63: Indian farmers’ protests, the Forever Flock and Biopriming
63: Indian farmers’ protests, the Forever Flock and Biopriming by Farmerama
Feb 28, 2021•30 min
Farmerama
Farmerama Radio is an award-winning podcast sharing the voices behind regenerative farming.
We are committed to positive ecological futures for the earth and its people, and we believe that farmers of the world will determine this.
Each month, we share the experiences of grass roots farmers instigating radical change for the future of our food, our health, and the planet. Tune in to hear how these producers are discovering a more ecological farming future and to learn how their decisions can have a positive impact on us all. This is regenerative farming in action.
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Episodes
62: ORFC 2021
This month we invite you to join us as we take a dip into some of the key sessions at the recent Global Oxford Real Farming Conference, where Farmerama were official media partners again this year. We hear from two women lawyers in Aotearoa New Zealand who tell us about how a river and a forest have been given legal personhood. Then, we hear how an economic think-tank and a London CSA have worked together to understand the community benefits of localised routes to market and local organic food. ...
Jan 31, 2021•31 min
61: Fine Fleeces, Pasture Cropping and Land in Commons
It’s good to be back this month with a collection of conversations with farmers who are building a more ecological future. We begin at Whistlebare Farm learning how raising sheep and goats ecologically results in wool that’s extra special – all because of good work going on in the soil. We head to France, to Andy Cato’s farm, to hear about his regenerative learning journey, and discover how he’s putting that learning into practice here in the UK. And finally, we’re in Germany, where the Kulturla...
Dec 27, 2020•40 min
"Who feeds us?" Episode 6: Looking back and moving forward
In this final episode, we revisit some of the people we’ve heard from throughout the series. We tease out some common threads that bind these apparently disparate voices together – threads such as reverence, gratitude, sovereignty, dignity and abundance. We hear more about what these people have learnt over the course of this year, their visions for resilient, localised food economies... and how they see the future of who feeds us. It is clearer than ever: Food is not just a question of calories...
Nov 15, 2020•35 min
"Who feeds us?" Episode 5: Cultivating abundance
In this episode, we visit one region – the West Midlands – to explore how the pandemic has highlighted connections between the local and the global, the present and the past...and between food, health, community and identity. What can we learn from this time about the experiences, the resources and the needs of individuals and communities in the UK – and, in particular, communities of African descent? How can having access to land, to green space and growing space, “feed” us in multiple ways – p...
Nov 08, 2020•38 min
"Who feeds us?" Episode 4: Whole meal
At the start of lockdown, as supermarket shelves were cleared of flour, people who might not otherwise have thought to seek out a local bakery – let alone a local mill – started to do just that. In this episode, we’ll hear about how this sudden upsurge in demand presented a huge challenge for these small-scale bakers and millers – but it was a challenge they met with enthusiasm and ingenuity, as well as a deep sense of responsibility to their communities. At one time, pretty much every town and ...
Nov 01, 2020•39 min
"Who feeds us?" Episode 3: Growing our own
As lockdown came into effect, and supermarkets struggled to restock their fruit and vegetable aisles, the idea of “growing your own” took on a new significance. In towns and cities across the UK, those of us lucky enough to have access to gardens or balconies – even if we’d never grown anything before – suddenly started looking for compost, tools, and seeds. Many of us discovered, perhaps for the first time, the joy of eating freshly picked, homegrown fruit and veg. It’s a joy that you just don’...
Oct 25, 2020•32 min
"Who feeds us?" Episode 2: Land, animal, journey
American poet and farmer Gary Snyder writes of the interconnectedness and interdependence of the food chain. He says, “To acknowledge that each of us at the table will eventually be part of the meal is not just being ‘realistic.’ It is allowing the sacred to enter and accepting the sacramental aspect of our shaky temporary personal being.” In this episode, we explore the ways in which a growing consciousness is developing around food, based on ideas of reverence, and gratitude. How have the peop...
Oct 18, 2020•44 min
"Who feeds us?" Episode 1: The hungry gap
As the COVID-19 lockdown hit the UK in early 2020, our nation suddenly looked very different. Supermarket shelves were empty and, for the first time in most people's lives, we started to question how we were going to feed ourselves, and our families. Almost overnight, localised food systems went from being niche fantasies to a vital source of sustenance for many people around the country. But who – and what – made up those localised food systems? Where did this sudden burst of community provisio...
Oct 11, 2020•43 min
60: Regenerative Cheesemakers, Brixton Windmill, Food & Development and Tractors
This month, we hear how some artisan cheesemongers are starting to embrace regenerative farming. We give you a sneak peek at of one of the producers featured in our new series, Who Feeds Us?. We learn about a new course investigating the complex links between food and development, and finally we hear from a long-time farmer who has some clever tips on how to be resourceful with machinery. This month’s episode is supported by Treedom - a platform that makes it easy to support a farmer in Africa o...
