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Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Pete Black of Collessie Feeds and Newton of Colessie Farm.
Pete Black farms at Newton of Collessie with his parents and brother. They run a successful diversified farming business with arable, commercial cattle, pedigree sheep and Clydesdales, alongside Collessie Feeds. We chatted about the farm business and the various enterprises and the family’s time on This Farming Life. Whilst appearing on This Farming Life Pete mentioned that he had dyslexia which led to him becoming an ambassador for RSABI to help them promote their dyslexia in farming campaign. Pete talks openly about how dyslexia affects his day-to-day life and how he has adapted to find ways to make running his business easier.
To arrange a free dyslexia assessment, which typically costs around £500, people involved in farming or crofting in Scotland should contact RSABI’s 24-hour freephone Helpline - 0808 1234 555
Resources
Collessie Feeds - Pro-Equine Ltd
To arrange a free dyslexia assessment, which typically costs around £500, people involved in farming or crofting in Scotland should contact RSABI’s 24-hour freephone Helpline - 0808 1234 555 Home - RSABI
Dyslexia ScotlandDyslexia Scotland - Empowering people with dyslexia to reach their full potential
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Fred Swift from South Clunes Farm and Highland Clip, and Stella Stewart from Anta.
Fred Swift farms South Clunes Farm near Inverness in the Highlands with his wife Sofi and his father. They run a traditional upland farm with cattle and sheep. Fred and his family have transformed the farm over the last 40 years, increasing biodiversity and introducing mob grazing. He was looking for an opportunity to add value to the wool from his sheep, and together with Scottish luxury brand Anta, they established the Highland Clip. The Highland Clip is working to add value to wool, whilst also creating a fully traceable product, which is important to Anta. Stella Stewart, a director of Anta, tells us why traceable wool and working with South Clunes is important to their business.
Resources
FAS TV: S2 E9 –South Clunes Farm Cluster (youtube.com)
History of the farm | South Clunes Farm | Inverness
Luxury Home Furnishings & Gifts Made in Scotland | ANTA
Protecting Highland Wool – ANTA
For more information, visit www.fas.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Manglende episoder?
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Mary-Jane Lawrie visits Whitriggs Farm in the Scottish Borders to speak to Lesley Mitchell. They chat about the family farm and how it has evolved over the years, their openness to challenges and change, and how that has allowed Lesley and her family to build a business that supports the family whilst also allowing a good work life balance. Once key change has been converting the business to organic and following a more regenerative agriculture approach, which has required a change in mindset. The farm now runs cattle and deer alongside their organic arable enterprise, making the most of their skills, time and farm assets. Lesley also talks about how she personally makes time for learning, which recently resulted in a trip to Antartica.
FAS Resources
Organics
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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I'm Mary-Jane Lawrie, and in this episode I’m joined Claire Taylor. Claire is a journalist and describes herself as an agricultural communicator. She has recently finished her travels as part of her Nuffield Farming Scholarship and is now in the process of compiling all the information from her travels. We talk about her career and how that led her to applying for the scholarship, what she learned from it, and how we, as farmers, can work together to engage with the public to tell positive farming stories. She shares with us some of her amazing experiences from her travels and gives us a real insight into what farming is like in other countries.
Warning: This episode contains themes of political unrest, suicide, gender-based violence and murder. Listen with caution.
Resources
Nuffield Farming Scholarships - https://www.nuffieldscholar.org/
Claire Taylor Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-taylor-4135714a/
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Jenn Stewart. Jenn Stewart, partner & Head of Rural and Landed Estates at Johnston Carmichael, joined the company in 2019. Jenn has extensive experience in advising owner managed businesses and provides counsel to a wide-ranging portfolio of clients across multiple sectors. Jenn was brought up in her own family farming business and is now involved in her husband’s farming business. Jenn talks to us about the topic and theme of succession. A succession plan provides a level of certainty for everyone to ensure the ongoing sustainability and financial sustainability of the business, therefore the earlier this topic is brought to the table the better.
Related FAS Resources
You can get funding for succession planning through FAS. See Specialist Advice | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Resources
Johnston Carmichael | Chartered Accountants
Jenn Stewart LinkedIn Jenn Stewart - Partner, Head of Rural & Landed Estates & Dundee Office Head - Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers | LinkedIn
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Kirsten Williams. Kirsten is a livestock specialist with SAC Consulting and she also runs a farm business on Ranna Farm in Aberdeenshire with her husband Ross. They have sheep, cattle, and a turkey enterprise on their rented farm. They were new entrants, working hard to secure a tenancy and build up their business to support them and their family. Kirsten has a really positive outlook on life and she tells us how determination and hard work have helped them succeed.
