Wilson & Ashley

Put your thoughts into the mix
We’re back! And after a VERY busy summer, we’ve got a lot to catch you up on.
It’s been a while… and when we looked at our diaries, we genuinely don’t know how we were supposed to fit recording a podcast in as well!
From weddings, Cereals at Diddly Squat Farm and Zach Bryan, to the Great Yorkshire Show, The Game Fair, Farm 24 and Meat Up — we’ve basically been here, there and everywhere.
Then we’re introducing something new…
The Jury’s Out.
A new segment where we decide whether something is something we’re completely obsessed with or something we are absolutely, categorically over. And no, it probably won't have anything to do with farming.
This week, Rebecca has had enough of those very noisy close-up eating videos on TikTok. You know the ones. 
And finally, we’ve got an announcement that we know you’re going to be pretty pleased about…
We’re going weekly!
You asked for more episodes, so from now on you’ll be getting Wilson & Ashley every Tuesday. 
It’s very good to be back.
Thank you to BKT Tyres and Kirkby Tyres for sponsoring this podcast and keeping the wheels of farming turning.
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation. 
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
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Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
This week on the Wilson and Ashley Podcast, we tackle two issues affecting rural Britain right now: the rise of AI and concerns around the future of creativity, alongside the growing rural crime epidemic impacting farmers and countryside communities across the UK.
We begin by discussing a recent video from artist and farming supporter Doodling Lucy, exploring fears that cheap reproduction content could threaten creative industries and small rural businesses. Lucy’s work has long celebrated British farming and agriculture, and we discuss why this conversation matters so much for the countryside.
In this episode:
Is AI destroying creativity?
Can people still tell the difference between human-made art and AI-generated content?
Why creativity matters to farming and rural businesses
The rise of diversification on farms through art, crafts and creative brands
The emotional and financial impact of AI on artists and small businesses
We also dive into the rural crime epidemic, discussing: 
The latest rural crime stats
Quad bike thefts, GPS theft and organised countryside crime
Livestock theft and the devastating rise in dog attacks on farm animals
The emotional toll rural crime has on farming families
The impact of crime on insurance premiums and day-to-day farm operations
Whether rural policing is fit for purpose
The new Dogs (Protection of Livestock) laws and what they mean for farmers and dog owners
Practical ways rural communities can improve farm security
Featuring conversations on:
AI and creative industries
British farming diversification
Rural policing and countryside crime
Livestock worrying laws
NFU Mutual rural crime data
The realities of life in the countryside
If you’re interested in British farming, rural affairs, countryside issues, agriculture, creativity, rural business and current affairs, this episode is packed with honest conversation and debate.
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation. 
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
We're tackling the controversial British food labelling loophole and ask whether supermarket packaging is confusing consumers — or outright misleading them. With imported food products often displaying Union Jacks, British countryside imagery and phrases like “Packed in Britain” or “Prepared in the UK”, are shoppers being led to believe they’re supporting British farmers when they may not be?
We cover:
What the food labelling loophole actually is
Why British flags and branding appear on imported food
The difference between “Packed in Britain”, “Prepared in Britain” and genuinely British produce
Why British farmers are frustrated
Consumer trust in UK food standards and animal welfare
Proposed Conservative reforms to country-of-origin labelling
Then we move onto influencers and celebrities buying farms.
From viral YouTubers and TikTok stars documenting their countryside moves, to celebrity farming shows like Clarkson’s Farm and Fletchers on the Farm, farming has become a social media lifestyle aspiration. But is that a good thing for agriculture?
We discuss:
Why influencers and celebrities are buying farms
Whether social media is glamorising farming
Concerns around animal welfare and misinformation
Farming as a lifestyle brand versus food production
Whether celebrity exposure actually benefits British farming
Featuring the below topics:
Clarkson’s Farm
Fletchers on the Farm
Rural influencers and FarmTok culture
British food standards
UK agriculture and countryside life
If you care about British farming, food transparency, rural business, livestock, countryside issues and the future of agriculture, this episode is packed with honest conversation and debate.
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation. 
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
In Part 2 of our Foot and Mouth series, we move beyond the initial outbreak and into the harsh reality of what it took to bring it under control — and the lasting impact it had far beyond the farm gate.
This is the side of the story that is rarely spoken about.
We hear from a slaughterman working at the very front line of the response — confronting the scale, intensity, and emotional weight of the job day after day. Alongside this, we explore how the outbreak rippled through the wider rural economy, from farming families outside infected zones to local businesses, communities, and industries brought to a standstill.
Foot and Mouth didn’t just affect those who lost livestock — it reshaped entire rural landscapes, both economically and emotionally.
Like Part 1, this episode gives space to those who experienced it first-hand, in their own words — because these are stories that deserve to be heard in full.
In the 2026 spin-off Dutton Ranch, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler begin rebuilding their lives and cattle operation in Texas. A major storyline involves a devastating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in their herd. After discovering that an infected bull was purchased using forged health records, the disease spreads through the cattle, forcing the ranch to euthanize and bury the entire herd to prevent further contamination. The event is portrayed as both an economic disaster and an emotional loss for Beth and Rip, who view the cattle as the foundation of their new ranching future.
Disclaimer: This episode contains discussion of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, including references to animal culling and suicide. Some listeners may find this distressing.
If you’ve been following this series, thank you — and if you haven’t yet, we recommend listening to Part 1 first for the full context.
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation. 
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.

Put your thoughts into the mix
In this first part of our two-part series, we step back into 2001 — to the beginning of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. An outbreak that would change British farming forever.
What started as a single confirmed case quickly escalated into a national crisis. But behind the headlines and statistics were real people, real farms, and real lives being turned upside down.
In this episode, we hear directly from those on the front line. A farmer from an affected area shares what it was like to live through the uncertainty, fear, and reality of the disease arriving at the farm gate. We’re also joined by a vet who was working on the ground during the outbreak — an experience so profound it ultimately led him into politics.
Together, their stories paint a picture not just of how the disease spread, but of how it felt — the decisions, the pressure, and the moments that have stayed with them ever since.
This episode runs in a slightly different format to usual, allowing space for these stories to be told properly — because the human impact of Foot and Mouth was far-reaching, and is still felt today.
In the 2026 spin-off Dutton Ranch, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler begin rebuilding their lives and cattle operation in Texas. A major storyline involves a devastating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in their herd. After discovering that an infected bull was purchased using forged health records, the disease spreads through the cattle, forcing the ranch to euthanize and bury the entire herd to prevent further contamination. The event is portrayed as both an economic disaster and an emotional loss for Beth and Rip, who view the cattle as the foundation of their new ranching future.
Disclaimer: This episode contains discussion of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, including references to animal culling and suicide. Some listeners may find this distressing.
Thank you to our contributors. 
Sources:
https://www.woah.org/en/reflections-on-the-foot-and-mouth-disease-epidemic-of-2001-a-united-kingdom-perspective/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12483017
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foot-and-mouth-disease 
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-foot-mouth-disease/ 
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/mar/21/footandmouth.angeliquechrisafis 
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7075072.brigadier-tells-chaos-epidemic-fight/ 
https://www.farminguk.com/news/uk-not-prepared-for-foot-and-mouth-outbreak-vets-warn_68307.html 
Join our Listener Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/
If you’ve got a story, a strong opinion, or an idea for an episode… Slide into the DMs or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation. 
Subscribe now and let’s get into it!
@wilsonandashley
@rebeccawilsonfarming
@charlotteashleyfarm
Powered by Ridgeline Clothing
Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.