.uk/book/terra-viva/ Watch Jyoti Fernandes in conversation with Vandana Shiva at ORFC – “In the Name of the Farmer: Vandana Shiva recalls a lifetime of campaigning for small-scale farmers” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTZxmXdxAjI Watch the ORFC discussion “GM’s False Promises: could the UK b

This month, we continue to share some of the conversations we had at the Oxford Real Farming Conference at the beginning of the year. First, we meet Satish Kumar, founder of Schumacher College and editor of Resurgence and Ecologist Magazine. Satish shared his meditation practice with the conference, and talked to us about his connection to food and nature. Next, we hear from Pete Ritchie and Anna Chworow from Nourish Scotland, to talk about the work they have done supporting the Scottish Agricultural bill. We also have the second interview in a series we’ve made with Wicked Leeks, about animal feed. In this episode, Wicked Leeks editor Nina Pullman speaks with Mark Chapple, and meets some of the soya free and pasture reared chickens on his farm. Wicked Leeks have made a documentary on this topic, called ‘What’s the Problem with Animal Feed?’ which meets some of the farmers trying to reverse agriculture’s soy addiction. If you are interested in more stories on sustainable food and ethical business, you can si

In this special episode, we hear about the project “Agroecology: Enabling the Transition”, which brings together farmers, crofters and growers across Scotland to exchange knowledge and experience. Through farm visits, conversations and shared meals, the project aims to create supportive spaces where participants feel comfortable to ask questions, voice opinions, and learn new things. Funded by the Knowledge Transfer Innovation Fund, the goal is to help embed and support the transition to agroecological practices in Scotland. Katie Revell met with three members of the South-West Scotland group – farmers John Veitch and Heather Close, and facilitator Abi Mordin – to hear about their experiences with the project. “Agroecology: Enabling the Transition” is a partnership between Landworkers’ Alliance, Pasture for Life, Soil Association Scotland, the Nature Friendly Farming Network, Propagate and Nourish Scotland. This episode of Farmerama was made by Katie Revell. Thanks as always to the rest of the Farmerama te

This month, we are at ORFC celebrating the first in-person conference for three years! We learn about beneficial beetles, alternative forms of land ownership, and some of the potential problems with the overproduction of soya. Thank you to everyone who signed up to our Patreon. We appreciate every one of you - your support helps us to keep bringing you the stories of regenerative farming around the world, each month. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/farmerama Links: Dr Kelly Jowett: https://beetlekell.wordpress.com/ OSL: https://www.opensystemslab.io/projects Wicked Leeks: https://wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk/ Innovative Farmers: https://www.innovativefarmers.org/

Welcome to Farming Fashion, our three part series co-produced by Southeast and SOuth West England Fibresheds and Farmerama Radio. In this third and final episode we talk to three designers from independent design studios who work with native natural fibres and dyes and who are pioneering a shift toward a new paradigm for fashion. While none of them would claim to be fully ‘regenerative’ they are transparent and open about their approaches to becoming more so, and take a deep, thoughtful approach to making small, truthful steps in the right direction. The first voice we hear is Tilly Kaye from Zero to Product, a design studio offering design and development services to the fashion industry. Next we hear from Pheobe English, another designer who through her connection with the Southeast England Fibreshed and Plaw Hatch Farm, is also now on a journey to rethinking how her brand designs and produces fashion. Finally we hear from Deborah Barker, who besides being a co-producer in this series conducting t

Welcome to Farming Fashion, our three part series co-produced by Southeast and SOuth West England Fibresheds and Farmerama Radio. In this second episode of the Farming Fashion series we will hear from three farmers or growers who have diversified their businesses explore fibre processing, responding to one of our biggest farming fashion challenges in the UK today - the lack of small to mid scale fibre processing infrastructure. The first voice we hear from is David from Rampisham Mill, the UK’s newest fibre spinning mill which opened in Dorset earlier this year, specializing in semi-worsted spinning of sheep wool in small to medium scale volumes. We also hear from Rosie Bristow, a costume designer who through her recent Masters research to grow, harvest a hectare of flax, is now exploring models and building prototypes for machinery that can process it. And finally we hear from Mallon Linen, an arable farm located in County Tyrone that is reinvigorating this heritage industry in Ireland, by not onl

Welcome to farming fashion, our three part series co-produced by Southeast and South West England Fibresheds and Farmerama Radio. In this first episode we speak to farmers who grow and produce yarns from their own flocks and explore what regenerative fibre farming, and adding value to that fibre, really looks like on the ground. The first voices we hear from are Leila and her mother Ellen from Tamarisk Farm, a Soil Association certified mixed farm on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. Then we hear from Katie Allen of Loopy Ewes, a designer and shepherdess who designs and makes her own knitwear collection using the fleece from her flock of native breed sheep in Gloucestershire. The final voices we hear are Jen Hunter and Andy Wear from Fernhill Farm, Somerset - one of the country’s largest native breed sheep farms which is one of the country’s largest fibre farms and now certified regenerative by A Greener World.

In this episode we have 2 interviews for you. First, Olivia visited a community garden in her homeland, and then Abby chatted with a winemaker in California who walks us through the organic no-till vineyard system he has co-created with his team. This episode of Farmerama was made by Olivia Oldham, Jo Barratt and Abby Rose. A big thanks to the rest of the Farmerama team Katie Revell, Fran Bailey, Annie Landless, Eliza Jenkins and Dora Taylor. Our theme music is by Owen Barratt Thank you to everyone who signed up to our Patreon. We appreciate every one of you - your support helps us to keep bringing you the stories of regenerative farming around the world, each month. If you'd like to join our growing Patreon family, please visit patreon.com/farmerama where you can choose your level of support.

