Bees, Moths, and More – Our Hidden Essential Farmers

In this final episode of the series, we turn the spotlight onto the often-overlooked insects that quietly keep our farming systems alive. From bees to moths and beyond, these tiny creatures are under increasing pressure in modern agricultural landscapes. Unless we shift towards more organic and regenerative approaches, we risk taking them - and their vital work - for granted.

To explore this, we speak with enthusiasts, experts, and growers who are making a real difference despite the challenges.

Willow Lohr - A long-time resident of Scotland and skilled bushcraft practitioner, Willow shares her deep passion for bees.

Mike Read – A conservationist with experience from southern England to projects worldwide, Mike joins me to talk about the fascinating and often misunderstood world of moths.

Des Kelly, Torbreck Orchard – Offering a local perspective on fruit growing, Des highlights the essential role insects play. If you’re nearby, Torbreck Orchard is well worth a visit.

Seeds of Scotland – I speak to Haley Shepherd, based north of Inverness. This inspiring initiative is building a strong collection of open-pollinated seeds adapted to the Scottish climate. A resource that small-scale growers can both support and learn from.

Stay tuned for Season 5, coming this autumn!

#HighlandGoodFoodPodcast #HighlandGoodFoodPartnership

What is the Future for Community Composting in the Highlands?

Composting is on the rise, and whether you're doing it at home, with council collections, or at your local community garden, many of us are eager to learn more and help nurture the soil. In this episode, we chat with Pamela Sutherland, Head Gardener at Inverness Botanic Gardens Inverness Botanic Gardens, about all things composting.

Schools are doing fantastic work inspiring kids to get hands-on with dirt and worms. We spoke to Karen Henderson from Tarradale Primary to find out how they're getting children involved. After some questions about regulations, we reached out to Fiona Donaldson at SEPA for clarification. You can check out the form she mentions here: SEPA Registration Form.

Next, we caught up with Brenna Anderson, Project Officer with Highland Community Waste Partnership, to chat about tips, inspiring stories, and what’s next for community composting. For more details, check out this helpful site: Highland Community Composting.

Plus, there's plenty of additional information on food waste here: Keep Scotland Beautiful - Food Waste.

No matter what your community composting needs are, someone’s been there and is ready to lend a hand!

Regenerative Farming and Regenerative Agriculture are concepts that have been around longer than you might expect. But what do they truly mean, and how are these practices reshaping the future of farming? Could it be the transformative solution the planet needs - or is regulation required to guide this rapidly growing subsector?

To find out more, we delve into the experiences and perspectives of farmers, crofters, and passionate advocates, who are driving this movement forward.

Featured are Jo Hunt from Knockfarrel Produce, Ruth Ashton-Shaw from Low Auldgirth Farm, Abi Mordin from Propagate and farmers from the SW Scotland Regenerative Farming Network.

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For those eager to learn more, there are excellent resources available. Propagate, for example, recently hosted a knowledge exchange trip and farm walks, which the Highland Good Food Partnership participated in. Another valuable resource is the Nature Friendly Farming Network, offering a wealth of information and free membership.

And don’t miss the thought-provoking documentary "Six Inches of Soil" ; a must-watch for anyone interested in sustainable farming practices.

Check out the Highland Good Food Partnership here.

And more podcast episodes here.

Sustaining a family farm through generations requires immense perseverance and dedication. However, what are the current and emerging challenges that long-standing farms in the Highlands are facing? And is it true that traditional farms are resistant to change, as often perceived?

In our latest episode of the Highland Good Food Podcast, we explore these questions with John and Fiona Scott of Fearn Farm and Hector Munro of Foulis Farms. These two families defy the stereotype, demonstrating that staying connected to the local community and embracing change are essential strategies for weathering future political and economic storms.

Join the Highland Good Food Partnership, to help shape the future of good food in the Highlands.

Here are some great and inspiring ideas from two different Scottish businesses. Both Macleod Organics in the Highlands and Balcaskie Estate in Fife have thrived by being creative and willing to pursue what they believe in with passion and ingenuity.

What is the Good Food Nation Plan? What does it mean to each of us and how can we assure that this opportunity is made the most of?

In March there will be an option to join organised “consultation engagement events” Sounds a bit wordy, but it can be helpful to understand what opportunities there are to be a little more involved in the Good Food Nation plan.

https://consult.gov.scot/agriculture-and-rural-economy/national-good-food-nation-plan/

There will also be more informal “kitchen table talks” that you can join here.

https://www.foodcoalition.scot/kitchen-table-talks.html

https://www.nourishscotland.org/campaigns/good-food-nation-bill/kitchen-table-talks/

The Highland Good Food Partnership is organising 6 Highland-specific consultation events - each one focused on one of the 6 outcomes - visit https://highlandgoodfood.scot/gfn/ for more details.

In this episode, we delve into Farmer Clusters in Scotland. Join us as we explore the challenges, successes, and the exciting potential of what can be achieved when farmers unite on a larger scale.

Our guests include Fiona Torrance from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Kat Sharp, farmer and facilitator for the Glen Urquhart Farmer Cluster, and Fred Swift, Farmer and facilitator of the West Loch Ness Farmer Cluster.

Full report available here “Collaboration at landscape scale: Farmer Clusters in Scotland Project Report” – https://highlandgoodfood.scot/farmerclusters/

Creative ways to make a living on a croft

In this episode we meet three people living and making a living on croft land across the Highlands and Islands. Living close to the land and working with the seasons, their stories are individual, yet with similar threads of love of nature and a willingness to be creative and inventive. Have a listen and see if this way of life could be for you and tempt you to find a place to grow, or to buy more local food. There is a lot of information here  https://crofting.scotland.gov.uk/.

This episode is about wwoofing (worldwide opportunities on organic farms) Talking to hosts and volunteers who have benefitted from this exchange scheme, our new host Fuggo investigates why the practical experiences can help learn about food growing and inspire us to get closer to the land. Clive and Julie, hosts near Inverness have a permaculture garden. Alex is head gardener at Allangrange on the Black Isle and Liv is a wwoofer!

In this episode we explore some of the ways education and training can contribute to teaching young people and adults how to grow food and develop skills for life and work. We speak to the manager of a small working farm on the Black Isle, the founder of the Lochaber Rural Education Trust and the Headteacher in charge of a 'Grow, Cook, Compost' primary school project.