R2Kast - People in Food and Farming/All In

From the early days of crofting and subsistence farming to the present day, animal protein has provided an essential and highly valuable source of nutrients for Arran’s population. While sheep and beef production have always been central to Arran’s farming economy, venison is now also being embraced as a sustainable protein source that can help to combat the growing threat that the wild deer population poses to island ecosystems.
In this first episode of our new series Agroecology Around Arran, we explore how the production of meat on Arran embraces the ethos of agroecology, how farmers are working together to reduce carbon emissions from livestock farming, and what we can learn from their example.
Guests

Alistair Currie

Alistair talks to us about his livestock farm based in the Shiskine Valley. He maintains a herd of around around 30 native-breed beef cattle which are fed on pasture and home-grown silage.
Colin Currie
Colin Currie is an upland hill farmer who has been farming sheep and beef at Bridge Farm with his wife Laura since the 1970s. Bridge Farm is situated within a SSSI-designated site that is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Colin uses his innate knowledge of the land to create a low-input livestock system that has allowed him to reduce reliance on external markets, maximise animal welfare, and work in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.
Zoë Hughes
Zoë Hughes runs Wild Isle Venison with her partner Chris. Their work aims to honour the deer that are harvested alongside protecting the natural landscape on Arran and strengthening the local food chain. Zoë is passionate about sustainable, affordable meat that has a positive impact on the environment. Wild Isle Venison works to reconnect producers and consumers, processing venison in small batches and selling to local residents, chefs and businesses across the island.
Alec Pirie
Alec Pirie is a Senior Consultant and Area Manager for SAC Consulting. Alec works with over 120 clients across Scotland and has a particular interest in carbon, climate and conservation. He has also recently completed a Master's degree in Wildlife, Conservation and Management. Alec started the Net Zero Arran group in 2019. This aim of this group of farmers is to quantify the island's agricultural carbon footprint and take collective action to improve it.
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Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we continue looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds 🎙️ Across this series we’re hearing from scholars who will feature within the conference presentation groups, giving a flavour of the conversations, ideas and experiences set to shape the event 🌍

This episode focuses on the presentation group “Livestock Systems Built for the Future” with Awal Fuseini, Alex Crawley and Laura Eden 🌱

We spoke about three very different journeys into agriculture and Nuffield, from veterinary science and halal meat systems through to conservation grazing, military service, diplomacy and livestock health. It was fascinating hearing how each of them has approached the future of livestock systems from completely different angles, while still landing on many of the same themes around resilience, sustainability and animal welfare 🚜

Across the conversation we explored everything from extensive grazing systems and flood prevention through to goat dairies, meat processing, animal health, biosecurity and the role livestock can play in supporting landscapes and ecosystems. One of the standout themes was how much can be learned from stepping outside your own system and looking at how other countries approach the same challenges 🌍

There were also some brilliant discussions around the human side of farming and livestock production, whether that was supporting farmers through better veterinary communication, learning from traditional systems in Africa and Asia, or recognising the wider value livestock can bring beyond simply producing meat or milk 🌾

The episode also gave a great insight into the Nuffield journey itself, from the intensity of the CSC in New Zealand through to the global connections and opportunities that come from travelling, asking questions and challenging your own assumptions. Without giving away everything that will be shared on stage in Leeds, this was another brilliant glimpse into the ideas shaping the future of agriculture

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

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Today I had Cora on the R2Kast 🎙️ A first generation farmer who, alongside her husband David, now runs a large hill sheep enterprise in East Ayrshire while also becoming a leading voice around sustainability, biodiversity and women in agriculture. 🌾

We spoke about her route into farming from a background in law, PR and events with absolutely no agricultural connection before meeting David and gradually becoming part of the business. It was a really honest discussion about learning on the job, questioning everything and finding her own place within the farm rather than simply fitting into what was already there. 🍎

A big part of the conversation focused on hill sheep farming and the role it can play in nature recovery. We discussed adaptive grazing, peatland restoration, biodiversity and why food production and environmental improvement should not be treated as opposing ideas. Cora explained how their system works with the landscape rather than against it and why she feels hill farming is often misunderstood in wider conversations around sustainability. 🌍

We also spoke about Women in Agriculture Scotland, mentoring, confidence building and creating better connections across the sector, alongside winning both Farmers Weekly Sheep Farmer of the Year and the National Women in Agriculture Awards Sustainability Champion title.

Enjoy! 🙂

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Today I had Iain on the R2Kast 🎙️ A really interesting chat with someone whose career has taken him from agricultural college through to farming, consultancy, environmental regulation and now working across farming in protected landscapes. 🌾

We spoke about his route into agriculture through Seale Hayne Agricultural College before heading off around the world working harvests and farms across Australia, New Zealand and the USA. From huge arable operations in Montana to cattle work in Queensland, it was a brilliant insight into how travel and hands on experience can shape your understanding of farming systems. 🍎

A big part of the conversation focused on his work with the Environment Agency and now within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, helping support farmers through environmental regulation, landscape management and changing policy. We got into the balance between food production and environmental responsibility, how farming has changed over the last two decades, and why communication and trust matter so much when working with the industry. 🌍

We also spoke about mentoring, football coaching and helping younger people into the sector, and how passing knowledge on is becoming more important as experience gradually leaves the industry.

Enjoy! 🙂

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Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace this time chatting right in the middle of peony season pressure, with everything starting to speed up very quickly on farm.

A big part of this episode was around direct selling and how different things become when you’re dealing with the customer yourself rather than supermarkets. We got into the reality of picking peonies at the right stage, managing subscriptions, handling labour pressure and trying to deliver quality at exactly the right moment.

There was also a really interesting discussion around regenerative farming and soil biology, with Martin explaining everything from cover crops and reduced tillage through to microbes, seed treatments and why farming systems have changed so much over the last few decades.

We also spoke a lot about social media and building value around what you produce. From apples and peonies through to grains and direct selling, the conversation kept coming back to the idea that farmers have more value in their products than they often realise if they can build trust and connect with people properly.

Alongside all of that there were the usual stories and tangents, from Chelsea Flower Show and tourists stripping apple orchards bare through to agroecology on Arran and the challenge of keeping farming viable in very different parts of the country.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

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