Today we welcome Ben Briggs onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ From Editor at Farmers Guardian to Head of Marketing and Comms at the UK AgriTech Centre, Ben’s journey through agricultural journalism and strategy is full of purpose. But it’s not just media—Ben is also a Wainwright finisher and passionate fellwalker. 🏞️

We explore Ben’s love for the Lake District, where walking helped him process work stress and stay grounded. He shares how it all started with his gran dragging him up Parlick at age three, and how he now walks with his sons, passing on that love for the outdoors. 👨‍👦‍👦⛰️

Ben also reflects on his rural upbringing—his parents ran a milk round in Blackburn—and his pride in the town’s moment of football glory in 1995. A Blackburn Rovers fan for life, his story intertwines sport, identity, and place. ⚽🥛

This episode blends personal stories with big-picture reflections on leadership, rural storytelling, and giving back to the sector. A thoughtful, energising listen! 📢💬

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#BenBriggs #Wainwright214 #FellWalking #UKAgriTechCentre #FarmersGuardian #RuralMedia #AgriLeadership #BlackburnRovers #FarmLife #MilkRound #RuralCommunities #AgriJournalism #NatureTherapy #FamilyTime #CountrysideStories #HowdenRural #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #OutdoorLife #RuralRoots #FarmComms #AgriVoices

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Today we welcome Arthur Parkinson onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ Arthur is a passionate gardener, illustrator, writer, and poultry enthusiast who brings creativity and honesty to rural life. With five published books—including one on rare-breed chickens—and a loyal Instagram following, Arthur’s story is one of beauty, care, and bold expression. 🌸

We dive into his experiences at the Chelsea Flower Show, both as a worker and now as an invited guest. From luxury press days to the reality of garden building, Arthur’s insight into the evolving educational potential of Chelsea is refreshing and reflective. 🌼🛠️

A true advocate for authenticity, Arthur shares his journey through floristry, content creation, and calling out injustices in large-scale animal systems. He blends art, advocacy, and agriculture in a way that invites all to engage. 🐓✍️

Arthur’s honesty and humility shine throughout, reminding us that there’s strength in vulnerability, and that growing, drawing, and sharing rural life can be deeply powerful. A tender, artistic episode you won’t forget! ❤️🌿

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#ArthurParkinson #RareBreedChickens #ChelseaFlowerShow #FloristLife #PoultryPassion #Gardening #CountryCreatives #BritishFarming #RuralArts #FarmingVoices #ChickensAndCrops #FarmToSketchbook #IllustratorLife #AuthenticFarming #FarmCreativity #AnimalWelfare #FlowerFarming #HowdenRural #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #FarmWithHeart #AgriInfluencer #RuralHonesty

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Today as part of the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar podcast which aims to share the stories of Nuffield UK Alumni, we welcome David Miller—pioneer of regenerative direct drilling and a respected voice in the future of sustainable arable farming. 🌾🌍

With roots on a 400-acre Essex farm and decades of real-world experience, David shares his path from grammar school dropout to thought leader in low-disturbance farming. His honesty about imposter syndrome is both grounding and inspiring. 🚜💡

David reflects on his Nuffield journey, his work with David Rose, and why soil health must underpin productivity. He champions systems that nurture biodiversity, manage inputs wisely, and build long-term resilience. 🌱🪱

A powerful episode with reflections on humility, sustainability, and reimagining what good looks like in UK agriculture. Essential listening for anyone exploring regen ag or farmer-led change. 🐞📖

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for their support of this project.

The views in this podcast are that of those involved and not that of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust.

#DavidMiller #NuffieldScholar #RegenAg #DirectDrilling #ArableFarming #SoilHealth #FarmerVoices #SustainableAg #NuffieldFarming #AgriInnovation #FieldToFork #AgTech #AgriChangeMakers #FarmerLedResearch #KnowledgeExchange #SoilMatters #ResilientFarming #FarmingFutures #AgriLeadership #HowdenRural #TalesofaNuffieldScholar #R2Kast #AgriVoices

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Today we welcome Lucy Fabbri onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ A nurse with a twist, Lucy balances trauma care at weekends with a weekday focus on the carnivore lifestyle. Her story blends science, introspection, and unconventional health choices—delivered with wit, warmth, and honesty. 🥩🩺

After nearly studying philosophy and theology, Lucy’s life took a surprise turn into nursing thanks to her sister’s quick thinking. Now working in orthopaedic trauma, she brings a deep and philosophical perspective to patient care and human connection. 📚❤️

We dive into her transition to the carnivore diet—why she did it, how it works for her, and the unexpected benefits she’s seen. From beef to lamb to eggs, she shares how this change reshaped her energy, wellbeing, and sense of control. 🥚🍖

