R2Kast - People in Food and Farming/All In

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Robin Asquith 🎙️ Robin is Head of Environment at Camphill Village Trust, working at the intersection of farming, nature and social care, supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health challenges through real farm based environments 🌾

We spoke about Robin’s early life growing up in North Yorkshire, spending time on his grandparents’ soft fruit farm, and how that shaped his understanding of community, people and the land. From training as a plumber to working in commercial horticulture, his path wasn’t linear, but it eventually led him into a role where farming became a tool to support people rather than just produce food 🚜

His Nuffield Scholarship explored the role UK agriculture can play in delivering social care, looking at care farming, green care and how nature based environments can improve wellbeing and independence. His travels took him across Ireland, Scandinavia, mainland Europe and Canada, where he saw everything from dementia care on farms in Norway to rehabilitation programmes in Italy and the Netherlands that use farming and horticulture to support people back into society 🌍

One of the most powerful parts of the conversation was hearing how real farm environments create real opportunities. Whether it’s someone non verbal building a connection with animals, or individuals gaining confidence and independence through meaningful work, it showed how farming can play a much bigger role in society than we often give it credit for

We also spoke about the future of the sector, the challenges around funding and staffing, and Robin’s ambition to help drive this space forward nationally. His advice for anyone thinking about Nuffield was simple, be curious, be brave and back yourself 🌱

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

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Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace this time joined by Sophia as well, which brought a really good angle looking at the next generation and what farming looks like coming through.

We covered a proper mix in this one from peony production and how that whole system works, through to direct selling, subscriptions and building a customer base that actually values what you produce. There was also a good chat around logistics, online selling and the reality of getting products to people in a way that keeps quality high.

A big part of this episode was around the next generation. Sophia spoke about finding her own path, balancing farming with other interests like floristry and photography, and figuring out what she actually wants to do rather than just following what’s expected.

We also got into weather challenges, trying new crops like mustard, and how unpredictable farming can be year to year. Alongside that, there was a really interesting discussion on social media, AI and how quickly things are changing in how farmers connect with people.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂

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Today we welcome Matt Smee to the R2Kast 🎙️ Head of Agricology, a free knowledge hub bringing together practical information for farmers, growers and researchers across the food system. 🌾

We spoke about Matt’s journey into agriculture, starting in international development in Burma and Thailand before returning to the UK to explore farming hands on. That led into over a decade running small scale organic market gardens, building veg box schemes, supplying restaurants and developing food products, while navigating the financial realities of making that model work long term.

The conversation then moved into Agricology. What it actually is, how the platform brings together information from across different farming approaches, and why avoiding labels and focusing on practical outcomes matters. Matt explained how the organisation has evolved into an independent charity, how it’s funded, and the challenge of keeping knowledge free, accessible and useful for farmers.

We also discussed knowledge exchange more broadly. Turning research into something practical, identifying gaps in information, and creating content that farmers can actually use on farm. The discussion covered everything from technical guides and on farm trials through to the role of collaboration, mentorship and learning from others across the sector.

Enjoy! 🙂
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Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Gordon Whiteford 🎙️ Gordon is a farmer based in Moray running a diverse business built around free range and organic egg production, alongside dairy, sheep and a strong direct to consumer focus through his farm shop 🌾

We spoke about Gordon’s early life growing up on a dairy farm in Ayrshire before his family moved away from farming when he was young. That shift created a real drive in him to build something of his own, which eventually led to starting a poultry enterprise from scratch and growing it into the core of his business today 🚜

Gordon’s Nuffield Scholarship focused on welfare in free range laying hens, but his journey quickly expanded into wider thinking around systems, soil health and regenerative approaches. His travels took him across Europe, the USA, Africa and beyond, shaping how he now views farming as a whole system rather than individual enterprises. One of the standout themes was how much can be learned by stepping outside your own sector and challenging how things have always been done 🌍

We also got into some brilliant detail around his egg business, from switching to white hens and pushing production far beyond industry norms, to building a direct relationship with customers through milk, eggs and added value products. It was a great example of combining technical performance with storytelling and connection back to the consumer 🌱

There were also some cracking moments from his travels, including a proper introduction to how things work on the roads in Kenya, which definitely added a bit of perspective to the whole experience. It all tied back to how Nuffield opens doors, builds confidence and gives you the mindset to try things you maybe would not have done otherwise

We wrapped up talking about growth, family and what comes next for the business, alongside his advice to anyone thinking about applying. Back yourself, take the opportunity and see where it leads.

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

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Today we’re back with Field to Front Door 🎙️

David, Martin and Wallace picking things straight back up where we left off, still very much figuring out what this is and where it could go.

This one was a proper deep dive into farming realities. We got into everything from sugar beet and margins through to regen, inputs and whether it’s actually possible to grow without sprays. There’s a real honesty in it, especially around trying things, getting them wrong, and learning as you go.

A big part of the chat was about working out what farming looks like going forward. Not just how we grow, but how we sell, how we add value, and how we actually make a living from it. Direct selling, milling, flowers, different markets, it all came into it.

What I liked most is there’s no pretending we’ve got the answers. It’s just a conversation trying to figure things out in real time, with a few laughs along the way.

We’re going to keep this going fortnightly for now and see where it takes us. If you’ve got ideas on what we should cover or who we should bring in, send them our way.

Enjoy! 🙂
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.