Sep 27, 2020•29 min
59: Upland restoration, agroforestry in Kenya and the language of regeneration
This month we explore an innovative model for ecological restoration in the uplands that’s a combination of rewilding and regenerative farming techniques. We head to Kenya to hear about tree planting with farmers there and why the future is bright. And we end up in Los Angeles speaking to a gardener who is reckoning with the words we use and proposing a new approach to the language of regeneration. This month’s episode is supported by Treedom - a platform that makes it easy to support a farmer i...
Aug 30, 2020•35 min
Shorts: Roger Dixon-Spain, Lismore, Scotland
Roger Dixon-Spain farms with his wife, Gilly, on Lismore, a 10-mile long island in the Inner Hebrides, just off the west coast of Scotland. Roger spent most of his life as a conventional farmer in Cambridgeshire, before a series of chance events led him to Lismore – and to a radically different approach to farming. Here, Roger traces that journey, introduces us to the concept of “holistic land management”, and explains how he and Gilly are building a viable business on marginal land – as well as...
Aug 26, 2020•23 min
58: Cooperative land, holistic management, FMNR and the secret life of insects
This month, two new farmers share their experience of getting land through the Ecological Land Cooperative, and tell us why having a stake in the land is so crucial. Then, we hear from a farmer on a small Scottish island about moving from conventional agriculture to a more holistic way of farming, and making a living from marginal land. We learn how a simple system of nurturing chopped down trees back to life is restoring soils and supporting rural communities in Uganda. And, finally, a naturali...
Jul 26, 2020•41 min
57: Fibreshed UK, Chestnuts, The Edible Schoolyard and Welsh poetry
This month we bring you an inspirational farmer who’s helping to build a more resilient local textile economy through Fibreshed UK. We hear about a project reintroducing a one-time staple crop – chestnuts – into the Southern United States. We learn how The Edible Classroom is bringing regenerative agriculture into schools, cafeterias and community kitchens, and we finish in Wales with a poem that speaks to the heart of rewilding. Featuring: Gala Bailey Barker Ranan Sokoloff Angela McKee Brown Sa...
Jun 28, 2020•30 min
56: The Bowhouse
In this special episode, we visit the Bowhouse, a food hub in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. The East Neuk is a coastal region dotted with picturesque fishing villages and blessed with fertile volcanic soils. But – as is the case in much of the UK – very little of the food produced here is destined for direct local consumption. The Bowhouse is changing that by creating opportunities for local producers to reach customers, grow their businesses, and collaborate. We hear from founder Toby Anstru...
May 31, 2020•46 min
'Cereal' Bonus Episode: High Rise Bakers
A *bonus* episode following on from our 6 part series, 'Cereal': uncovering the hidden truths behind our bread and the people who are building a new grains movement. This episode dives deeper into the work of High Rise Bakers: community bakers creating delicious nutritious bread in a shared kitchen on the ground floor of a high rise flat in The Gorbals area of Glasgow. High Rise Bakers were featured in episode 5 of 'Cereal' where we heard that bread is not just money, bread is nourishment, delic...
May 17, 2020•20 min
55: Enlightened agriculture, sustainable economies, and regenerative businesses
As we bring this episode to you, we know that the Coronavirus pandemic is putting many of the farmers and growers out there are under more pressure than ever to provide food for your local communities and to rapidly find new markets for your produce – all whilst being concerned with the health of those around you. So we wanted to take a moment to say as ever we and so many others are grateful for all the work you do: thank you - Farmerama is made for you! This month, we go back to the Oxford Rea...
Apr 26, 2020•37 min
54: Land reform, stewardship, community ownership and land justice
This month’s episode brings more inspiring stories from the Oxford Real Farming Conference. We hear from a former MEP about UK land reform, learn about land stewardship in Scotland, talk to a community owned family farm, and chat about land justice and the future of land ownership in the UK. We also share an exciting new opportunity for you to get involved in a shared land-ownership model.
Mar 29, 2020•30 min
53: Storytelling, Nutrient Density, Fashion and Community Farms
This month, we bring you the first of 3 special episodes focusing for the most part on stories from the Oxford Real Farming Conference, or ORFC. This year, we were delighted to be the ORFC’s official media partner. So, fresh from the conference, we hear about the role of myth-making and storytelling in building the regenerative farming movement and we learn about a new initiative to put nutrient density at the heart of good food and farming. Then, we hear from a young fashion designer about her ...
Feb 23, 2020•35 min
Shorts: The Herdsman
At ORFC in 2020, Georgia shared a story called ‘The Herdsman’, a true story which shows what cheap food is doing to the land, the animals and the people involved in its production. Georgia shares the story here for Farmerama Georgia talks about the role of myth-making and storytelling in building the regenerative farming movement in Episode 53 of Farmerama https://georgiawingfieldhayes.org/ https://twitter.com/georgiawingers?lang=en-gb https://www.theethicaldairy.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/...
