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We Can Do Both

A podcast about growing food, protecting nature and the future of farming, with Neil Parish


Latest episode

  • 9. Ben Goldsmith on UK food security, rewilding and more

    01:10:13||Ep. 9
    BEN GOLDSMITH is a financier, environmentalist, rewilding enthusiast and farm owner, who first met Neil when he was advising DEFRA on its food policy. In this episode, Neil visits Ben to catch up where they left off. They discuss the past, present and future relationship between farming and the environment, Ben outlines his vision for better land management and food security in the UK, and they even catch a glimpse of some wildcats.Listen and you’ll hear: Ben’s role in helping create current government policy (0m27s); reintroducing species to the UK (10m23s); protecting the most productive farmland for food production (18m31s); why nature should also be seen as ‘infrastructure’ (21m20s); a tour of Ben’s farm (28m18s). Listen to Ben’s ‘Rewilding The World’ podcastThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk

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  • 8. The Allerton Project

    44:03||Ep. 8
    JOE STANLEY is head of sustainable farming at The Allerton Project, a 320 hectare farm in Leicestershire, which researches the effects of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment. In this episode, Neil tours the farm with Joe to find out about their latest research and to hear why Joe is optimistic about the future of British agriculture.In this episode: why DEFRA’s top team visit this project (2m25s); how farmers could get a fairer price from supermarkets (10m15s); a tour of their agroforestry trials (18m02s); striking the balance between tree-planting and food production (34m55s).Visit the Allerton Project websiteThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk
  • 7. In the shadow of Hinkley Point: the future of farming on Somerset’s coastal marshland

    30:31||Ep. 7
    In this episode Neil and neighbouring farmer WILLIAM BARNARD chart the ups and downs of farming for food and nature in Somerset’s unique tidal landscape known as the Pawlett Hams. Top of mind for both of them: the threat now posed to their centuries-old way of managing this landscape by the energy company EDF, and its plans to create a saltmarsh by the site of nearby Hinkley Point nuclear plant, which is currently under construction.In this episode they discuss: the wildlife in the hams (2m50s); the role of cattle in the ecosystem (7m30s); EDF’s plans for the saltmarsh (8m44s); William’s reflections on the plans (18m25); and the uneasy relationship between their farming methods and corporate structures (24m05s).Visit the ‘Protect Pawlett Hams’ campaign website hereRead the EDF statement in full here
  • 6. Professor Jude Capper on the evolving science of sustainable livestock production

    39:24||Ep. 6
    What is the latest research on sustainable livestock production telling us? And what might the future hold for beef and sheep farmers? In this episode, Neil seeks answers to these questions and lots more, over a cider in an Oxfordshire pub with Professor JUDE CAPPER from Harper Adams University.Listen and you’ll hear: an overview of her research (1m07s); the task of making livestock production work both economically and environmentally (5m05s); assessing the carbon footprint of farms across the UK (7m10s); the challenge of creating behaviour change (12m24s); the role of retailers and consumers (15m46s); exploring the controversial role of GM crops and hormone-treated animals (18m22s); and TB vaccines - a help or a hindrance? (28m35s);Follow Jude on X here and on Instagram here.This podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk
  • Bonus episode - Neil takes a closer look at herbal leys

    14:29|
    As part of its sustainable farming scheme, the UK government is offering farmers £382 each year for every hectare of ‘herbal leys’ they grow. This mixture of grasses, legumes, herbs and wildflowers is said to produce a high volume of food for grazing animals; greater resilience to drought; improved soil fertility; and more carbon sequestration.In this bonus episode, Neil puts these claims to the test in the company of award-winning organic farmers RACHEL and JOE HORLER. They've had herbal leys for more than ten years, and here they tell Neil: the theory behind it (2m24s); how they graze their cattle on it (4m58s); how they turn it into silage (8m21s); and the health benefits to their cattle (9m14s).More on the government scheme here: www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/csam3-herbal-leys
  • 5. Neil meets the protesting Welsh farmers

    27:30||Ep. 5
    In recent years, farmers across Europe have protested against environmental measures being imposed on them by their governments. Campaigns and public rallies have taken place in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and this year, Wales too.The Welsh protests began in response to the Welsh Assembly’s planned ‘Sustainable Farming Scheme’, which included within it a proposal that farmers should commit to ensuring 10% of their land is under tree cover. Many farmers argue this would be costly, impractical and lead to job losses, and the Welsh Government subsequently pushed back its planned scheme to 2026.In this episode, you will hear Neil's visit to a protest in early spring at Cardiff's Senedd building: he finds out why farmers are concerned about the plans (1m43s); former Welsh Woman Farmer Of The Year CLAIRE MORGAN discusses alternative solutions to make farming more profitable and more nature friendly (4m46s); and the current head of NFU Wales ALED JONES reflects on the future of farming in the nation (16m51s).Read latest details of the scheme hereFollow Aled Jones on Twitter/X hereThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk
  • 4. ‘Slow farming’ with water buffalo in Somerset

    31:42||Ep. 4
    JOHNATHAN CORP runs one of the first water buffalo farms in the UK. In this episode he shows Neil around his ‘Buffalicious’ farm near Yeovil in Somerset, and explains how he rears these animals for meat and dairy in a sustainable way. On his tour, Neil also meets the farm’s enthusiastic butcher MATT DYER and in the milking parlour, MATT LONG.In this episode: the character and behaviour of water buffalo (2m00s); the taste of ‘proper’ mozzarella (4m50s); making the business sustainable (10m05s); the taste of buffalo meat (14m53); looking after the animals (17m00s); Neil meets the butcher (23m26s); and Neil visits the milking parlour (28m00s).Visit the Buffalicious website: www.buffaliciousuk.comThis podcast is produced by jakelloyd.co.uk