Tonight I sat down with Matt Adams to explore a question that sits right at the heart of everything we’re trying to do with food and farming: how do we actually recognise truly good food? Matt talked me through his work on measuring food quality through taste testing and Brix readings, and why he believes we need to shift our thinking from yield per acre to health per acre. We dug into his work with natural farming communities in Andhra Pradesh, India, where growers are moving away from chemical inputs at scale, and discussed the bigger opportunity this creates for farmers everywhere: proving quality in a way that could help them earn properly from producing healthier, better-tasting food. It was one of those conversations that really stops you in your tracks and makes you rethink where you start from — not labels, not dogma, but the end result on the plate.

We then widened the discussion to living soil, local supply chains and practical ways communities can rebuild a healthier food system from the ground up. Alexander joined us to share his long-standing work with Bokashi composting and Effective Microorganisms, explaining how households and communities can turn food waste back into living fertility instead of sending it to landfill. Paul brought in the farmer’s view from the ground, talking about direct selling, regenerative methods, animal health, biodiversity and why local, nutrient-dense food is already changing how younger families buy. Across the whole show, the message was clear: restore life in the soil, reconnect growers and eaters, and we give ourselves a real chance to rebuild health, resilience and value in farming.

• Food For Thought Radio: https://fftradio.com/
• Food Finders Hub: https://foodfindershub.com/
• Conscious Food Systems Alliance: https://consciousfoodsystems.org/
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): https://www.undp.org/
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): https://www.fao.org/home/en/
• Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF): https://apcnf.in/
• NITI Aayog – Natural Farming initiative: https://naturalfarming.niti.gov.in/
• FreshRx Oklahoma: https://www.freshrxok.org/about
• Soil Association: https://www.soilassociation.org/who-we-are/
• Lady Eve Balfour (Soil Association history): https://www.soilassociation.org/who-we-are/our-history/lady-eve/
• EMRO USA – Effective Microorganisms / EM-1: https://www.emrousa.com/
• ATAGO hand-held refractometers (Brix tools): https://atago.net/en/products-master-top.php
• HOPE Sussex Community: https://hopesussex.co.uk/
• Weekend Truth Festival: https://weekendtruthfestival.co.uk/about-us
• Bhutan – Gross National Happiness overview: https://www.mfa.gov.bt/rbedelhi/bhutan-at-glance/gross-national-happiness/
• Big Green Gathering / Green Gathering history: https://www.greengathering.org.uk/past-future/
• International Conferences on Kyusei Nature Farming: https://www.infrc.or.jp/english/14559/

In this episode, I’m joined by Lynne Franks and Hans-Günther Kern for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of food, farming and community. Lynne shares her journey from fashion and PR into women’s empowerment, SEED pods and grassroots community building, and we dig into why growing food now has to sit alongside growing confidence, connection and local resilience. We talk about women’s leadership, seed saving, compost, common land, school growing projects and why so much of the knowledge we need already exists — it simply needs reconnecting, sharing and putting back into practice.

Hans brings a brilliant depth to the conversation on biodynamics, soil life, composting, community education and the relationship between land, people and the wider rhythms of nature. Alongside Paul’s practical perspective from the farm, we explore whether the future belongs to new growers as much as traditional farmers, how children can be brought back into food production, why nutrient-dense local food matters, and what it would take to build a genuine grassroots movement around seeds, soil, compost, training and regional food systems. This was a proper ideas-filled conversation, and for me it underlined one thing above all: the appetite is there, and the time to build is now.

• Lynne Franks: https://lynnefranks.com/
• SEED Network: https://seednetwork.com/
• Choose Love: https://chooselove.org/
• Katharine Hamnett: https://katharine-hamnett.com/
• Wholistic Living University: https://whlu.org/
• Jeremy Lent – The Web of Meaning: https://www.jeremylent.com/the-web-of-meaning.html
• Incredible Edible Todmorden: https://incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/
• Transition Network: https://transitionnetwork.org/
• Tablehurst Farm: https://www.tablehurstfarm.org.uk/
• Raising Young Farmers at Tablehurst Farm: https://www.tablehurstyoungfarmers.org/
• Biodynamic Association: https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/
• Emerson College UK: https://emerson.org.uk/
• Soil Food Web School: https://soilfoodweb.com/
• Dr Vandana Shiva: https://www.vandanashiva.com/
• Wylde Market: https://wylde.market/
• The Soil Factory: https://www.thesoilfactory.earth/
• HOPE Sussex Community: https://hopesussex.co.uk/
• Doctors of the World UK: https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/
• Food Finders Hub: https://foodfindershub.com/

