What's happening on Papley Grove Farm this November?
ffinlo Costain talks to Martin Lines from the Nature Friendly Farming Network - and meets Ifan Davies, who farms with his daughter at Carreg-y-Bîg in Wales, to talk about the pressures of social media and the Welsh Sustainable Farming Incentive.
More land use news at 8point9.com
What's the business model for regenerative dairy? What sort of financial models are required to help deliver regeneration through the dairy value chain.
This conversation is based on a panel at Land Alive at The Dairy Show at the Bath & West Showground.
ffinlo Costain is joined by:
Land Alive at The Dairy Show was curated by Tom Pycraft from Ark Events.
Stuart Rogers is a high yielding milk producer delivering regenerative outcomes on his 471 acre farm. He's also the Farm Carbon Toolkit's Carbon Farmer of the Year 2025.
Stuart's pasture management and agroforestry create healthy, biodiverse, carbon-rich soils - and his cattle produce high quality milk and excellent ecological outcomes.
We will be recording a Farm Gate Leaders episode with Stuart in due course.
This is our first Farm Gate Short - What do you think?
Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com
Nature friendly farming can help producers achieve economic, social and ecological resilience in the face of increasingly extreme weather.
Last week saw Scotland's first Nature Friendly Farming Summit, which took place in Edinburgh. The theme was: Farming for nature, profit and public good.
ffinlo Costain meets:
~ Denise Walton, an organic, Pasture for Life-certified livestock farmer from Peelham Farm in Berwickshire - she's also the Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network Scotland~ Matt Griffin, the Farm Manager at Neidpath Farm in the Scottish Borders and a member of the NFFN Steering Group~ David McKay, the Co-Director of the Soil Association Scotland.
* Farm Gate is the world's number one food security podcast. It's part of 8point9.com
FFINLO COSTAIN (8point9.com) and JOE STANLEY (GWCT Allerton Project), are joined by MARY-ANN OCHOTA, the president of CPRE, The Countryside Charity.
They discuss:
🚜 🚸 Kids working on farms
😊 Nature as a positive, unifying force
🥬 Vertical farms
🦋 The role of CPRE
🏠 Brownfield first home building
🧱 And new towns
Watch the rough cut video edit on YouTube
English nature faces an unprecedented human-made environmental crisis as thousands of Countryside Stewardship agreements expire at the end of this year.
Over 4,500 farms are affected, threatening to undo years of conservation work.
We'll discuss why we're in this mess - what it could mean for England's nature - and what can be done about it.
ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) is joined by Anna Biesty (Deepdale Farm) Martin Hole (Montague Farm) Chris Millward (Bibbey's Wild Farms) and Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network).
* Watch instead? Search 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube
* More land use news at 8point9.com
This is the first episode of our new monthly podcast series, Martin's Farm. *
MARTIN LINES is the Chief Exec of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, and throughout the year we’ll be learning about what’s happening month-by-month on his farm, Papley Grove Farm in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We'll also meet key staff and farmers from within the NFFN.
In this episode, we speak to ADAM FORREST the Scotland Manager at NFFN, for a dive into Scottish farm policy - where it’s at - what the priorities are - and what the opportunities are for nature-friendly farmers.
(* Last month we piloted a new series called, Nature Friendly Farm Gate - this is the same series, but we’ve upgraded the name.)
Want to watch instead of listen? Search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.
More Land use news and features at 8point9.com
In this programme we discuss the new book - The Profitable Farm, Balancing business, nature and energy through maximum sustainable output - and I'm joined by the authors: CHRIS CLARK and BRIAN SCANLON.
To buy the book, click here: https://5mbooks.com/product/profitable-farm* More land-use news at 8point9.com
* To watch the rough cut video of this audio podcast, please search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube
In the last of our Agroforestry Show in-the-field podcasts, FFINLO COSTAIN is joined by LAURA GUDE (Programme manager, Innovative Farmers), KATE STILL (Head of Farming, Soil Association, and DAVE OATES (Rosuic Farm, Cornwall).
The podcast covers:
Thomas Gent (Gentle Farming) proposes an agroforestry co-operative, to support farmers and landowners in the management and sale of agroforestry-managed farmland and assets. What do you think?
Are trees a liability or an asset for whole farm carbon footprints?
Speaking to the Farm Gate podcast at the Agroforestry Show, Wiltshire farmer, STUART ROGERS, and JEMMA MORGAN from the Farm Carbon Toolkit, discuss the carbon impact of integrating agroforestry into farm systems.
Rogers extols the benefits of trees but recognises the carbon accounting challenges they can present, while Morgan considers how trees can add nature value to soil carbon credits.
This is the fourth of six impromptu in-the-field podcasts recorded at the Agroforestry Show 2025.
RICHARD THOMAS (a farmer from North Herefordshire) and LOTTIE ALVES (Nature Friendly Farming Network) dig into what agroforestry means to them and search for the common ground between farming and forestry. What are the challenges and opportunities? How can one system support the other?
This is the third of six impromptu in-the-field podcasts recorded at the Agroforestry Show 2025.
CLAIRE WHITTLE and BEN RASKIN join FFINLO COSTAIN in-the-field at the Agroforestry Show.
We don't know what the world will look like in 2050, but we do know that our temperatures and weather will be more extreme.
How will farms, landscapes and livestock need to change to become more resilient? How will agroforestry help farmers maintain food and fibre production - and profitability?
This is the second of six impromptu in-the-field podcasts recorded at the Agroforestry Show 2025.
Defra Secretary of State, Steve Reed, has been catapulted into the Dept of Housing, Communities and Local Government - Farming minister, Dan Zeichner, is out - and instead, in come Emma Reynolds and Angela Eagle.
