R2Kast - People in Food and Farming/All In

Today, we chat to Roisin Taylor, a passionate advocate for sustainable food systems and a 2023 Nuffield Scholar. Roisin’s journey into agriculture is anything but conventional—growing up in rural County Durham, she spent a decade working on farms before diving into academia, where her interests in anthropology and social structures led her back to the land. 🌱Her Nuffield Scholarship focuses on the British cut flower industry, exploring its sustainability, the challenges it faces, and how it can reduce reliance on imports. She’s passionate about supporting UK growers and ensuring that flowers are produced in an environmentally responsible way. 💐Roisin shares candid insights into the highs and lows of her journey, from her early days on a sheep farm to working with UK Youth for Nature and her experiences in advocacy. She also discusses the emotional challenges of land loss and the resilience needed to navigate setbacks in farming. 💪We also speak about inclusivity in agriculture and how initiatives like AgDiversity by Nuffield will play a crucial role in making the industry more accessible and welcoming to people from all backgrounds. 🌍Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for their support of this project.The views in this podcast are those of the participants and not the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust.#R2Kast #NuffieldScholar #BritishCutFlowers #FlowerFarming #SustainableAgriculture #UKFarming #RegenerativeFarming #EnvironmentalSustainability #HowdenRural #FloralIndustry #FlowerGrowers #FarmingCommunity #FarmingResilience #AgriLeadership #NuffieldFarming #LocalFlowers #Horticulture #AgricultureInnovation #FutureOfFarming #SustainableFloralDesign #AgDiversity #InclusiveAgriculture

Today we welcome Alex Crawley onto the R2Kast! A former Gurkha officer, Alex’s journey has taken him from military service to counterterrorism work in the Middle East. Despite these extreme careers, he now faces his biggest challenge yet—farming. 🌍Even while working abroad, he found ways to connect with food—growing olives on a rooftop in the Middle East and even rearing quail on a third-floor balcony. Now back in the UK, he’s building a farm from scratch, taking on a whole new battlefield. 🚜With a focus on conservation grazing, Alex is blending traditional farming with environmental restoration, proving that food production and sustainability can work hand in hand. His approach highlights the importance of livestock in regenerative agriculture and restoring natural landscapes. 🌱His transition from such a high-pressure career into farming brings a fascinating perspective on resilience, land management, and learning from the ground up. A truly insightful conversation about dedication, adaptability, and following your passion. 🐄 Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.#R2Kast #AlexCrawley #MilitaryToFarming #Gurkha #RegenerativeAgriculture #ConservationGrazing #UKFarming #SustainableFarming #Farmlife #SheepFarming #BritishFarming #FarmingUK #Environment #FoodSecurity #LivestockFarming #BritishSheep #FarmersOfInstagram #SupportBritishFarming #Farm365 #Nature #PastureManagement #LandRestoration

Today we welcome David Oates onto the R2Kast! 🌱David is a seventh-generation organic farmer in Cornwall, running a farm focused on Welsh Black cattle, conservation grazing, and direct consumer engagement. Having grown up with a farm shop, he has a deep-rooted belief in the importance of bridging the gap between farmers and the public. 🚜Beyond farming, David has been actively involved in outreach and education, sharing the realities of organic farming and the challenges that come with it. He’s a strong advocate for conversations around sustainability and responsible land management. 🏞️But his Nuffield Scholarship is about to take him across the globe to explore different organic systems and how they interact with consumers. We chat about the lessons he hopes to learn, the innovations he wants to see, and how they could be implemented in the UK. ✈️Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.#organicfarming #welshblackcattle #consumerengagement #regenerativeagriculture #sustainablefarming #conservationgrazing #nuffieldscholar #directtoconsumer #farmshop #foodsystems #agriculture #farming #foodandfarming #soilhealth #climatechange #ruralbusiness #ukfarming #cornwall #environment #farmlife #farmersofinstagram #nature