Paul and I kicked things off with a proper catch-up from the farm, from tractor repairs and homemade ice cream to local cherries, farmers’ markets and the never-ending circus of regulation. Then Nicola and Kelly joined us to give the full lowdown on this year’s Weekend Truth Festival in Wrexham — four days of talks, music, camping, children’s activities and a big focus on community, solutions and getting people together. We talked through the line-up, the Youth Sanctuary, the music, the stalls, and why events like this matter when so many people are looking for alternatives, practical skills and stronger local networks.

From there, Paul and I got into the meat of the bigger farming conversation: AI and how it’s being used, regenerative farming, electroculture, composting, local food systems and what it really takes to keep a farm going. We also dug into the hard realities farmers are facing right now — subsidies, bureaucracy, cash flow, staffing, disappearing abattoirs, public demand, chemical dependency, succession, planning, water access and the very real mental health toll across the industry. It was one of those episodes that moved from festival chat to a much wider conversation about food, farming, resilience and where we go from here.

• Weekend Truth Festival: https://www.weekendtruthfestival.co.uk/
• Food Finders Hub: https://foodfindershub.com/
• The Bowler Hat Farmer: https://thebowlerhatfarmer.com/
• Farmers Support UK: https://farmerssupportuk.com/
• Mark Devlin: https://djmarkdevlin.com/
• The People’s Lawyer (David Adelman): https://thepeopleslawyeruk.com/
• Prof Dolores Cahill: https://profdolorescahill.com/about-dolores-cahill-phd/
• Gary Fraughen: https://garyfraughen.co.uk/
• Good Gardeners International: https://ggi.org.uk/
• The Realme of England: https://www.therealmeofengland.com/
• AB Health Hub: https://www.abhealthhub.com/
• Vitamin Patches UK: https://www.vitaminpatches.uk/
• Willoughby Genius: https://www.willoughbygenius.com/
• Carbon Cowboys – Roots So Deep: https://carboncowboys.org/about/all-our-films/roots-so-deep

In this episode, I sat down with Istvan, Joshua and Paul to dig into Lana and ask the practical questions small farmers, farm shops and local retailers will want answered. We explored how Lana is being positioned alongside cash and card payments rather than as a straight replacement, how customers can receive a loyalty-style return on their spending, and how participating sellers can build extra value back into their businesses. We also got into the important details: where the incentives come from, how payouts work, what happens when customers spend in Lana, how quickly shops can be onboarded, and why the team say the system is designed to reward organic and regenerative trade while keeping value circulating locally.

What really stood out for me was the wider conversation about resilience. Beyond the mechanics of payments, this became a discussion about local food systems, independent businesses, community governance, and what kind of economic tools farmers and shopkeepers may need if the existing financial system keeps becoming harder to trust. Paul brought the sceptical-but-curious view from the farm gate, and by the end we were talking not just about whether Lana works, but about how local food networks, independent producers and community-led platforms could help build something more practical, transparent and human-scale for the future.

• Lana Pays: https://lanapays.us/
• Food Finders Hub: https://foodfindershub.com/
• Higher Colston Farm: https://www.highercolstonfarm.com/
• Eco Green Compost: https://ecogreencompost.co.uk/
• Magna Radio: https://www.magnaradio.co.uk/
• BSV Blockchain: https://bsvblockchain.org/
• Nostr: https://nostr.org/
• The Sovereign Project: https://www.thesovereignproject.live/
• B&Q: https://www.diy.com/
• McDonald's: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us.html
• Istvan Ezsias (LinkedIn): https://uk.linkedin.com/in/istvanezsias369

