In this episode of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar, we’re joined by Kate Speke-Adams, Managing Director of Herefordshire Rural Hub and current holder of the Bullock Award.

Kate shares how her Nuffield Scholarship shaped her approach to farmer engagement, from championing peer-to-peer learning to leading large-scale collaborative projects that balance food production with environmental outcomes.

We explore her work supporting farmers through increasingly complex challenges, from water quality and regulation to succession planning and business resilience, and dive into the ambitious Wyescapes landscape recovery project, spanning over 5,000 hectares and 49 farms.

Kate also reflects on the long-term impact of her scholarship, the power of collaboration, and why Nuffield continues to open doors long after the study tour ends.

With thanks to our Sponsor NFU Mutual.

Tales of a Nuffield Scholar with Alex Brewster

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Alex Brewster 🎙️ Alex is an upland beef and sheep farmer in central Scotland, running a large scale hill farm that has gone through huge system change over the past decade, with a real focus on soils, grazing and whole farm resilience 🌾

We spoke about Alex’s early life, heading off to New Zealand as a young lad and quickly realising there was a lot more to learn about farming than he first thought. That experience planted a seed that would later come back through his Nuffield journey, where curiosity and a willingness to question everything became a big part of how he now farms 🚜

His Nuffield Scholarship started off looking at genetics and genomics, but quickly shifted into something much broader. It became about diversity, soil biology and ultimately the role of red meat in the 21st century. Alex spoke about how uncomfortable he felt with some of the early conversations around heavy intervention in genetics, and how that pushed him towards a more natural systems based approach 🌍

One of the standout parts was hearing how everything finally clicked just hours before his presentation. Bringing together soils, grazing systems and human nutrition, he landed on a simple but powerful idea, that farmers are not just producing food, but producing real nutrition that cannot be replicated synthetically. It was one of those moments that really shows what Nuffield can do when it all comes together 

We also got into the detail of what that looks like on farm today, from reducing inputs and working with nature, to building more resilient livestock systems that can thrive with less intervention. It was a brilliant example of long term thinking and being willing to challenge the way things have always been done 🌱

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

In this episode of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar, we’re joined by Robin Asquith, whose journey takes us far beyond traditional agriculture.

From growing up around soft fruit farms in North Yorkshire to leading environmental work at the Camphill Village Trust, Robin shares how farming can play a powerful role in supporting people with learning disabilities, mental health challenges, and complex needs.

This isn’t your typical Nuffield topic, but that’s exactly what makes it so important.

We explore:

🌱 What care farming and “green care” really mean

🧠 How nature and agriculture can improve mental health and independence

🌍 Insights from Robin’s Nuffield travels across Europe and Scandinavia

🚜 Real stories of transformation, from non-verbal communication breakthroughs to rehabilitation through farming

🔄 Why agriculture could (and should) play a bigger role in social care systems

Robin also opens up about the personal challenges of his Nuffield journey, the power of mentorship, and why being curious and brave is key to making an impact.

A thought-provoking episode that redefines what agriculture can be, and who it can serve.

Thanks to our sponsors NFU Mutual for their support.

Tales of a Nuffield Scholar with Gordon Whiteford

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Gordon Whiteford 🎙️ Gordon is a farmer based in Moray running a diverse business built around free range and organic egg production, alongside dairy, sheep and a strong direct to consumer focus through his farm shop 🌾

We spoke about Gordon’s early life growing up on a dairy farm in Ayrshire before his family moved away from farming when he was young. That shift created a real drive in him to build something of his own, which eventually led to starting a poultry enterprise from scratch and growing it into the core of his business today 🚜

Gordon’s Nuffield Scholarship focused on welfare in free range laying hens, but his journey quickly expanded into wider thinking around systems, soil health and regenerative approaches. His travels took him across Europe, the USA, Africa and beyond, shaping how he now views farming as a whole system rather than individual enterprises.

With thanks to our Sponsor NFU Mutual.

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Sarah Hughes 🎙️

Sarah works with Syngenta leading their amenity business across the UK and Ireland, covering sectors such as turf, forestry, pest management and ornamentals. She is also a 2017 Nuffield Scholar whose study explored the economics of vertical farming and whether controlled environment agriculture could offer viable opportunities for food production 🌾

We spoke about Sarah’s unusual career path through agriculture, from training as an agronomist and working in arable crops to later running her own edible flower business supplying high end restaurants and hotels. That experience of producing high value crops sparked her interest in vertical farming and ultimately shaped the focus of her Nuffield study 🚜

Sarah’s travels took her across the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Dubai and the United States, alongside the global Nuffield group on the CSC in Brazil. She reflected on how much excitement surrounded vertical farming at the time and how her research quickly showed the real challenge was the economics behind it. The technology could work, but the costs of energy, labour and infrastructure often made the model incredibly difficult to sustain 🌍