Today we welcome Barbara Bray onto the R2Kast. Barbara’s career in food and nutrition is nothing short of extraordinary, spanning global consultancy, policy work, and leadership in the agri-food sector. 🍏Barbara’s journey began in food procurement before taking her to Uganda, where she worked on post-harvest technology, helping to improve food security. Her deep understanding of food systems led her to establish her consultancy, ALO Solutions, advising businesses on nutrition, sustainability, and supply chains. 🌍As a Nuffield Farming Scholar, Barbara explored how businesses can influence consumers to make healthier food choices. Her work has since expanded into food policy, earning her an MBE for services to food and nutrition. She also serves as a director of the Oxford Farming Conference, a trustee of the Farming Community Network, and a governor at Harper Adams University. 🏆Barbara is now undertaking a PhD in healthy ageing diets, researching how nutrition can support longer, healthier lives. Her insights into consumer behaviour, sustainable food systems, and future dietary trends make for a fascinating conversation. 🍽️Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.#R2Kast #BarbaraBray #Nutrition #SustainableFood #FutureOfFood #FoodSystems #HealthyEating #ALOsolutions #NuffieldScholar #FoodPolicy #HowdenRural #AgriFood #OxfordFarmingConference #FarmingCommunityNetwork #HarperAdams #HealthyAgeing #ConsumerBehaviour #FoodSupplyChains #PublicHealthNutrition #Sustainability #FoodInnovation

Today we welcome Dave Kennedy onto the R2Kast. Dave is a lowland sheep farmer and personal development coach, bringing together two unique worlds with one powerful message: resilience and growth. 🌱Dave shares the story of a traumatic experience in his late teens that shaped his life. Feeling he needed to make a change, he embarked on a journey of personal transformation, both mentally and physically. His farming life, managing 200 sheep after transitioning from dairy, showcases his adaptability and strength. 🐑We explore his incredible journey of losing over eight stone in weight and the emotional connections tied to food. Dave’s honesty about the mental strength required for such a change is both inspiring and relatable. His story is one of self-awareness, growth, and pushing through challenges. 💪Dave now offers a service teaching health and wellbeing, starting with the mind before the body. His work focuses on helping others develop resilience, improve their mindset, and take control of their lives, particularly in rural communities. His passion for guiding others through their own transformations is truly inspiring. 🧠Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.#R2Kast #DaveKennedy #LowlandSheepFarming #PersonalDevelopment #FitnessJourney #MentalHealthInFarming #RuralResilience #HowdenRural #SheepFarming #AgricultureLife #WeightLossJourney #FarmingAndFitness #FarmersMentalHealth #RuralSupport #FarmStories #MentalResilience #SheepFarmer #AgricultureCommunity #MindsetAndGrowth #HealthAndWellbeing #FitnessAndFarming

Today, as part of the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series, we chat to Emily Norton, a passionate advocate for climate-focused policy and the future of farming. 🌍Emily discusses her journey into agriculture, growing up on a mixed family farm and experiencing the challenges of succession and intergenerational farming firsthand. Her early experiences shaped her dedication to building a more sustainable and equitable industry. 🌾Her Nuffield Scholarship focused on how farmers can adapt their systems to align with sustainability goals while remaining profitable. Emily’s travels took her across the globe, from Europe to North America, where she explored innovative farming practices and their applications back home. ✈️Emily reflects on her time as Chair of the Oxford Farming Conference and how her work has centred on bridging the gap between policy and practical farming solutions. Her insights highlight the critical role farmers play in tackling climate challenges while managing the realities of modern agriculture. 🌱Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for their support of this project.The views in this podcast are those of the participants and not the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust.#R2Kast #NuffieldScholar #EmilyNorton #ClimateAction #SustainableFarming #FarmPolicy #AgricultureInnovation #HowdenRural #GlobalAgriculture #FarmingLeadership #EnvironmentalPolicy #NuffieldFarming #FutureOfFarming #FarmSustainability #AgriLeadership #FarmingJourney #FarmersAndClimate #AgriResearch #FarmToFuture