Lucy is proof that career paths don’t need to be linear and that personal health can take many forms. A truly insightful episode about instinct, care, and questioning the norm! 🧠✨

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#LucyFabbri #CarnivoreNurse #OrthopaedicTrauma #MeatBasedLiving #PhilosophyInPractice #WomenInHealth #HealthcareVoices #BeefAndBrains #LambAndLogic #PatientCare #RuralNursing #CarnivoreLife #FoodForFuel #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #HealthChoices #NursingJourney #SisterSupport #HowdenRural #UnconventionalWellness #DeepThinkers #MedicalMinds #EatToThrive

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Today we welcome Ross Robertson onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ A bearded Scotsman, farmer, and fellow UK AgriTech Centre colleague, Ross blends traditional lambing life with cutting-edge innovation. From Brechin to Brazil, his journey is as much about mud as it is about modernisation. 🌍🐑

We explore Ross’s farming roots in Angus, his passion for livestock, and how dry summers can spell trouble when you need grass to grow. He brings us right into the post-lambing realities, show season prep, and the ever-Scottish obsession with the weather! ☀️🌧️

Ross also dives into his work with the Falkland Islands Development Corporation and his eye-opening experiences in Brazil. From high-end steak dinners to scorching 41°C days, his tales of agritech collaboration and international travel highlight the sector’s global scope. ✈️🥩

Ross is real, relatable, and razor-sharp—a man with one foot in the soil and the other in the future of farming. A brilliant conversation full of insight, humour, and serious agritech energy! 🚜💡

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#RossRobertson #LambingLife #UKAgriTechCentre #FarmingInnovation #BrazilAgTech #ScotlandToSaoPaulo #FarmWeatherWatch #RuralReality #LivestockLife #GrassGrowth #AgriLeadership #GlobalFarming #FalklandIslandsAg #HowdenRural #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #FarmTech #InternationalAg #AgricultureAndTech #AngusFarming #RuralVoices #AgriAdventures

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Today we welcome Rachel Draper onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ Rachel’s journey spans the rural traditions of livestock auctioneering and the world of field sports to founding her own countryside-focused social media app. With a young family and a background shaped by ponies and lambs, she’s channelled her knowledge into innovation. 🐑📱

After years in the shooting industry—supporting gunmakers, running clay grounds, and managing retail—Rachel stepped back when her daughters were born. But stepping back didn’t mean slowing down. It led her to build ‘Stile Country,’ a platform giving space to outdoor pursuits often sidelined on mainstream social media. 🎯✨

We discuss motherhood, entrepreneurship, and a love for the outdoors. Rachel shares how growing up with a livestock auctioneer dad and a horse-loving mum gave her the foundations for the world she now works in. 🐎👩‍👧‍👧

Her story is one of community, creativity, and carving out a digital space for rural voices to flourish. A brilliant episode about representation, resilience, and rural life! 🌿❤️

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#StyleCountry #WomenInAg #FieldSports #Gunmakers #LivestockAuction #RuralMum #CountryLife #RuralInnovation #AgriTech #ShootingIndustry #OutdoorApp #RuralCommunity #EquestrianLife #RuralStartups #ShetlandPonies #CountrysideVoices #BritishFarming #FarmLife #HowdenRural #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #DigitalFarming #RuralTech #Entrepreneurship

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R2Kast 340 - Sarah Rankin on MasterChef, Seasonal Food and Cooking with Connection

Today we welcome Sarah Rankin onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ After reaching the final four on BBC’s MasterChef, Sarah transformed her passion for seasonal Scottish cooking into a full-time career—hosting supper clubs, cooking classes, and featuring regularly on BBC Radio. A true advocate for real food and real connection. 🥄📻

Sarah talks through her journey from marketing consultant to MasterChef finalist, the intense filming process, and how lockdown sparked a new lease on life. Her time on the show shaped her belief in accessible, sustainable food and the power of authenticity in the kitchen. 🔥📺

We explore her two cookbooks—including Kith, which champions Scottish seasonality—and her views on what’s broken in the food system. From promoting local produce to addressing policy imbalances, she’s a powerful voice for better food futures. 🍓🥕

With hands-on cooking classes and locally-sourced supper clubs in Kinross, Sarah celebrates food that brings people together. Whether on radio, on stage, or at the table, she’s creating a community where everyone belongs. A deliciously inspiring conversation! 🧑‍🍳❤️

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#SarahRankin #MasterChefUK #ScottishCooking #LocalFood #SustainableEating #SeasonalCooking #KithCookbook #CookingClasses #FoodSystemChange #BBCFood #WomenInFood #FarmToFork #FoodPolicy #CommunityCooking #FoodStorytelling #RealFood #FoodEducation #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #HowdenRural #UKAgVoices