We also spoke about balancing Nuffield with family life, running a business and raising two children at the same time. Sarah made a really important point that there is no single way to complete a Nuffield Scholarship. Everyone’s circumstances are different and sometimes the best approach is simply finding a way to make it work around the life you already have 🌱

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Trevor Alcorn 🎙️ Trevor is a dairy farmer from County Tyrone, a CAFRE dairy development adviser, and a 2015 Nuffield Scholar whose topic asked a question many farming families still wrestle with today, does the family dairy farm have a future 🌾

We started with Trevor’s own story, farming for generations near Omagh, milking just over 200 cows on heavy clay soils with high rainfall, and balancing the home farm alongside his advisory role with discussion groups across Northern Ireland. There was something really grounding about hearing how he juggles both, and how much of his scholarship topic is rooted in lived experience 🚜

Trevor’s Nuffield travels took him to the US, China, Germany, France, Denmark, Ireland and across the UK. He spoke about seeing 20 cow dairies and 4,000 cow family farms in America, the rapid shift in China towards large scale corporate dairy units, and the collaborative dairy models in France that prioritise work life balance. It was fascinating hearing how different systems approach scale, ownership and family involvement 🌍

When pushed to answer his own question ten years on, Trevor was clear. Yes, the family dairy farm does have a future, but it must communicate, collaborate and innovate. That three word summary really stuck with me. So often it is not the technical side that holds businesses back, but conversations within families and willingness to adapt 🌱

We also spoke about his ongoing role within Nuffield, from helping lead the Belfast conference to serving as a trustee and working closely with the NextGen programme. Hearing his pride in the next generation of scholars coming through was a brilliant way to wrap up the conversation.

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Taylor Davies 🎙️ Ben is a regenerative agriculture consultant, farmer, and Nuffield Scholar whose story spans family farming, global travel, and a very honest journey through challenge, change and curiosity 🌾

We spoke about Ben’s early life on the family farm in Herefordshire, how the business narrowed into conventional arable systems over time, and how a deeply personal family tragedy forced him to stop, reassess, and question everything he thought he knew about farming and success. That moment ultimately led him towards a Nuffield Scholarship, even though he admits he didn’t want one right up until the moment he left 🚜

Ben’s Nuffield journey took him across North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia, including solo travel by train from the UK to China. Along the way he encountered regenerative thinkers, different production systems, and a completely new way of understanding soils, weeds, biology and farming economics. A chance meeting in North Dakota became a turning point, shifting his focus from fighting weeds to understanding what they are telling us 🌍

We also talked about neurodiversity, ADHD, and how finally understanding how his brain works unlocked confidence, clarity and purpose. That perspective now underpins both his consulting work around the world and the radical diversification of the family farm, from livestock and agroforestry to food processing, education, hospitality and energy production 🌱

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Jim Chapman 🎙️ Jim is an arable farmer from Warwickshire, a Nuffield Scholar, and someone many will recognise for his work around farm safety and lived experience within agriculture 🌾

We spoke about Jim’s early life in farming, his love of machinery, and the accident that changed everything when he lost his arm in a PTO incident in his early twenties. Jim spoke openly and honestly about the physical and mental impact that followed, the long road back into farming, and how humour, young farmers, and community helped him find his feet again 🚜

Jim’s Nuffield Scholarship focused on farm safety and asked a simple but difficult question, how do we stop killing people on farms. His travels took him through North America, Australia and New Zealand, meeting policymakers, educators and farmers, and ultimately realising there is no single silver bullet. Instead, progress comes from culture change, everyday decisions, and normalising conversations around risk 🌍

We also talked about fatherhood, perspective, and how priorities shift over time. Jim shared how Nuffield quietly opened doors, built confidence, and connected him with people and opportunities he never expected, while also helping shape changes on his own farm around soil health, cost control and systems thinking 🌱

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy! 🙂

Today on the Tales of a Nuffield Scholar series I had the pleasure of chatting with Tom Bradshaw e He is the NFU President, a fourth generation farmer from Essex, and a Nuffield Scholar whose journey has helped shape both his own farming business and his leadership at the very top of the industry

We talked about Tom's early life on a mixed livestock farm, how selling cows and pigs led to contract farming and diversification, and how those decisions pushed him to think differently about soil fertility, business resilience and long term sustainability. His Nuffield Scholarship took him across New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Argentina and the US, opening his eyes to everything from regenerative systems to large scale global production, and challenging some long held assumptions along the way so

One of my favourite parts was hearing Tom reflect on how Nuffield quietly built the confidence and perspective that later helped him step into national leadership roles. A single comment during his travels planted a seed that eventually led him towards the NFU presidency, even though it was never something he set out to do.

We also spoke openly about the pressures of representing farmers during incredibly challenging times, balancing family life with a demanding role, and why staying calm, constructive and solutions focused really matters. His advice to anyone thinking about a Nuffield Scholarship was honest and encouraging, take the opportunity, stay curious and be ready for doors you never expected to open e

Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.

Enjoy!