Adventures of a Shepherdess

In this episode Ben speaks to the former MP and MEP Neil Parish about his life and political career, including his final days in Parliament and the events that led  to his resignation in April 2022. 

Neil has started a new podcast called 'We Can Do Both' which explores the ideas around producing food as well as looking after the environment. For more information click here (instagram page) or here (acast).

Image credit: Neil Parish

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

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Six Inches of Soil is based on the regenerative farming movement in the UK and follows three young farmers for a year. It also explores broader concepts behind regenerative agriculture and the soil crisis. 

The film follows the stories of Anna Jackson, an 11th generation arable and sheep farmer from Lincolnshire; Adrienne Gordon, a small-scale vegetable farmer in Cambridgeshire; and Ben Thomas, a Cornwall-based cattle farmer who specialises in pasture-fed beef. The film documents their highs and lows over a one-year period as they embark on a regenerative journey, working to adopt sustainable practices while building viable businesses.

In this episode Ben is joined by Claire Mackenzie (producer), Colin Ramsay (director), Adrienne Gordon and Ben Thomas (stars).

Image credit: Six Inches of Soil

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

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Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance. 

Today we’re back in the US, in the far north west, indeed nearly on the Canadian border and Ben is meeting a fruit farmer from Washington State. Kait Thornton grows 180 hectares (440 acres) of apples and pears. She’s a 4th generation farmer at home but also started her own fruit selling company ‘Kait’s Crates’ at just 15. She has cleverly used social media to build her business , starting with Facebook marketplace and now has a huge following on TikTok which helps in raising awareness of her brand. She recently graduated from Washington State university with a degree in marketing. 

Image credit: Kait Thornton. 

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Mike Duxbury is the co-founder of Inclusive Farm, along with  Ness Shillito. After a career in the wider agricultural sector and then at Vodafone, Mike saw the farm as his next step. Blind from  the age of 6, inspiring disabled people and people with special needs is Mike's focus, through the means of farming. 

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Find Zoe on Instagram here.

Today we’re heading across to the US, to Ohio to meet 8th generation farmer Zoe Kent. Zoe grows 2000 acres of corn and soybeans and she has amassed a whopping 420,000 followers across Facebook, Tiktok and Instagram sharing her farming life. She graduated from college in 2017 and worked for her dad Mickey as an employee before becoming a partner in 2019 and taking on the business fully in 2021 when her dad retired. She holds an ag business degree from Ohio State University.

Image credit: Zoe Kent. 

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Today we’re heading to Denbighshire in Wales to meet dairy and beef farmer Huw Foulkes. Huw was brought up on a dairy farm but was initially put off farming when he saw his father having to sell his herd. He got the farming bug at college though and ended up re-establishing a dairy on his family’s farm with a micro-dairy of 15 red polls. For his beef he crosses Welsh black heifers with Wagyu bulls. The whole system uses regenerative techniques. Huw also works on another local dairy farm to supplement his income.

Image credit: Huw Foulkes

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Today we’re heading to Wiltshire to meet arable and beef farmer Ben Cooper. Ben farms 800 acres alongside his brother and father in the Pewsey Vale of Wiltshire, growing wheat, barley, oats and canary seed as well as producing hay and straw. As well as the cattle and the crops Ben has helped the family diversify into 'pick your own pumpkins' and Christmas trees, and he also works off farm carrying out agricultural market research for clients across the ag industry as well as being a teaching fellow at the University of Reading. 

Image credit: Ben Cooper

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Today we are heading to Shropshire to the Oteley Estate which has been in the Mainwaring family for 500 years. Ben's guest is Clare Mainwaring who runs the 2000 acre estate with her husband Ian. Clare and Ian rear two herds of native British cattle – Shorthorns and Highlands, they have a flock of sheep and some pigs. They’re also not afraid of trying new things and in recent years have launched premium meat boxes, held open garden days, market days, created a cafe and farm shop that opens once a week, they’ve held ‘walk and eat’ events, open farm days, and worked with a local distillery to start producing their own damson liqueur to sell in the shop, as well as working with a local chef to make ready meals using their produce - to name but a few! Today we’re going to hear more about Clare and what it takes to run a traditional estate that has been in one family for so many generations. 

Image credit: Countryside Magazine

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Niels Corfield is an agricultural consultant based in Norfolk. You can find out more by visiting his website - Home - Regenerative agriculture consultancy for farmers and landowners (nielscorfield.com)

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.

Today Ben meets Rachael McGrath who is a dairy farmer based in south west Victoria in Australia. She farms with her dad and the herd is made up of stud Jerseys, Brown Swiss and some cross breeds. They also have sheep and horses on the farm. 

Meet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. 

Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. 

About Ben and  RuralPod Media

Ben Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk 

If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. 

Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. 

Follow us on social media

Instagram @mtf_podcast

Twitter @mtf_podcast

Watch us on Youtube here

Howden Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor Howden Rural Insurance.