Award-Winning Tenant Farmers Amelia & Jason Greenway
AMELIA and JASON GREENWAY only began farming in 2018, but were named Tenant Farmers of the Year at the Southwest Farming Awards in 2023. Neil recently visited them at their farm on the Killerton Estate in Devon, where they breed pedigree highland cattle, alongside rare breed pigs. They spoke about the ups and downs of tenant farming and they talked about how they look after their sensitive landscape and its soils.Listen and you’ll hear: Amelia on the farm and her journey into farming (0m55s); Amelia on how they farm highland cattle (8m41s); their partnership with the National Trust (16m41s); Amelia on why they chose rare breed pigs (26m04s); Jason joins Neil to describe his journey from high-input farming to nature-friendly farming (33m03).Visit Jason & Amelia’s website hereThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Neil Visits The Devon County Show
On his recent visit to the Devon County Show, Neil took along his sound recorder to get a flavour of what’s on the minds of farmers right now. In this episode you’ll hear his conversations with President of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs JOHN LEE OBE, as well as a specialist in recruiting, training and mentoring farming apprentices PETER REED, and the South West Regional Director of the Country Land and Business Association ANN MAIDMENT. In these conversations he encounters a surprising take on the inheritance tax row, a mixed reaction to the recent US trade deal, and optimism among the next generation of young farmers.Listen and you’ll hear: highlights from Neil’s visit (1m10s); Peter on the trends he’s seeing amongst young people at the start of their farming career (3m00s); Ann on how the members of her organisation are feeling about farming at the moment (8m52s); and John reflecting with Neil on the ways in which the future of farming will look different to the past (12m05s).These conversations were recorded across two days of the show which ran from the 15-17th May 2025. Follow the Devon County Show on Instagram hereLearn more about Ann Maidment’s work at the CLA on their website hereLearn about the work of Peter Reed hereLearn more about John Lee OBE hereThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The UK’s Young Farmer of The Year Hector Meanwell
Last year Hector Meanwell was named the UK’s ‘Young Farmer Of The Year’ by the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs. In this episode, Neil visits the 25 year old on his 400-acre Lake District farm to find out why he’s been called ‘dynamite’ for the industry. They discuss food production and nature restoration on his farm, why he’s helping young people from deprived backgrounds engage in farming, the role that Young Farmers’ Clubs have played in his life, and the role YFC could play in the future of farming and politics.Listen and you’ll hear them discuss: the make-up of his 400-acre farm (0m48s); being named Young Farmer Of The Year (4m11s); what he learned about food and farming from trips to Nepal and Kenya (5m27s); the role Young Farmers’ Clubs could play in politics (6m06); helping younger generations understand and appreciate farming and food production (09m15s); his feelings about recent government decisions (12m43s); the work he does with deprived young people (17m33s).This conversation was recorded on 13 March 2025. Follow the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs on Instagram hereLearn about the work of the Country Trust on their website hereThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.ukClick here to receive an email when a new episode is published. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Nature friendly dairy farming with Cumbria’s James Robinson
The morning after the government announced the end of its Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, Neil visited Cumbrian organic dairy farmer JAMES ROBINSON whose passion is nature friendly farming. His 300-acre Strickley Farm has been in the family since 1875, and it's been free from artificial fertilisers or pesticides for the last twenty years. In this episode he walks Neil around the farm to explain how his style of farming has evolved in this special landscape. Listen and you’ll hear: the history and layout of Strickley Farm (0m55s); James and Neil wade in the beck that runs through the farm (5m20s); James explains why he ‘re-wiggled’ this watercourse (8m37); hear how and why James created wetland areas on the farm (11m08); his role with the Nature Friendly Farming Network (14m50s); his journey of going organic (15m51); responding to the government’s decision to end its sustainable farming scheme (17m40s); the turning point in his approach to farming (20m55); his pond (24m30); meeting his shorthorn cattle (27m07).This conversation was recorded on 13 March 2025.Follow James on Instagram hereVisit his website here: strickleydairy.co.ukLearn about the Nature Friendly Farming Network: nffn.org.ukThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.ukClick here to receive an email when a new episode is published. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Hedgelaying at the UK’s first-of-its-kind Hedgefest
How can farmers best care for the UK's 400,000 miles of hedgerow? In this episode Neil attends Wiltshire's 'Hedgefest' to find out from self-confessed hedgerow ‘geek’ MEGAN GIMBER from the People’s Trust for Endangered Species why now is a great time for more farmers to take up the historical process of hedgelaying. He then meets farming couple and Hedgefest hosts CHRIS and LINDSAY RUMMING to explore their farm.Listen and you’ll hear: how hedgelaying works and why it’s useful (0m40s); why a variety of species is so important to a good hedge (4m15s); what excites Megan about hedges (6m50s); the unique, historical importance of Devon’s hedges (8m50s); other ways to manage hedges (11m30s); what Megan’s job involves (13m40s); Neil meets the farmers hosting Hedgefest (17m15s); and Neil’s true feelings about sheep (26m36s)!This conversation was recorded in October 2024.Follow Megan on X hereVisit Chris and Lindsay’s online farm shop here: lydiardturkeys.co.ukThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.ukClick here to receive an email when a new episode is published. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To grow food or to protect nature? It often seems as if one can only be done at the expense of the other. In this podcast, farmer & ex-MP Neil Parish seeks to find out if, in fact, we can do both.Our relationship with food is on the brink of a massive shift. Global instability disrupting food security, UK farmers are being incentivised to promote biodiversity rather than grow food. And climate change is starting to transform what we grow, what we eat and how we live. As a Somerset farmer, Neil Parish is facing up to all these changes. And as an EU & UK parliamentarian, for 20 years he helped design the policies that shape our food system. Now, he has unfinished business. In this podcast, local, national & global experts join Neil to tackle crucial questions about the past, present and future relationship between food and the environment.Produced by: jakelloyd.co.ukSocial media by millyfyfe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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