Second Nature

Send Lizzie a message!
"When you think of summer in the countryside, the iconic scene is always a combine harvester rolling through a golden field of wheat..."
It is the end of July; it is absolute sweltering heat here in Dorset, and harvest is in full swing! In this episode of Down in Dorset, Tim and I are diving headfirst into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of arable farming during one of the hottest, driest summers we've seen in years.
To kick things off, Tim headed out into the field to jump right into the cab of a 10-ton combine harvester with our fantastic guest, Nigel Friend. Nigel is a second-generation farmer managing 500 acres up on the Cranborne Chase in Northeast Dorset, and he gave Tim an amazing behind-the-scenes look at how these incredible machines actually work, from harvesting tiny clover seeds to bread-making wheat.
While they were up on the downlands taking in views where you can see Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and the Isle of Wight all from a single field, they talked through the reality of this year's heatwave: earlier harvest dates, low grain moisture, and the very real danger of field fires.
Afterwards, Nigel joined us in the studio to talk about the bigger picture of the British arable industry and what it’s really like farming in Dorset today.
In this episode, we cover:
Life Inside the Combine Cab: Tim and Nigel break down the mechanics of harvesting- from sharp header knives and threshing drums to precision yield mapping on the go. 🌾⚙️
The Harvest of 2026: Why crops are coming off weeks ahead of schedule, how the dry spell affects overall yields, and how farmers carefully cool hot grain once it's in the barn. ☀️🌡️
Tinderbox Danger: The very real fire risks facing farmers in this weather, including a wild story about how a single dropped mobile phone sparked a field fire! 🚜🔥
Dorset's Secret Powerhouse Crop: Why grass (and grass seed!) is actually our biggest crop, powering everything from local dairy herds to premier sports turf at Wembley and Wimbledon. 🏟️🌱
Soil Health & Regenerative Tips: Why Nigel chops straw back into his fields to boost organic matter, protect soil moisture, and keep the earthworms thriving. 🪱🪨
From Field to Pint: Where our crops go after leaving the farm- from winter wheat for our daily bread to spring barley for brewing beer, shipped from our local docks across Europe. 🍺🚢
Whether you’re a farmer yourself or just love watching the combines roll past on your countryside walks, this episode gives such a brilliant look into what it takes to bring the harvest home.
A huge thank you to Nature Recovery Dorset for supporting this series. 

This podcast mini-series has been produced with help from Nature Recovery Dorset, a Dorset Council led initiative helping communities, landowners and organisations work together to restore nature across Dorset. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and should not be taken as representing Dorset Council.
Website: www.second-nature.co.uk
Email us: info@second-nature.co.uk
Social media: @second_natureuk
Host: @lizziemuddyheelsmac

Send Lizzie a message!
Hello, lovely listeners! Welcome back to Second Nature. Willow the corgi and I are coming to you after an absolute whirlwind couple of weeks. If you’ve been tracking the UK weather lately, you know we've been melting in a serious summer heatwave, but that hasn't slowed things down one bit.
I recently had the absolute joy of being an ambassador for the Great British Farm Fest alongside the Clarkson’s Farm crew- sharing the stage with Charlie Ireland, Harriet Cowen, and Countryfile’s Adam Henson to talk about my own journey from town girl to agriculture advocate. But hot on the heels of that, I packed my bags for BBC Gardeners’ World Live (in collaboration with the BBC Good Food Show).
It is a fantastic event for bridging that beautiful journey from field to fork, and while I was there, I caught up with five incredible minds to talk herbs, magic, kid-friendly gardening, and why nature is the ultimate reset button for our mental health.
In this episode, we’re diving into four incredible chats:🌱 The Queen of Herbs, Jekka McVicar: Jekka completely blew my mind with a reality check about our spice racks. Did you know dried herbs only stay good for six months? We also talk about how to start your own herb journey, why you need to feed your potted herbs weekly, and a genius hack using rosemary water to boost your memory.
✨ Folklore and Magic with Frances Tophill: Catching up with Frances is always like talking to a best friend. We dive into the "goth element" of her latest book, exploring the darker history and folklore of poisonous plants. She shares beautiful ways to bring magic into your space (from fairy gardens to miniature trains) and opens up about how nature provides the ultimate perspective shift when life and mental health get overwhelming.
🍉 Small Spaces & Kettle-Boiled Eggheads with De-Graft Mensah & Lucy Chamberlain: I sat down with the BBC Newsround presenter and master horticulturist to tour their brilliant "Make a Metre Matter" border.  Plus, DeGraft shares a hilarious behind-the-scenes story about hard-boiling display eggs in his hotel room kettle! 🥚🧼
🍅 The Big Seed Search with Catrina Fenton: We round out the day with the Heritage Seed Library, chatting about how heirloom vegetables are being preserved and how you can get your hands on rare varieties to grow at home.

Whether you have acres of land, a rental balcony, or just a tiny kitchen windowsill, this episode is a beautiful reminder that every day is a school day in the garden, there is no "wrong" way to grow, and the seasons always keep turning.
Grab a cold drink, find some shade, and let’s get into it.
How to listen:
🎧 Search Second Nature on your favourite podcast platform.