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Today as part of the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar podcast which aims to share the stories of Nuffield UK Alumni, we welcome Neil McGowan of Incheoch Farm— a stalwart of Highland livestock farming and a voice of reason in the future of rural leadership. From Perthshire glens to global insights, Neil’s journey is steeped in tradition, challenge, and thoughtful evolution. 🌍

With a Nuffield focus on succession planning and knowledge exchange, Neil shares his passion for encouraging farmers to reflect, plan, and communicate. He emphasises the importance of working off-farm, seeing other systems, and returning to agriculture with a renewed mindset. 🧠🌱

We explore Neil’s family background, his education in agribusiness at Newcastle, and his early encouragement to step outside of farming before returning to Incheoch full-time. His commitment to learning, legacy, and thoughtful decision-making underpins a deeply inspiring story. 👨‍🌾📚

Neil speaks honestly about family, inheritance, and what it takes to keep a business—and a bond—strong across generations. A grounded, wise conversation from someone who’s walked the walk. 🐑❤️

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for their support of this project.

The views in this podcast are that of those involved and not that of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust.

#R2Kast #NuffieldScholar #NeilMcGowan #SuccessionPlanning #FarmLeadership #AgriLegacy #Incheoch #HighlandFarming #AgriMentoring #AgriBusiness #NuffieldFarming #KnowledgeExchange #SheepFarming #FamilyFarming #ScottishAgriculture #YoungFarmers #AgEducation #RuralResilience #FarmingFuture #HowdenRural #TalesofaNuffieldScholar #AgriVoices #GlobalAgLearning #FarmStories #NuffieldUK

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Today we welcome Holly Moscrop onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ Holly’s story is one of strength and adaptability—after becoming chronically ill at 16, she found new ways to stay rooted in the farming life she loves. From running admin for her family’s farm to managing their beef suckler herd, her passion remains undiminished. 🌾🐂

Despite being mostly housebound for years due to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Holly now gets out daily using a powered wheelchair—her story is a powerful reminder that farming has room for everyone. With her eye on launching meat boxes and expanding the herd, her tenacity shines through. ♿️✨

We explore Holly’s growing platform “One Girl and Her Cows,” where she shares life on the farm, her experiences with chronic illness, and a fantastic farm dictionary that breaks down agri-jargon for all. It’s social media that informs and includes, bringing consumers and farmers closer. 📲📚

Holly is a strong advocate for inclusivity in agriculture, showing that practical work isn’t the only way to farm. Through cooking, storytelling, and real-world connection, she’s paving a more open path into the sector—where all skillsets and backgrounds are welcomed. A truly uplifting episode! 🌱❤️

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#InclusiveFarming #ChronicIllnessAwareness #MEWarrior #BeefBoxes #FarmAdmin #OneGirlAndHerCows #SucklerHerd #DisabilityAdvocate #WomenInAg #FarmLife #FarmDiversification #AccessibleFarming #FarmBlog #BritishFarming #FarmDictionary #RuralResilience #AgriculturalInclusion #SustainableFarming #FamilyFarm #HowdenRural #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #FarmWithPurpose #UKAgVoices

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Today we welcome James Standen onto the R2Kast! 🎙️ With no inherited land but a deep-rooted love for agriculture, James shares his remarkable journey from farm consultancy to managing estates and now running both a tenanted farm and Newcastle University’s agricultural operations. 🌾🐑

James takes us through his journey into tenancy, explaining how a chance meeting led to his family securing their North Yorkshire farm. With sheep, stewardship, fishing lakes, and environmental diversification at the heart of their operation, it’s a story of resilience and reinvention. 🏞️🛶

We dive into James’s Nuffield Scholarship and how it’s influenced the transformation of Newcastle University’s farms—turning underutilised land into hubs for research, teaching, and student engagement. He shares wins, lessons learned, and the importance of collaboration and strategy. 🎓🧠

With a keen focus on integrating environmental stewardship, practical learning, and entrepreneurial thinking, James’s approach offers insight into what resilient farming and modern land-based education can look like. A brilliant mix of innovation and authenticity! 🌱✨

Enjoy! 😊

Thank you to Howden Rural for the continued support.

#TenantedFarming #UniversityFarms #JamesStanden #NewcastleUniversity #EnvironmentalFarming #FarmDiversification #AgEducation #LandUseStrategy #RomneySheep #HolidayCottage #FarmConsultant #ResearchFarming #NuffieldScholar #StewardshipSchemes #FarmWalks #FarmPolicy #PracticalEducation #NextGenFarming #SustainableAgriculture #HowdenRural #R2Kast #PeopleInFoodAndFarming #FarmLeadership #UKAgVoices

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