FAS Resources
Women in Agriculture (WiA) Discussion Group at Farm Advisory Scotland (fas.scot)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by some of the team at Glenrinnes Estate at the foot of Ben Rinnes in Moray. Estate manager Ali Laing tells us about the estate as a whole, and we are joined by head keeper Gordon Aitchison, distillery manager Martin Peroni, trainee farm worker Alex Shearer and head gardener Damon Powell. They all share their stories of working on Glenrinnes Estate and how their skills and enthusiasm come together to help run a successful community focused Scottish Estate.
Other Resources
Glenrinnes Organic Estate
Eight Lands Organic Spirits (eight-lands.com)
Pre-Apprenticeship | Ringlink Scotland
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to John Scott and Jock Gibson from Farmstrong Scotland. Farmstrong Scotland is a new initiative which is inspired by Farmstrong New Zealand and Doug Avery’s visit to Scotland a couple of years ago. John and Jock tell us what Farmstrong is, why they want to be involved in it, what wellbeing means to them, and give examples of how they implement Farmstrong’s five steps to wellbeing in their own lives.
FAS Resources
Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
What's Stopping You - Wellbeing | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Resources
Farmstrong Scotland - Live Well, Farm & Croft Well
Step-Guide.pdf (farmstrongscotland.org.uk)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Lawrence Martin who was a new entrant to farming. After doing an HNC in agriculture at college, he started an apprenticeship with Lantra and SRUC. The apprenticeship gave him the opportunity to get out on farm and ultimately became a farm manager. He tells us of his farming journey, how the apprenticeship scheme works and how you can get involved in the scheme.
FAS Resources
Managing People | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Resources
Carbeth Home Farm – an an adventure in ecology, agriculture and tourism
From apprentice with no farming background to farm manager | The Scottish Farmer
Apprenticeships - Lantra
Study at SRUC | Apprenticeships
Modern Apprentice Lawrence Martin tells us how much he enjoys his career in farming - YouTube
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Lucy Mitchell. Lucy was an active member of Young Farmers from her early twenties and went on to become national chair of SAYFC from 2022 to 2023. Lucy has recently handed over this role, and she tells us about what Young Farmers is, what sort of opportunities it gives young people, and what her year as national chair was like.
Related Resources:
Lucy Mitchell | LinkedIn
The Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs | SAYFC
You searched for lucy mitchell - Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (sayfc.org)
Scottish Rural Leadership Programme | Elevator UK
Challenge of Rural Leadership - Worshipful Company of Farmers (farmerslivery.org.uk)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Ana Allamand. Ana grew up in Chile before moving to Scotland. She tells us about agriculture in Chile and her work over here with the Soil Association. Ana works to bring farmers together to learn from each other and foster innovation, and has great knowledge about how culture and agriculture fit together.
FAS Resources
FAS Connect | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service
Other Resources
Agreocology project series:
Facilitating the Transition; Enabling the Transition; Strengthening Livelihoods.
Soil Association Scotland
Our Work In Scotland (soilassociation.org)
Twitter: Soil Association Scotland (@SoilAssocScot) / X (twitter.com)
Soil Association (UK wide)
Soil Association
Twitter: Soil Association (@SoilAssociation) / X (twitter.com)
Other organisations Ana mentioned:
Nourish
Nature Friendly Farming Network
Landworkers Alliance
Pasture Fed Livestock Association
Scottish Crofting Federation
Parkhill Farm
Aipple cider
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, aka The Black Farmer. Wilfred is of the Windrush Generation and describes his difficult start to life in the UK, before he eventually found his chance working at the BBC, where he found his passion for food. He left television to start his own food and drink marketing company which gave him the opportunity to finally realise his dream of owning his own farm. The Black Farmer is now a successful brand which sells a range of products including sausages and deli products. Wilfred tells us about his life and his determination to become a farmer, and how the danger of playing it safe can hold us back from success.
https://www.theblackfarmer.com/
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Charlie Burrell, a farmer and environmentalist, farming 3,500 acres at Knepp Estate, in West Sussex. Over the last twenty years, he has transformed the farm from an intensively managed dairy and arable unit into a rewilded biodiversity hotspot. He has recently co-authored a book “The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding, Big and Small” with his wife, award-winning author, and environmentalist, Isabella Tree.
FAS Resources
https://www.fas.scot/publication/natural-capital-highlands-rewilding/
Other Resources
Knepp - Rewilding Pioneers
The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding, Big and Small: Amazon.co.uk: Tree, Isabella: 9781526659293: Books
Host Farmers - Groundswell Groundswell (groundswellag.com)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to David and Wilma Finlay from Rainton Farm, Gatehouse of Fleet. They are authors of the book “Our Dairy Story”, in which they tell their farming story from traditional farming, through various diversification projects, to starting a cow with calf dairy system, which they call The Ethical Dairy. They are forward thinking and not afraid to take on new challenges, and they openly talk about their business and their personal goals.
