Country Life

James Robinson: A fifth-generation farmer on the ups and downs of 'the most glorious job in the world'


Listen Later

'It's often the most glorious job in the world,' says James Robinson, a farmer in Cumbria whose family have been working the same piece of land since the 19th century.


The bad days, though, can be bleak, and when 'you're life's work is disappearing before your eyes' there are days when 'you wish you'd never started farming at all,' James tells the Country Life Podcast this week.


• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts

• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify

• Listen to Country Life podcast on Audible


It's an utterly fascinating look at the life of a farmer in modern Britain — full of joy and wonder, the beauty of nature and the satisfaction of working organically, with the land, yet also realistic, honest and at times heart-wrenching.


Honesty like this — and especially when it comes to facing up to the mental health challenges of being a farmer in Britain in the 21st century — have seen James grow a following online as he works the land with his father and son. And he's now working with the World Wildflife Fund's Prescription for Nature campaign, to help share his story to help others.


It's a wonderful episode of the podcast, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.


You can find out more about A Prescription For Nature at wwf.org.uk/prescription-for-nature


Episode credits


Host: James Fisher

Guest: James Robinson

Editor and producer: Toby Keel

Music: JuliusH via Pixabay

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

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Country LifeBy Country Life

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

24 ratings


More shows like Country Life

View all
Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,064 Listeners

Farming Today by BBC Radio 4

Farming Today

62 Listeners

Gardeners' Corner by BBC Radio Ulster

Gardeners' Corner

101 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

166 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

106 Listeners

Gardening with the RHS by Royal Horticultural Society

Gardening with the RHS

261 Listeners

Open Country by BBC Radio 4

Open Country

89 Listeners

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

104 Listeners

House Guest by Country & Town House | Interior Designer Interviews by Country and Town House

House Guest by Country & Town House | Interior Designer Interviews

46 Listeners

The Knepp Wilding Podcast by Knepp.co.uk

The Knepp Wilding Podcast

19 Listeners

grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends by Sarah Raven

grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

197 Listeners

Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women by Global

Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women

28 Listeners

The Country House Podcast by Hancock Productions

The Country House Podcast

127 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

527 Listeners

Hotels with History by Perowne International

Hotels with History

6 Listeners