This month we are hopping all over the world. Firstly we hear from Andre Miguel of Hortas de Cascais about how community gardens have spread across a whole region in Portugal. Next, we head to Amaqanda Learning Garden in Philippi Village, South Africa where we speak to Yanga Gceya of Captain Fanplastic about how kids are connecting with their ecosystem by becoming plastic pirates. Then, we’re in Bulgaria where we hear from Filip Harmandzhiev, owner of Livadi farm, about an interesting membership model for his farm shop. Finally we’re back in the UK, to Kingsclere Estates, to chat to Tim May about a farming approach that layers and connects many businesses on one farm. This episode of Farmerama was made by Abby Rose and Jo Barratt. A big thanks to the rest of the farmerama team Olivia Oldham, Katie Revell, Dora Taylor, Fran Bailey, Annie Landless and Eliza Jenkins . Our theme music is by Owen Barratt.

This month we hear how one ranch is managing to build green cover in its 22nd year of drought in California.. And about the vineyard they’ve designed to allow for grazing sheep below the canopy all year round. And we learn about the roots of the Fibershed movement, again in California, ahead of the release of our upcoming mini-series Farming Fashion from Fibreshed UK. This episode of Farmerama was made by Jo Barratt, Abby Rose and Olivia Oldham. A big thanks to the rest of the Farmerama team - Katie Revell, Annie Landless, Eliza Jenkins, Fran Bailey and Dora Taylor.

This is a bonus Cereal episode featuring an extended interview with Anne Parry, miller at Felin Ganol watermill in Ceredigion, Wales. Anne features in episode 4 of Cereal: “The Miller is Missing”. In this episode, Anne shares how she and her husband Andy restored and revived their historic watermill, and explains how the Welsh Grain Forum is working to rebuild local grain economies. If you haven’t listened to our Cereal series yet, we’d really encourage you to check it out. Listen here: www.farmerama.co/about/cereal Find out more about Felin Ganol, and where to buy their flour, at: www.felinganol.co.uk

‘Cereal’ bonus episode: Scotland the Bread This is a bonus Cereal episode featuring an extended interview with Connie Hunter, Miller-Manager at Scotland the Bread, “a collaborative project to grow better grain and bake better bread”, based at the Bowhouse in Fife, Scotland. Connie features in episode 4 of Cereal: “The Miller is Missing”. Connie mills small batches of heritage grain using a cool-running Zentrofan mill. She explains the many benefits of using fresh flour, and tells us a bit about the work Scotland the Bread does with schoolchildren and community groups. If you haven’t listened to our Cereal series yet, we’d really encourage you to check it out. Listen here: www.farmerama.co/about/cereal Find out more about Scotland the Bread, and where to buy their flour, at: www.scotlandthebread.org

This is a bonus Cereal episode featuring an extended interview with Fintan Keenan, a regenerative grain farmer, miller and mill designer living in Denmark. Fintan features in episode 4 of Cereal: “The Miller is Missing”. Abby Rose spoke to Fintan at PX+ festival. Fintan tells us about his innovative hybrid stone/roller mill – which allows millers to produce a huge range of flours while retaining the whole grain – and shares his vision of what it will take to rebuild local grain economies around the world. If you haven’t listened to our Cereal series yet, we’d really encourage you to check it out. Listen here: www.farmerama.co/about/cereal You can find Fintan Keenan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/fintankeenan And on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fintankeenan

This is a bonus Cereal episode featuring an extended interview with Angus McDowall and Alison Campbell of Mungoswells Malt and Milling in East Lothian, Scotland. Angus and Alison feature in episode 4 of Cereal: “The Miller is Missing”. In this episode, Angus explains how he – accidentally! – came to be milling the grain he grows on his 550-acre farm, and Alison gives us a tour of their very unusual Swiss Army flour mill. If you haven’t listened to our Cereal series yet, we’d really encourage you to check it out. Listen here: www.farmerama.co/about/cereal Find out more about Mungoswells Malt and Milling, and where to buy their flour, at www.mungoswells.co.uk

Welcome to Cultivating Justice! Our 6-part series in collaboration with Land In Our Names (LION) and Out on the Land (OOTL, part of The Landworker’s Alliance) which weaves together interviews, conversations, music and reflections from Black people, people of colour, trans people, queer people and women, on their relationships with land, growing, and identity. In the final episode of this series, our producer, Katie Revell, hosts alongside LION’s Sam Siva and OOTL’s Hester Russell, who add their reflections to the pieces throughout the episode. First, psychotherapist and grower Srikanth Narayanan shares their thoughts about the fluid ways in which we can see our relationship with land, other living creatures, plants and the natural environment. They discuss how to reconnect with the natural world as something that is not outside of us, and how trauma can be addressed and healed through our relationships to land. Next, Farmerama’s Dora Taylor and Abby Rose talk about a dissertation that Dora wrote about Black

Welcome to Cultivating Justice! Our 6-part series in collaboration with Land In Our Names (LION) and Out on the Land (OOTL, part of The Landworker’s Alliance) which weaves together interviews, conversations, music and reflections from Black people, people of colour, trans people, queer people and women, on their relationships with land, growing, and identity. Our host for episode 5 is Marcus MacDonald – Land in Our Names member, grower, tour manager and organiser. Marcus takes us on an auditory journey centring on the banjo, and we learn why this instrument is intricately connected to Black culture, food growing and justice. We sit in on a banjo lesson with Marcus and his friend and teacher Bianca Wilson, aka Island Girl. They play together, chat about country music, and discuss the history of the banjo, including how this instrument from African and Caribbean culture became mainstreamed in white culture throughout Europe and the United States. Marcus talks about how growing gourds to make banjos has become