In this candid round‑table, I’m joined by co‑host Paul from Bramblebee Farm and our guest Milly Fyfe, newly awarded an MBE, to dig into the reality of British farming in 2026. We cover why diversification keeps family farms alive (from honesty shops and education centres to markets and on‑farm processing), the constant juggle with planning, EHO and Trading Standards, and how surplus supermarket food can be repurposed through community shops. Milly explains how her farm classroom has welcomed schoolchildren, SEN groups and adults in recovery, reconnecting people with where food comes from through animals, soil, seed planting and simple bread‑and‑butter making. We talk straight about the gap between policy and practice, the pressure of cheap imports, fast‑food culture, and the struggle to keep local supply chains viable. Paul shares lessons from running a butchery, markets and new dairy diversification (hello, farm ice cream), while we swap practical ideas on volunteer management and farmer‑led “good fast food”. It’s an honest look at the graft, the hope and the community energy needed to rebuild food literacy and make British farming sustainable for the next generation.

• 'Milly Fyfe – Food & Farming': https://www.millyfyfe.com/
• 'Bramblebee Farm Butchery': https://www.bramblebeefarms.co.uk/pages/butchery
• 'Food Finders Hub (farm shops and local food directory)': https://foodfindershub.org/
• 'LEAF Education – Farmer Training (CEVAS)': https://leaf.eco/education/for-farmers/training
• 'Access To Farms – CEVAS information': https://visitmyfarm.org/courses/cevas-therapeutic-courses
• 'Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs/about
• 'Food Standards Agency (FSA)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/food-standards-agency/about
• 'Chartered Trading Standards Institute (Trading Standards)': https://www.tradingstandards.uk/
• 'Waitrose & Partners (retailer referenced)': https://www.waitrose.com/
• 'Nisa Locally (symbol-group retailer referenced)': https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/
• 'SPAR UK (symbol-group retailer referenced)': https://www.spar.co.uk/
• 'Tesco Groceries': https://www.tesco.com/groceries/
• 'Sainsbury’s': https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/
• 'Morrisons – Online Groceries': https://groceries.morrisons.com/
• 'McDonald’s UK': https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb.html
• 'KFC UK': https://www.kfc.co.uk/
• 'Fresh Start for Hens (ex‑commercial hen rehoming)': https://freshstartforhens.co.uk/about-us/
• 'The National Lottery Community Fund (grant support referenced)': https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/
• 'The Bowler Hat Farmer (host’s campaign site)': https://thecommunityinterestfoundation.org/contact-us/

In this candid episode, I sit down with Paul to unpack a big step he’s taking to build resilience: securing 31 acres of long‑worked orchards to open up new, community‑centred avenues beyond commodity farming. We talk frankly about the realities behind a mixed, first‑generation family farm and butchery in the Fens—cashflow squeeze, breakdowns, slaughter logistics, rules and inspections—alongside the public’s genuine appetite to reconnect with food. From pick‑your‑own and juicing to on‑farm learning (butchery, poultry, livestock handling), nature‑friendly growing, and welcoming schools and home‑educators, Paul sketches a five‑year path that invites partners, volunteers and other small businesses in, so the next generation can step up while he steps back a little. We also range across what listeners are asking for—farm tours, courses, community plots, even goat yoga—plus practical marketing ideas like county WhatsApp communities and local directories. There’s spirited debate on solar and digesters on farmland, abattoir closures, and the church‑hall screenings of the new People’s Emergency Briefing film. Along the way, we swap notes on low‑input growing, aquaponics, biodiversity‑led pest control, and the small wins that keep a farm moving when the weather finally turns in your favour.

• Bramblebee Farm (butchery, farm & nationwide delivery): https://www.bramblebeefarms.co.uk/
• BigBarn – UK local food directory: https://bigbarn.co.uk/
• Food Finders Hub – local food directory/community: https://foodfindershub.org/
• Produce & Provide – find UK farmers selling direct: https://www.produceandprovide.co.uk/
• Wild Minds Network (One Tree Farm) – off‑grid community and learning: https://www.wildmindscommunity.com/
• Polyface Farm – regenerative farming and internships (Joel Salatin): https://polyfacefarm.com/homepage
• The People’s Emergency Briefing – national community film project: https://www.nebriefing.org/
• Environment Agency (UK) – official site: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency
• Backyard Pit Rubs – UK small‑batch BBQ rubs: https://backyardpitrubs.com/
• The Bowler Hat Farmer – YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Thebowlerhatfarmer