FAS Resources
Stock Talk | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Resources
Ethical Dairy Website. Welcome to The Ethical Dairy | The Ethical Dairy
Amazon book link. A Dairy Story eBook : Finlay, David and Wilma: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
This episode was hosted by Mary-Jane Lawie, produced by Kerry Hammond, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, edited by Ross MacKenzie, in association with The Scottish Government.
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Mike Duxbury, the Blind Farmer, about his life in agriculture, and how he set up the Inclusive Farm, a working farm with the aim of making agriculture accessible to all. Mike tells us about how he was knocked back by all the agricultural colleges he applied to, apart from one, and how that one chance has given him the knowledge, skills and opportunity to help others into farming. He eventually realised his dream of owning his own farm when he started the Inclusive farm on an acre of rented ground in 2021. Since then, he has opened up his farm to students with disabilities, to give them the chance to learn about farming in an inclusive environment.
FAS Resources
Developing Safe Farming Practices | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Health & Safety [BE.RA.HS] | Helping farmers in Scotland | FAS
Other Resources
Inclusive Farm | Cultivating Ideas for Growth | Home
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*Content Warning: This episode discusses themes of suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners*
Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Nigel Owens, a Welsh former international rugby union referee, who retired in December 2020 after a 17-year career. He currently holds the world record for the most test matches refereed and is one of five international referees listed as professional within the Welsh Rugby Union. Nigel has recently purchased his own farm and has started a pedigree Hereford herd. He talks about his early involvement in agriculture, his rugby career, his mental health struggles and his sexuality, and what he enjoys about farming.
FAS Resources
Health is Your Wealth: Physical and Mental Resilience | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Resources
Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen
RSABI: Home Page
Stonewall
Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Richard and Fiona Lamb of Fordhead Farm, Kippen, about how they have diversified their farming business and how they have adapted to the many challenges that starting new ventures has thrown at them. Richard and Fiona Lamb are the definition of ‘give it a go’. From exiting the Metropolitan Police and dipping toes, (and losing part of a finger) in their entry to farming, Fiona and Richard have faced more than their fair share of hurdles. One thing that has always been consistent in their business endeavours, is that if they don’t give it a try, they’ll never know what could happen. From camping sites, to woodlands, grass trials, firewood, farm accommodation, tea growing, Gin production, Farm shop and café, insect farming, and hemp production, the Lambs have been there, done it and learned lessons along the way.
Related FAS Resources
Engaging with Consumers - Part 1 | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Engaging With Consumers - Part 2 | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Adding Value | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Grant Support For Croft Woodland Creation: A Comparison | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Related Resources
The Woodhouse Kippen
Ginti- The Scottish Tea Gin (gintigin.co.uk)
Forth Valley Leader :: Case Study "Tea Plantation at Fordhead Farm" (fvl.org.uk)
Matthew Lamb of Fordhead Farm tells us a bit about their venture into growing tea in the Forth Valley! | By Forth Valley & Lomond CLLD | Facebook
From holiday lets, to gin, to tea and more - diversification paying for Stirlingshire family farm - Insights - Farmers Guardian (fginsight.com)
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Anna Davies about the importance of great storytelling in agriculture and gets an insider's view from this journalist on how the media could cooperate and celebrate Scotland’s farming successes and the people who create them.
FAS Resources
https://www.fas.scot/publication/positive-pr-infographic/
https://www.fas.scot/new-entrants/positive-pr/
https://www.fas.scot/publication/writing-a-marketing-plan/
https://www.fas.scot/rural-business/crofts-small-farms/alternative-enterprises/selling-your-own-produce/marketing-development/
Other Resources
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/OnFARM-rural-podcast-Podcast/B08JK2B3B2?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp&shareTest=TestShare
https://www.sceneandherdpr.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-davies-thomson-3852a719/
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Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined this week by Sammi Kinghorn MBE. Sammi is a farmer’s daughter and Team GB wheelchair racer from the Scottish Borders. We spoke the week after she was back from the Commonwealth games where she won bronze in the 1500m. We chatted about her childhood on the farm, the accident that left her paralysed and how she got into wheelchair racing. She has such a special bond with her Dad, who instilled a love of nature and farming into her at a young age, and now he supports her with her career.
Related Resources FAS Resources
https://www.fas.scot/sounds/thrill-of-the-hill/
https://www.fas.scot/sounds/crofting-matters/
Related External Materials
https://www.sammikinghorn.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sammikinghorn/?hl=en
http://www.bromakin.co.uk/
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Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to Chris Dyer of Garths Croft, Bressay about how an Archaeologist from the South of England found himself owning a croft on Shetland. He discusses some of the fascinating archaeology of the Shetland Islands, how he started out volunteering on farms, and what his life is like as a crofter. Chris tells us about starting his croft, the livestock he owns, and how he has now opened up his croft to visitors, giving them a truly unique insight into crofting life and the history and archaeology of the local area.
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