📲 Get in touch: Have you checked your spice cupboard yet? Did you try the rosemary tea? Drop me a message right here in the caption to chat with me directly!
Website: www.second-nature.co.uk
Email us: info@second-nature.co.uk
Social media: @second_natureuk
Host: @lizziemuddyheelsmac

Send Lizzie a message!
This week, Tim and I are digging deep, quite literally, into the fascinating layers of the Dorset landscape. I caught up with Tim on a blazing hot summer afternoon while he was out in his tractor wrapping up fresh bales of haylage (or as I used to call them when I first joined farming: the giant cheese wheels in the field 🧀🚜).
Once we sorted out the geometry of square bales, we sat down for an absolutely mind-blowing episode all about Dorset's incredible geology and what it actually means for the food on our plates, the machinery in the fields, and the soil in our back gardens.
To help us break down the ground we walk on, we are joined by two incredible local experts: Sam Scriven, a geologist from Dorset Council who has spent twenty years protecting the world-famous Jurassic Coast, and Dougal Hosford, a brilliant second-generation tenant farmer managing 2,000 acres of diverse chalkland and clay near Blandford.
In this episode, we’re digging into:
The Reality of the Clay Cap: Dougal explains the absolute nightmare of farming "clay with flints"- a tricky, ancient soil harder than steel that eats through tractor tyres and machinery metals in a flash. 🛠️💥
A 50-Million-Year-Old Flat Horizon: Sam reveals why the tops of Dorset's highest hills are all perfectly flat, mapping out ancient rivers that used to flow all the way from Cornwall.
From the Bahamas to West Dorset: How our famous chalk cliffs were formed by layers of microscopic plankton skeletons back when the whole of Europe was underwater. 🌊🦴
Regenerative Farming & Direct Drilling: Why Dougal stopped ploughing his fields at the turn of the century, and how direct drilling is finally pushing the flint back down to let the topsoil heal.
The Lifeline of Local Abattoirs: We take a quick detour into local food logistics, exploring Dougal’s high-welfare beef system and why supporting local small-scale abattoirs like C&S Meats keeps the whole Dorset farming fabric alive. 🥩🚚
The Pure Power of Aquifers: The fascinating science behind the chalk aquifers that supply our drinking water, and how that intense lime scale plays havoc with farm plumbing! 🚰⚡
We also touch base with Michael French from the Grounded Community in Bournemouth to talk about growing vegetables on a smaller scale, because whether you’re managing thousands of acres or a tiny backyard patch, soil health is the absolute foundation of life.
I’ve been doing a lot of agronomy and vegetable growing courses myself recently, but listening to Sam and Dougal completely reframed how I look at our landscape.
Grab a cider, sit back, and get ready to look at the British countryside in a whole new way.
How to listen: 🎧 Search Second Nature on your favourite podcast app. 
📲 Get in touch: Want to ask a question? Click "Send Lizzie a message" right here in the caption to chat with Tim and me directly!
A massive thank you to Nature Recovery Dorset for supporting this series and making these episodes possible.
This podcast mini-series has been produced with help from Nature Recovery Dorset, a Dorset Council led initiative helping communities, landowners and organisations work together to restore nature across Dorset. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and should not be taken as representing Dorset Council.
Website: www.second-nature.co.uk
Email us: info@second-nature.co.uk
Social media: @second_natureuk
Host: @lizziemuddyheelsmac