On tonight’s show, Paul gives us the latest from Brambleby Farm — long‑awaited rain at last, a fraught pasteuriser move that ended well, steady calving, and the realities of cleanliness, rotations and costs on a small mixed farm. Our guest, holistic veterinarian Roger Meacock, joins me to explore his journey from conventional practice to non‑pharmaceutical approaches, from using magnets with downer cows to microcurrent biofeedback devices that aim to accelerate healing by working with the body’s own signalling. We range widely across food and farming: what happens when we intervene too much; breeding for hardiness; raw vs pasteurised milk; nutrient density from diverse pastures; and the mounting regulatory load facing vets and farmers. Roger flags his concerns about mRNA platforms in animals and the need for rigorous oversight, and we discuss Bovaer, PCR testing, and how policy steers practice. We finish on resilience — local food systems, directories like Food Finders Hub, and why many of us are building parallel, community‑based routes from farm to table while technology and regulation race ahead.

• 'Natural Healing Solutions (Roger Meacock MRCVS)': https://naturalhealingsolutions.co.uk/
• 'SEQUIVITY (Merck Animal Health) – RNA vaccine platform for swine': https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/products/sequivity/
• 'Veterinary Medicines Directorate (UK) – official': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-medicines-directorate/
• 'Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) – official site': https://www.rcvs.org.uk/home/
• 'Bovaer (dsm‑firmenich) – methane‑reducing feed additive': https://www.dsm-firmenich.com/content/dsm/anh/en_US/products-and-services/products/methane-inhibitors/bovaer.html
• 'Food Finders Hub – UK directory for local food and farms': https://foodfindershub.org/
• 'Hoover Dam – U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (official)': https://www.usbr.gov/
• 'Nineteen Eighty‑Four by George Orwell – Orwell Foundation': https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/books-by-orwell/nineteen-eighty-four/

In tonight’s conversation, I’m joined by Andy and Francesco to explore how electroculture, geotherapy and good soil biology can radically improve food production. We trace our journey from first meetings and early scepticism to practical installations of power towers, minerals such as basalt, dolomite and quartz, and microbe-rich teas—plus the surprising results we’ve witnessed first-hand: extended growing seasons, stronger plants, rapid mycelium activity and even notable changes in pest pressure. We also talk practical farming: costs front‑loaded versus conventional annual inputs, where to trial on-farm, and how building a living, resilient soil biome can future‑proof smallholdings and larger acreages alike. Along the way we compare notes from sites in Somerset, Kent and Hope Sussex, touch on historical threads (from 19th–20th century experiments to pyramid energy and structured water), and look at the wider landscape: the rise of community growing, regenerative practices, and farmers shifting to direct sales. The core message is simple and actionable—recreate the forest floor, feed the microbiome, and use energy wisely—so that our soils become sovereign, our food more nutritious, and our communities more resilient.

• 'Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)': https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
• 'Biodynamic Association (UK)': https://www.biodynamic.org.uk
• 'United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development': https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
• 'Kubota (global site for compact and agricultural machinery)': https://www.kubota.com
• 'Rosslyn Chapel (referenced in discussion of historical architecture and resonance)': https://www.rosslynchapel.com

On tonight’s live catch‑up I’m joined by Paul from Norfolk for a properly down‑to‑earth ramble about real farming in 2026. We start with weather woes (finally, much‑needed East Anglian rain), then dive into Paul’s three‑year journey building a tiny dairy from scratch, why ice cream is the make‑or‑break value‑add, and the joy and jeopardy of doing it all cash‑flow‑first. We swap stories on balky kit (a long‑awaited milk tank that wouldn’t chill), once‑a‑day milking, weaning calves, and that viral “calf in a badger hole” video that split the internet. From sluggish spring sales and social media bans on livestock posts to vet bills, feed choices and resilience, it’s the candid side of food that shoppers rarely hear.