Is there an opportunity for farmers in the chaos? Could this Defra defenestration offer light at the end of a dark tunnel?
With Labour struggling in the polls, what does Kier Starmer's reshuffle tell us about his attitude to food and farming?
In a conversation, live at the Agroforestry Show, FFINLO COSTAIN meets EMILY NORTON (AHDB), STEPHEN BRIGGS (Agroforestry pioneer), MARTIN LINES (NFFN) and VICKI HIRD (Wildlife Trusts).
COMING NEXT WEEK: More Farm Gate in-the-field at the Agroforestry Show
👩🌾 🚜 Can community-facing farm enterprises be more successful? CHARLOTTE HOLLINS (Fordhall Community Land Initiative) and JON THORNES (South Ormsby Estate) join FFINLO COSTAIN to discuss the benefits of welcoming people and communities onto farms - as shareholders, businesses and for pleasure.
👩🌾 What are the benefits of community-facing agriculture?
🦋 What are the options?
🌿 What will the neighbours think?
🐂 Could this make farm businesses more resilient?
😊 Can working with the community make farming more enjoyable?
👉 Find out more about Fordhall Community Farm [https://www.fordhallfarm.com/]
👉 Find out more about South Ormesby Estate [https://www.southormsbyestate.co.uk/]
👉 Find out about Babbinswood Farm [https://www.babbinswoodfarm.co.uk/]
👉 Buy Babbinswood community shares [https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-babbinswood-farm]
👉 Find out about Plunkett UK [https://plunkett.co.uk/]
👉 Find out about Co-operatives UK [https://www.uk.coop/]
The UK Agroforestry Show takes place at Woodoaks Farm in Hertfordshire on the 10th and 11th of September - and in this programme, FFINLO COSTAIN is joined by BEN RASKIN from the Soil Association - by CAROLINE HARRISON, Technical Policy Manager at the Institute of Chartered Foresters - by TOM KEMP, the director of Working Woodlands Cornwall CIC - and by JOHN PAWSEY, from Shimpling Park Farm.
They discuss:
🐂 Coming highlights of the Agroforestry Show
🌳 The purpose of agroforestry
🚜 The role of bonding and camping
🤔 And recommend key sessions
👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in ENGLAND
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-and-grants-for-agroforestry
👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in SCOTLAND
https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/agroforestry/
👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in WALES
https://www.gov.wales/rural-grants-payments
👉 Find information about funding and grants for agroforestry in Northern Ireland
https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/grants-and-funding
👉 Find Woodland Trust funding
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/trees-for-landowners-and-farmers/morewoods/
* To watch the rough-cut video of this audio podcast - search for 'Farm gate podcast' on YouTube
* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.
* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.
FFINLO COSTAIN (8point9.com) and JOE STANLEY (GWCT Allerton Project), are joined by TOM PYCRAFT (Ark Summit), who's producing Land Alive at The Dairy Show this October 1st.
This time:
🚜 Harvest 2025
🌱 Is BNG report good news for farmers?
🐄 Land Alive at The Dairy Show
🌿 AI and biotech aims for climate resilient crops
🐑 Helping farmers tackle liver fluke
Find out more about Land Alive at The Dairy Show:
Website: https://www.arkce.com/land-alive-dairy-show
Booking link: https://ark.artsvp.com/a61e08
* To watch the rough-cut video podcast version of this podcast, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.
* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.
* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.
This is a new series on the Farm Gate podcast channel that we’re calling Nature Friendly Farm Gate.
In this series, FFINLO COSTAIN will be joined by MARTIN LINES (Chief Executive of the Nature Friendly Farm Network).
The pair will reflect on food and farming policy landscape in each of the four UK nations, and we'll find out about the ups and downs of Martin's farm business in Cambridgeshire.
This time, ffinlo and Martin discuss the impact of English farm policy, the need for a strong (but not too strong) Secretary of State at Defra - and we hear about the harrowing possible future for Martin's farm.
* To watch this podcast instead, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.
* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.
* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.
FFINLO COSTAIN talks to ANDY CATO, who as one half of Groove Armada, gave us classic dance anthems such as I See you Baby and At The River - but who gave it all up to farm regeneratively in France, and who now, back in Britain, is the face and founder of Wildfarmed bread. A 'steward of complexity,' who has risen to become an icon of agroecological farming.
Key moments:
* Cato's time with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band
* The Miners’ Strike (1984/'85) and the Criminal Justice Bill ('94)
* The trombone, the DJ and the sound of Groove Armada?
* The decision to farm in France
* How baking bread became the answer to Cato's problems
* The genesis of Wildfarmed bread
* Defining the Wildfarmed approach?
* Fusing old knowledge with new tech
* Wildfarmed standards?
* Balancing practices and outcomes
* Scaling regenerative supply chains
* Is it possible to feed people well, at the prices they currently pay?
* Farm Gate is Britain's top-ranked regenerative agriculture podcast - globally ranked 2nd for food security; 3rd for regen.
* Farm Gate is part of 8point9.com, the land use news channel, which is sponsored by First Milk, Pelican Ag, Rural Solutions, the Usk Catchment Partnership, Agrolo and individual donors.
* To watch instead, search for 'Farm Gate podcast' on YouTube.
Towards the end of last year, the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales made a recommendation to Welsh Government: nature should have a voice in decisions about flood policy and infrastructure.
Today we ask, why? How? And what difference would it make - if nature had a voice?
ffinlo Costain is joined by Dr David Clubb, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, and Eurig Salisbury, a poet and lecturer at Aberystwyth University.
