R2Kast - People in Food and Farming/All In

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Taylor Davies 🎙️ Ben is a regenerative agriculture consultant, farmer, and Nuffield Scholar whose story spans family farming, global travel, and a very honest journey through challenge, change and curiosity 🌾We spoke about Ben’s early life on the family farm in Herefordshire, how the business narrowed into conventional arable systems over time, and how a deeply personal family tragedy forced him to stop, reassess, and question everything he thought he knew about farming and success. That moment ultimately led him towards a Nuffield Scholarship, even though he admits he didn’t want one right up until the moment he left 🚜Ben’s Nuffield journey took him across North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia, including solo travel by train from the UK to China. Along the way he encountered regenerative thinkers, different production systems, and a completely new way of understanding soils, weeds, biology and farming economics. A chance meeting in North Dakota became a turning point, shifting his focus from fighting weeds to understanding what they are telling us 🌍We also talked about neurodiversity, ADHD, and how finally understanding how his brain works unlocked confidence, clarity and purpose. That perspective now underpins both his consulting work around the world and the radical diversification of the family farm, from livestock and agroforestry to food processing, education, hospitality and energy production 🌱Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.Enjoy! 🙂

Today on the All In series of the R2Kast I was joined by Devin 🎙️ The series where we share the stories of people with no ties to food or farming but who still have something powerful to say about life, ambition and what drives them 🌍Devin is the founder of Dev Aviation and someone I’ve known for years, back to our time working together at SRUC. We started by chatting about that journey, from milking cows and working in education to finding herself deep in the world of aviation, student recruitment and skills development ✈️We talked about how she first got into aviation, what drew her to it, and why the industry needs new ways of connecting with young people. A big part of the conversation was around Dev Aviation and the community she’s building to help Gen Z understand what careers in aviation actually look like, not just on paper but in real lifeThere was a lot in there about confidence, communication, soft skills and how many young people have the ability but just need someone to open the door and show them what’s possible. We also got into gaming, education and why meeting people where they already are online can be a positive thing when it’s done properly 🎮We finished up talking about home, balance and why being able to travel, do exciting work and still come back to somewhere familiar really matters. It was one of those chats that just flowed and could easily have gone on for another hourA proper All In episode about backing yourself, building something meaningful and not waiting for permissionEnjoy! 🙂

Today we welcome Russ to the R2Kast 🎙️ Someone whose career spans farming, engineering, regenerative agriculture, mentoring and rural youth leadership at a European level. 🌾We talked about growing up on a family farm, studying engineering, travelling extensively, and how seeing farming systems around the world shaped his focus on change in agriculture. Russ explained his role in setting up farmer led organisations, his work on regenerative systems, and why mindset and context matter just as much as techniques. 🍎A big part of the discussion focused on mentoring and coaching. How supporting farmers through change works best when it’s collaborative rather than prescriptive, and why succession, communication and family dynamics are central to long term resilience. We also spoke about his leadership with Rural Youth Europe, representing hundreds of thousands of rural young people across the continent.Enjoy! 🙂

Today we welcome Sandy to the R2Kast 🎙️ A marketer who grew up on a farm in south west Scotland, trained as an engineer, and then took a very different route through the drinks industry before landing in agricultural marketing. 🌾We spoke about his move away from engineering, working in brand development, launching products, and realising that how you sell something often matters more than the product itself. Sandy explained how those lessons translate into agriculture, why risk matters in marketing, and why playing it safe often means being invisible. 🍎The conversation covered storytelling, positioning, standing out in a crowded sector, and why agriculture sometimes struggles to back itself when communicating with the outside world.Enjoy! 🙂

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Jim Chapman 🎙️ Jim is an arable farmer from Warwickshire, a Nuffield Scholar, and someone many will recognise for his work around farm safety and lived experience within agriculture 🌾We spoke about Jim’s early life in farming, his love of machinery, and the accident that changed everything when he lost his arm in a PTO incident in his early twenties. Jim spoke openly and honestly about the physical and mental impact that followed, the long road back into farming, and how humour, young farmers, and community helped him find his feet again 🚜Jim’s Nuffield Scholarship focused on farm safety and asked a simple but difficult question, how do we stop killing people on farms. His travels took him through North America, Australia and New Zealand, meeting policymakers, educators and farmers, and ultimately realising there is no single silver bullet. Instead, progress comes from culture change, everyday decisions, and normalising conversations around risk 🌍We also talked about fatherhood, perspective, and how priorities shift over time. Jim shared how Nuffield quietly opened doors, built confidence, and connected him with people and opportunities he never expected, while also helping shape changes on his own farm around soil health, cost control and systems thinking 🌱Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.Enjoy! 🙂

Today we welcome Aimee to the R2Kast 🎙️ A conversation built around a simple but powerful idea. What happens if you stop shopping in supermarkets and start sourcing food and everyday items elsewhere. 🌾We talked about the 90 day challenge Aimee is in the middle of, cutting out supermarkets completely and relying instead on local shops, producers, farm gate sales, butchers, bakers, farm shops and independent businesses. She explained what’s been harder than expected, what’s been surprisingly easy, and how much of supermarket shopping is habit rather than necessity. 🍎A big part of the discussion focused on how supermarkets have shaped how we buy food, the hidden costs of convenience, and the way local supply chains have been hollowed out over time. We spoke about budgeting, planning, bulk cooking, food waste, and why shopping outside supermarkets can actually cost less when you’re more intentional about what you buy. 🌍We also explored the wider impact on producers, rural economies and high streets, why supporting independent food businesses matters, and how even small shifts away from supermarkets can make a real difference without needing to be all or nothing.Enjoy! 🙂

Today we welcome Lauren and Andrew to the R2Kast 🎙️ A farming couple based in Highland Perthshire running a hill farm alongside their direct to consumer business, Glenkilrie Larder, and a cook school built around food, farming and education. 🌾We spoke about the farm system, sheep, cattle and deer, breed choices, labour, succession and why they’ve focused on animals that suit the landscape rather than forcing the land to change. Lauren shared how her background in nursing led into building Glenkilrie Larder, developing direct sales, and creating a cook school that connects visitors directly with farming, food and where it all comes from. 🍎A big part of the conversation focused on school food. Lauren explained her campaign around ultra processed food in school meals, the lack of real choice for children, and why access to nutritious, locally produced food matters. We also discussed their venison project supplying schools, food education, and the wider responsibility around feeding children well. 🌍Enjoy! 🙂

Today we welcome Thomas to the R2Kast 🎙️ A regenerative farmer exploring how agroforestry fits into a practical farming system and what that means for productivity, resilience and long term decision making. 🌾We spoke about his farm, why he’s integrating trees into grazing and arable land, and how agroforestry can work when it’s designed properly rather than bolted on. A big part of the conversation focused on carbon credits. What they are, how they work, where the opportunities might be for farmers, and where the risks and uncertainties still sit. 🍎It was a detailed and honest discussion about whether carbon markets are genuinely helpful for farming, how careful farmers need to be when signing up, and why understanding the long term implications matters just as much as the short term income. 🌍

Well today we welcome Aileen to the R2Kast 🎙️ A farmer and secondary school teacher who has built a new way of bringing food and farming into the classroom. 🌾We talked about life on an upland beef and sheep farm, her route into agriculture, and how that experience fed directly into her teaching. Aileen explained the agricultural education course she has created, how it works in practice, and why experiential learning, responsibility and real world problem solving matter for young people. 🍎Enjoy! 🙂