Today’s guest is Dr Jonny Hanson, who joins us to explore the fascinating yet contentious topic of rewilding—a subject that’s been making headlines just last week. 🌿Jonny shares his journey growing up in Northern Ireland and Malawi, experiences that shaped his passion for the environment and agriculture. His academic journey includes a PhD focused on community forestry in Nepal, highlighting his commitment to global conservation efforts. 🌍We dive into the complexities of rewilding, with me asking questions from both sides of the debate—representing the perspective of sheep farmers and the rewilding advocates. Jonny’s balanced and insightful responses shed light on the challenges and opportunities for coexistence. 🐑🦌This episode also highlights Jonny’s newly released book, Living with Lynx, which explores coexistence between humans and large carnivores. Packed with insights from his travels and research, it’s a must-read for anyone curious about the future of rewilding and its role in the natural world. 📖We also touch on his Nuffield journey, where he explored innovative ways to integrate conservation and agriculture, further enriching his perspectives. His work perfectly balances the needs of people and the planet.If you’re interested in conservation, rewilding, or learning from a fresh perspective, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.#R2Kast #JonnyHanson #Rewilding #LivingWithLynx #Conservation #AgricultureAndEnvironment #SustainableFarming #HowdenRural #Coexistence #Biodiversity #FutureOfFarming #EnvironmentalLeadership #WildlifeReintroduction #RuralDebate #HotTopicsInFarming #FarmingCommunity #FarmAndConservation #InnovativeFarming #LynxRewilding #RewildingDebate

Today, we welcome Fraser Searle onto the R2Kast podcast. Fraser is a fascinating mix of social media star, sandwich enthusiast, and all-around creative. Having grown a massive following online, Fraser shares his journey from his early days in content creation to becoming a full-fledged social media sensation. 🌟Fraser’s rise to fame began with a passion for making incredible sandwiches. What started as a fun way to flex his creative muscles quickly evolved into a platform that inspired others to try their hand at making unique sandwiches. With millions of views across platforms, Fraser has turned sandwiches into both art and entertainment. 🥪In this episode, we typically focus more on farming, but today we take a deeper dive into the food side. We talk about the unseen side of social media fame—the pressures, challenges, and not-so-glamorous aspects that come with a large online presence. Fraser opens up about the mental load and balancing creativity with the demands of social media, showing that it's not always as easy as it seems. 📲We also reflect on how our friendship began through Howden, and how many of the great relationships I’ve built started with Fraser. His creativity and positivity have been a huge inspiration in connecting with others. 🌱Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.Enjoy!#R2Kast #FoodAndFarming #SocialMedia #SandwichArt #FraserSearle #ContentCreation #HowdenRural #FarmingCommunity #ViralContent #Inspiration #Creativity #Foodie #DigitalMarketing #RuralLife #CommunitySupport #TikTokStar #InstagramStar #PodcastEpisode #UKAgriculture #FoodIndustry #OnlineCreators #Trending

Welcome to another episode of R2Kast – People in Food and Farming! This time, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Laura James, a dynamic advocate for sustainable farming and biodiversity. Laura's journey from a childhood dream of saving the whales to becoming a bee scientist and champion for farming communities is nothing short of inspiring. 🌿We explored her career, starting with her accidental love affair with agriculture during her placement at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Her passion for biodiversity and her time spent as a researcher led her to delve deeply into the crucial roles of bees in ecosystems and agriculture. 🐝Currently with AHDB, Laura bridges the gap between research and practical on-farm solutions. I love the way Laura sees the merits in both food production and the sustainability around it in equal measure, showcasing a balanced perspective that’s so vital in modern agriculture. 🌾Laura also shared her exciting plans for her Nuffield travels, focusing on exploring how different countries approach biodiversity and integrate sustainability into their agricultural systems. From Europe to Africa and beyond, her goal is to gather insights and bring back innovative solutions that could benefit the UK farming sector. 🌍Enjoy!Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.#sustainablefarming #biodiversity #beescientist #agricultureandconservation #AHDB #farmlife #sustainabilitymatters #pollinators #naturelovers #researchtosolutions #organicfarming #balancingnatureandfood #ecosystemservices #beesofinstagram #farmerssupportingfarmers #globalinitiatives #foodproduction #scienceoutreach #phdlife #r2kastpeople