Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by James Logan, the current chairman of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. This episode was recorded in the lead up to the Royal Highland Show 2025, and James tells us about changes at the Society and what he is looking forward to about this year’s show. He talks about his life in agriculture and how he got involved with RHASS. Thanks for joining us for this episode of Agri Culture. If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about RHASS you ca...
Jun 11, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by John Ferguson, founder and CEO of Sisaltech Ltd, a Scottish company which produces sustainable building insulation from natural sisal fibres and Scottish wool. In this episode John shares his unique story on how he got started, his sustainable business goals and his top tips for business success. Thanks for joining us for this episode of Agri Culture. If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about John and Sisaltech you can find links in the show notes. This e...
May 14, 2025•48 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Ally Brunton chair of SAYFC and Jillian Kennedy, SAYFC Vice chair. They both talk about their time in young farmers and the experiences and benefits of being in the club. They also tell us about the SAYFC Respect campaign which was launched at the Highland Show in 2024, which aims to allow every member to contribute to SAYFC as a safe, inclusive, fun environment for young people. This episode discusses themes around mental wellbeing and suicide, please listen with c...
Jan 16, 2025•38 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Kenneth Bone from Glenkiln Farm on the Isle of Arran. Kenneth Bone farms Glenkiln Farm on the Isle of Arran with his family. They won the Diversified Farm of the year award at last year’s Scottish Agriculture Awards, as well as taking home the Champion of Champions trophy. The business has an impressive portfolio, from the farming business to hydro scheme, pub, equestrian centre and housing. Kenneth tells us where it all began, and how the business diversified to be...
Dec 10, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Stephanie Berkeley from the Farm Safety Foundation Stephanie Berkeley is Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, which you might know also as Yellow Wellies. The Farm Safety Foundation was established in 2014 with the aim of improving farm safety in the UK. The Foundation runs successful campaigns such as Farm Safety week and educates young farmers across the UK in colleges and young farmer clubs. Stephanie talks to us about the importance of the charity, and resourc...
Nov 12, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Listener Advisory Note : This episode contains a mention of suicide, please listen with care. Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Jim Chapman, farmer and farm safety ambassador. Jim talks openly about the farm accident that changed his life when he lost his arm in a PTO shaft. He talks about the impact that had on him, and how he got through the dark times. He tells us how important the support he received from friends, family and young farmers was to him. He went on to do a Nuffield scholarship on fa...
Nov 12, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this episode, Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Cathy Magee from Dyslexia Scotland. Cathy Magee is the chief executive of Dyslexia Scotland. We talked about what dyslexia is, how it can affect you, and how to go about getting an assessment. Dyslexia Scotland have a range of resources available to support people with dyslexia. Cathy also tells us about the technologies and adaptations that might be helpful for people with dyslexia. RSABI have partnered with Dyslexia Scotland to offer free dyslexia...
Oct 04, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 6
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 b...
Sep 24, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 5
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 lu...
Aug 23, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 4
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. T...
Jul 24, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 3
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 farmi...
Jun 14, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 2
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 provi...
May 10, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 1
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....
Dec 15, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 10
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 Resour...
Dec 01, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 9
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 hel...
Nov 17, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 8
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...
Nov 03, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 7
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 As...
Oct 20, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 6
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 ...
Oct 06, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 5
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 ...
Sep 22, 2023•38 min•Season 2Ep. 4
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/natu...
Sep 08, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 3
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 i...
Aug 25, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 2
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 ...
Aug 11, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 1
*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 tal...
Feb 10, 2023•47 min•Ep. 6
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 co...
Jan 19, 2023•50 min•Ep. 5
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-ent...
Dec 28, 2022•44 min•Ep. 4
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 ...
Oct 26, 2022•47 min•Ep. 3
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 a...
Aug 31, 2022•40 min•Ep. 2
Peter Eccles is a farm manager from East Lothian. He started out as an agricultural consultant with SAC, before taking on the farm manager job at Saughland Farm, Midlothian. There he changed the farming system quite dramatically and went on to win the Farmers Weekly farm manager of the year and farmer of the year, and AgriScot Sheep farm of the year. He recently moved jobs to Dalmunzie Estate, and upland farm estate in Perthshire
Jun 28, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 1