Feb 23, 2020•10 min
52: Oxford Real Farming Conference, social justice & land, new forms of land ownership
As the new decade dawns we bring you stories of hope and diversity from the Oxford Real Farming Conference. We hear from black farmers and growers who are working with the land to bring social justice and connection to their communities. We also hear from a long time landowner in the UK about building new ownership structures to bring the land back into community. Throughout the episode there are songs and themes that weave the conference together.
Jan 26, 2020•31 min
Shorts: Norwich Farmshare December 2019
Regular contributor Joel Rodker continues to share his experiences working at Norwich Farmshare. This week he’s talking reflecting on the experiences of contributing to the CSA with other volunteers and members. Reporting: Joel Rodker Editing: Louis Hudson https://www.instagram.com/norwich_farmshare/ https://www.norwichfarmshare.co.uk/
Jan 03, 2020•6 min
‘Cereal’ Episode 6: Grain futures
We are the bread system. If you eat bread – or any grains – you are part of it. So how can we all get involved, and what can we do to usher in the new grains movement to build joy, nutrition and resilience in all of our communities? In this final episode, we explore what a more efficient, nutritious, regenerative and joyful bread system might look like. We hear some of the ways people are coming together and building networks to strengthen the movement in the UK and further afield. It’s clear th...
Dec 29, 2019•44 min
‘Cereal’ Episode 5: The best thing since sliced bread? Unsliced bread
The UK is the fifth largest economy and has some of the cheapest bread in the world - is that something to be proud of, or is it a convenient outcome of a system that prioritises shareholder profit, fobs off economically deprived people with poor quality food, and throws away a third of what it produces? It’s so ingrained in us that cheap food is better for everyone, but in this episode we ask you to stop and really think - are we supporting a system that is efficient for lining the pockets of a...
Dec 22, 2019•45 min
‘Cereal’ Episode 4: The miller is missing
Last year the majority of wheat grown in the UK went to feed animals. And of the wheat that did become flour in our homes and bakeries, most of that flour had to have nutrients added back into it - by law - because it was almost nutritionless by the time it came out of the mill. In episode 4 we ask how did the milling process lead us to producing flour with almost no nutritional value? And why would the majority of the wheat grown in the UK go to animal feed? We meet millers around the UK who ar...
Dec 15, 2019•42 min
'Cereal', Episode 3: Farms produce food
Intensive chemical (or conventional) farming systems can be incredibly efficient in perfect conditions, but in a global climate emergency this method of farming is out of date. We hear how soil health, biodiversity and regenerative farming are enabling farmers to move to a new system of farming that is nutritious for humans and the land. What is the experience of farmers growing the wheat, that’s ground to flour, that makes our bread? We explore why farmers are moving away from intensive chemica...
Dec 08, 2019•45 min
'Cereal', Episode 2: Nature hates uniformity
Today, wheat covers an estimated 218 million hectares of the planet – more than any other food crop. The quality of a loaf starts with the wheat. Most bread we eat today is made using modern varieties of wheat that were bred for yield at the expense of everything else. These seeds produce a monoculture of plants that can yield a lot in a good year, but are reliant on chemical inputs and extremely vulnerable in the face of climatic extremes. Most shockingly international legislation dictates that...
Dec 01, 2019•39 min
'Cereal', Episode 1: Flour, water, salt
Bread. How did something so basic, so fundamental, get so complicated – and even start making us ill? How have the needs of industrial production come to dictate the way that seeds are bred, grain is grown, flour is milled, and bread is baked and eaten? And why are more and more people cutting this age-old staple out of their diets? In this episode, we hear from bakers and researchers who reveal the hidden truths about what goes into our bread, and explain how that’s impacting our health. And we...
Nov 24, 2019•29 min
Shorts: Celebrating #SeedWeek with seed sovereignty champions Katie Hastings and Gerard Miles
November 18th marks the start of #SeedWeek - a great opportunity to celebrate and raise awareness of local, organic and open pollinated seed. In this special short Katie Hastings, Wales coordinator for the Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty Programme, takes us on a walk with Gerald Miles, a Welsh organic farmer who recently protested the planting of GM crops by driving his tractor down to London. Katie and Gerald talk about growing black oats, and the work of Llafyr Ni to trial new oat varieties...
Nov 18, 2019•17 min
Rhonda Sherman: The Worm Farmer's Handbook
In this special episode, part of our Women of the Land series with Chelsea Green Publishing, Abby chats with Rhonda Sherman, vermicomposting and recycling queen! Rhonda’s book, ‘The Worm Farmer’s Handbook’ is a fascinating how-to guide, demystifying the science and logistics of the process of vermicomposting, or composting with worms. We were so inspired by Rhonda’s worm wisdom, and loved learning all about how effective worms can be at encouraging microbes and building soil health! Check out th...
Nov 14, 2019•25 min
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