The Stirling Monitor Farm is a real family affair with 3 generations involved in the business. The family have been looking closely at business figures to optimise marketing of stock and making management changes to boost performance and allow for the next generation to come into the business. Bruce Duncan is joined by daughter Rebecca to discuss how they are adapting this multi-generational business.  

Auchernack is an 800ac farm in Strathspey. The family have farmed here since 1936. Today, it is run by Malcolm Smith. He farms alongside his sons Calum, who is employed full-time, and Hamish, who works part-time.  Sammie, Malcolm’s wife is also a partner in the business and she runs a successful self-catering business. 

Farming in the Cairngorms, the Smith family are no strangers to change over the generations. From tenant farmers, to owner occupiers and milking cows to beef production, Malcolm Smith chats through how their farming business has adapted over the years and how the family plan for the next generation to take the lead. 

At the Dumfries Monitor Farm we have been investigating into lamb survival and we are bringing you the headlines! This episode, Wallace chats to Katie Denholm, University of Glasgow and Ali Haggerty, Stewartry Vets about best practice in the lead up to and at lambing time. They chat through the interesting results found at the Dumfries Monitor Farm including:

• Ewe Body Condition Score and Nutrition
• Colostrum Quality
• Passive Transfer in Lambs
• The importance of Hygiene

Richard McCornick farms at Barnbackle Farm, Lochfoot and is the Dumfries Monitor Farm. During the Monitor Farm programme, the family have transitioned through succession and now looking to fine tune the system to optimise grass growth and have the right livestock to maintain output in this system. Listen now to hear how putting pen to paper has helped Richard put figures behind that 'farmers feel'. 

Join us next week for a bonus episode, and part 2 of this episode, where we will be joined by Katie Denholm, University of Glasgow and Ali Haggerty, Stewartry Vets talking all things lamb survival.

Robert Wilson is a tenant farmer at Cowbog Farm in the Borders. Farming in partnership with his father Ron, the Wilson's have been looking at balancing productivity with profitability to find that 'sweet spot' in their business. Listen to hear from the Roxburghshire Monitor Farmer.

The Irvine Family are steeped in history at Sauchentree with nine generations farming there for 250 years.

Bruce Irvine discusses how during the Monitor Farm Programme he has focussed on the productivity of the sheep flock and boosted performance through good hygiene at lambing time and investigating ewe health. Listen to hear more about the Banff and Buchan Monitor Farm.

Meet Duncan Morrison, the Deeside Monitor Farm, who farms at Meikle Maldron near Torphins. Alongside wife Claire, the young couple are described as fourth generation farmers with a first generation business. They have built up a spring calving herd to 250 head and the new addition of a sheep flock. Data is at the centre of every decision, listen now to hear how they have progressed the business.

Series 1 Episode 1: Introducing 'Field Talk': The New Farmer Led, Farmer Driven Podcast 🎙️🔥 

At AgriScot 2024, Monitor Farm Scotland supported by QMS, proudly launches Field Talk, a brand-new podcast series dedicated to showcasing the invaluable insights of the Monitor Farm Scotland Programme. This initiative, designed to enhance the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses, provides a platform for real-world, farmer-led discussions about the challenges, successes, and innovations shaping Scotland's farming landscape.

In this debut episode, Beth Alexander, Monitor Farm Programme Manager, introduces the podcast and discusses the programme’s purpose. The series goes beyond theory, focusing on real-world farm operations and the tools farmers can use to thrive in an ever-changing agricultural environment.

Hosted by Wallace Currie (aka Rural2Kitchen), a renowned food and farming vlogger, Field Talk offers a unique, in-depth look at the experiences of farmers participating in the four-year Monitor Farm Programme. Each month, Wallace will visit one of the nine farms, engaging in conversations with farmers, industry experts, and thought leaders about pressing topics..

Field Talk is the perfect resource for anyone in the farming community looking to stay ahead of the curve and connect with the insights that drive the future of Scottish agriculture.