We range wider too: talk of fertiliser tightness and fuel costs; US feedlot practices versus regenerative examples; ticks and livestock health; vending machines versus a staffed farm shop; bartering and alternative payments (including crypto) alongside good old cash; why schools and forest schooling should put food, stockmanship and cooking back at the centre; and how more people are swerving supermarkets for farm shops, box schemes and home delivery. It’s practical hope: make great food, tell the truth, keep community at the heart—and crack on.

• 'White Oak Pastures' (regenerative ranch cited): https://whiteoakpastures.com/
• 'Tim Gibson Ltd' (portable/robotic milking equipment mentioned): https://tim-gibson.com/
• 'NFU (National Farmers’ Union of England & Wales)' (industry body referenced): https://www.nfuonline.com/about-us/
• 'DEFRA – UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs' (regulator referenced): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-defra
• 'RSPB – Skylark (farmland bird discussed)': https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-we-do/influence-government-and-business/farming/advice-for-farmers-helping-bird-species/skylark-advice-for-farmers
• 'Bay’s Leap Dairy Farm' (raw/organic milk example): https://www.baysleaporganic.co.uk/dairy
• 'Riverford Organic Farmers' (veg‑box model mentioned): https://organic.riverford.co.uk/
• 'Abel & Cole' (veg‑box model mentioned): https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/
• 'Amazon Just Walk Out (UK overview)' (till‑less retail discussed): https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/amazon-just-walk-out-o2-arena-london
• 'AdBlue – what it is (Yara UK explainer)' (diesel exhaust fluid discussed): https://www.yara.co.uk/chemical-and-environmental-solutions/adblue-for-vehicles/what-is-adblue/
• 'TikTok – About' (platform referenced around shopping and bans): https://www.tiktok.com/about
• 'eBay UK' (home‑delivery/marketplace trend): https://www.ebay.co.uk/
• 'Food Finders Hub' (community food directory mentioned): https://foodfindershub.org/
• 'Müller UK & Ireland' (processor referenced): https://www.muller.co.uk/
• 'Bitcoin SV (BSV) – project site' (alternative payments referenced): https://bitcoinsv.com/

In this episode, I’m joined by Patricia and farmer Paul for a lively, plain‑spoken look at glyphosate, why so many growers feel trapped into using it, and what it takes to step off that treadmill. From Paul’s first‑hand shift away from routine sprays to working with insect predators, ground cover and dung beetles, to Patricia’s decade of public‑facing advocacy and education, we explore practical, small‑scale paths that prioritise soil life, biodiversity and nutrient‑dense food. We also get into realistic consumer choices: how to spot (and bake) real sourdough, why sprouted and stone‑ground grains can feel different in the body, and why many supermarket “shortcuts” keep us hungry. We talk local supply chains and margins too: the power of farm shops and markets, value‑adding with things like ice‑cream, and why direct relationships can beat commodity pricing. Along the way we touch on labelling, schools and community growing, raw milk, and the steady cultural shift—especially among younger buyers—towards better food. However you feel about glyphosate, this is a grounded conversation about farming in the real world and how eaters and growers can move the dial together.

• 'Toxic Legacy' by Stephanie Seneff: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/toxic-legacy-paperback/
• Stephanie Seneff (MIT) – official site: https://stephanieseneff.net/
• Kelly Ryerson (“Glyphosate Girl”) – official site: https://www.kellyryerson.com/
• Sustainable Food Trust (founded by Patrick Holden): https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/
• Riverford Organic Farmers (founded by Guy Singh‑Watson): https://www.riverford.co.uk/
• Pesticide Action Network UK (briefing paper): https://www.pan-uk.org/site/wp-content/uploads/Divergence_EU_LATEST_Apr2025.pdf
• Roundup (UK consumer information): https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/roundup
• Royal Horticultural Society (schools and Grow Your Own advice): https://www.rhs.org.uk/
• Sunshine & Green (Farmer Greg’s veg boxes): https://sunshineandgreen.co.uk/
• Crops Not Shops (community growing): https://www.cropsnotshops.co.uk/
• Food Finders Hub (UK directory for local food): https://foodfindershub.org/
• Ancel Keys (background): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancel_Keys
• Judy Mikovits (background): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Mikovits
• Prof. Angus Dalgleish (background): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_Dalgleish