Send Lizzie a message!
Welcome back to Down in Dorset, a special series within the Second Nature podcast. I’m your host, Lizzie McLaughlin, and today I’m joined once again by my co-host and local eyes-and-ears on the ground, Tim, for a look at how Dorset is opening its farm gates to the public this summer.
Tim has been absolutely running himself ragged across the county, catching up with the farmers, teachers, and organisers who are working tirelessly to connect town and country. From bustling spring shows to interactive farm visits, this episode is all about the magic that happens when the public gets a taste of real rural life. As someone who came into farming from a town myself, you all know this is a topic incredibly close to my heart!
In This Episode:
We hear from a fantastic lineup of local voices who are passionate about education, engagement, and top-tier Dorset produce:
Barbara (Love Local, Trust Local) & Steve (Steve’s Bees): Catching up in the demo theatre at the Spring Show to talk local honey, the power of social media, and why bees are vital to our survival.
George Hosford & Schoolteacher Jane: Pulling back the curtain on a brilliant on-farm classroom funded by the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) scheme, welcoming year-one students from Portland.
George Strepfield (Coppet Hill & Melplash Show): Gearing up for Open Farm Sunday and sharing how the Discover Farming initiative is inspiring the next generation into countryside careers.
James Cox & the County Show Team: A massive shoutout to James, the powerhouse organiser behind the Spring Show and Dorset County Show. 
What We Dig Into:
The Buzz About Bees: Steve explains his dream of creating a dedicated education hub on the farm where kids can suit up, get hands-on with the hives, and learn where real honey comes from. Plus, Tim and I talk about why local honey flies off the shelves- and I promise to send him a photo of me in my own beekeeping suit!
Chasing Farmers with Microphones: Barbara shares the secrets behind her successful social media channels, proving that sometimes it takes a farmer's wife chasing her husband across a field with a camera to finally get the public engaged online.
Soup, Tractors, and Turnips: We listen in on a bustling farm visit where school children get to ride in trailers, see beef herds up close, and learn how to use safety knives to chop home-grown potatoes and carrots into a massive farmhouse soup.
Open Farm Sunday: George Strepfield previews the upcoming, completely free national event organised by LEAF. We talk about what the general public can expect, from watching sheep shearing to seeing massive agricultural drones and regenerative direct-drills in action.
Interactive Learning at the Melplash Show: We look ahead to August and the incredible Discover Farming marquee-a completely interactive space where kids of all ages can try their hand at milking a dummy cow, grinding wheat, or making smoothies.
Supporting Nature Recovery: A huge thank you to James and the County Show team for supporting this episode and helping us tell the stories of the people who work this land.
Join the Conversation: Do you have a question for Tim or me about how to get involved with a farm visit near you? We want to hear from you! You can send us a message directly through the link in the show notes.
Listen now to find out how you can explore the Dorset countryside this summer!
Ready to Get Involved? Links & Resources:
Find an Open Farm Sunday Near You: Open Farm Sunday is happening on Sunday 7th June 2026! It is completely free to attend. Pop your postcode into the LEAF Open Farm Sunday Farm Finder to see which local farms are unlocking their gates near you. 
Bring Farming into the Classroom: Tim mentions the incredible work the NFU does to link agriculture with school curriculums. Teachers can find free science packs, STEM resources, and live streaming opportunities at the NFU Education Portal.
Explore Countryside Careers & School Visits: Learn more about the incredible interactive marquee at the show and their year-round school programs over at the Melplash Agricultural Society Discover Farming Website.
Support Genuine Dorset Produce: Check out how local independent businesses are championing real food provenance at the Love Local Trust Local Website.
Connect Your Group to a Farm: Teachers, parents, or community group leaders looking to organise a visit can find accredited farms and resources by heading to LEAF Education.
Website: www.second-nature.co.uk
Email us: info@second-nature.co.uk
Social media: @second_natureuk
Host: @lizziemuddyheelsmac

Send Lizzie a message!
Welcome back to Down in Dorset, a special series within the Second Nature podcast. I’m your host, Lizzie McLaughlin, and today we are joined by my co-host and local farming expert, Tim, for a deep dive into one of West Dorset’s most iconic industries: Dairy Farming.
The sun is finally shining over the rolling hills, the cows are out on grass, and while the winter slog is over, "farm busy" has taken on a whole new meaning. Before we head into the milking parlour, we take a moment to address some listener feedback regarding water abstraction and sewage in our chalk streams- reminding us all why transparency in our countryside is so vital.
In This Episode:
We are incredibly lucky to be joined by two powerhouse local farmers who represent the past, present, and future of Dorset agriculture:
James Bowditch: A fourth-generation dairy farmer at Bowden Farm, bringing over a century of family history and a "high-input, high-output" conventional perspective.
Tom Gregory: A first-generation success story running both organic and conventional herds near Forde Abbey.
What We Dig Into:
Organic vs. Conventional: What does it actually mean? Tom and James break down the "Holy Grail" of organic farming versus the efficiency of conventional systems, discussing everything from antibiotic usage to the sheer acreage required to make it work.
The Vanishing Dairy Farm: Tim and our guests reflect on the staggering contraction of the industry. We explore how we went from 25 dairy farms in a single river catchment down to just six, and what that means for the "fabric" of our local communities.
The Supermarket Struggle: We pull back the curtain on the "Loss Leader"-why your four-pint bottle of milk is so cheap and how the shift from the Milk Marketing Board to retailer control has changed the game for farmers.
Global Cheddar & Local Pride: From the export power of Barber's Cheese to the international popularity of Dorset cheddar in Costco, we discuss how West Dorset feeds the world.
Health & Raw Milk: Is the secret to a hardy immune system found in the tank? We discuss the nutritional differences between pasteurised and raw milk and reminisce about the days of fighting for the cream on the doorstep.
Stay tuned to hear James’s secret for escaping hay fever (it involves a boat and lobsters!) and Tom’s recommendation for the ultimate "Dorset" experience: the International Nettle Eating Competition.
Supporting Nature Recovery: A huge thank you to Nature Recovery Dorset for supporting this series and helping us tell the stories of the people who work this land.
Join the Conversation: Do you have a question for Tim or me? We want to hear from you! You can send us a message directly through the link in the show notes.
"96% of the population still drinks cow's milk... there are more households with milk in the fridge than toilet roll by the toilet!"
Listen now to hear the "real" story of Dorset dairy.
This podcast mini-series has been produced with help from Nature Recovery Dorset, a Dorset Council led initiative helping communities, landowners and organisations work together to restore nature across Dorset. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and should not be taken as representing Dorset Council.
Website: www.second-nature.co.uk
Email us: info@second-nature.co.uk
Social media: @second_natureuk
Host: @lizziemuddyheelsmac