The Pasture Pod

A Canadian themed episode to bring "Season 2" to an end. Arron came over to the UK in January 2023 and spoke to loads of people over the course of a week. I went to see him at the AHDB meeting in Northumberland at George Burrell's and it was such a refreshing and positive experience. Even though he has such a different environment to contend with, the principle of system first is such a powerful thing.  He popped into Culteuchar, met Mo, stayed the night (not in that way) and was polite about my handful of heifers and sheep.

Hope you enjoy it.  If you do, Arron is starting a new podcast of his own with Amy Hughes called Think Outside the Fence. 1st August 2023 release, I think. First guest is me and the interview has happened. I don't think I'm catastrophising but looking back on it I am definitely getting Gerald Ratner / Holly Willoughby vibes, so this might be the last Pasture Pod before I'm cancelled.

After 12 years apart, two acquaintences meet. Everything has changed, Michael is even fatter and has less hair; Chris seems to have given Michael his extra body mass - he's lighter and fitter.  Chris is also more self aware and intimidates Michael slightly less than in 2010. They talk for a long time and record some of it.  Michael likes to think he and Chris have become friends whereas Chris doesn't think about Michael at all. They talk about life and farming, carbon and environmental services, calves on and direct selling, getting abuse for an episode of Country Calendar and not giving a shit. They talk about neurodiversity.  The end.

Link to Country Calendar episode: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FwM7mosNF-rQnuYygKLRqo7g2VB1SyxO/view?usp=sharing Pasture Pod hoodies, t shirts and beanies can be found at https://thepasturepod.myshopify.com/

For the hardcore, the Pasture Pod Patreon page is patreon.com/thepasturepod

27th Feb Workshop: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/559518042527

6th March Workshop with Ram Savana: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/562990589007

It's About Time was not on time this week - not perfect but at least it's definitely done!

This is the last in the series and I want to thank everyone that was involved and everyone that is listened. Thanks to all those that took the trouble to message.  

Special, special thanks to the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust. This simply wouldn't exist without their help.

Best book on time ever is Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks

If in doubt seek expert help.  My quest gets closer to an inconvenient truth as I speak to coaches, consultants and, big potato grower with normal sized potatoes, Robin Griffiths.  This is the proper time management episode and was a bit of a revelation to me.

Mention is given to the pomodoro technique with insufficient explanation until closer to the end. The pomodoro technique is simply using a timer to spend 25 minuites on a task then having 5 minutes break with the option then to start again. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato which was the type of kitchen timer the inventor of the tehnique had at hand. Google it and you'll see one.

References include websites:

Clare Evans website

Ram and EnableAg

Sian Bushell

I spent most of this episode in my pants watching YouTube.  Clips used are for educational purposes. The series up to this point was on a roll with reviews like "I'm enjoying it much more than I thought I would" - but this was a big test to keep the underwhelming momentum up.  Systems is such a monster of a subject but I hope you get something from it.

Additional thanks to James Sills (@JRDSills) off of Twitter for talking about Elon's 5 steps.

Books and YouTube clips: Thinking in Systems by Donnella H Meadows

Russell Ackoff example speech

James Paine lecture

Everyday Astronaut and Elon Musk

Episode 3 sees me continue haphazardly like King Arthur in Monty Python's Holy Grail ... no horse and just coconuts as a sound effect.  I eventually take my brave tablets and speak to "The Australian", then spend the rest of the episode trying to translate things to a UK Context. Luckily I have some sensible people helping.  Can we nail down what is possible in terms of labour efficiencies in UK farming?

The quest for answers continues.  Is our use of time the invisible handbrake on our lives and businesses that we leave on without realising?  I visit three dairy farms and hear about their experiences and challenges, within them there are parables and wisdom and glimpses of the answer.

Warning: may contain poor analogies.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Yes I Can: Achieve Success with the Life-Planning Toolkit by Con Hurley

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R Covey

A Book for Life: 10 Steps to Spiritual Wisdom, a Clear Mind and Lasting Happiness by Jo Bowlby

A departure from the normal Pasture Pod, I do my best attempt at being a poundshop Louis Theroux and go on a quest to find answers on how time affects farming and how we can use time to affect our lives and businesses for good.

Episode one contains a record breaking number of metaphors per minute of narration ... so be prepared. Thankfully all is saved by those that were interviewed.

Profound thanks to the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust for their support in the making of this. 

Episodes will be released weekly from 16th January 2023 ... there will be six or seven in total. There will also be at an opportunity to interact on the subject after this series is over through a couple of webinars in March.

Once apon a time soil was less cool than flares (when they weren't trendy) and plastic shoes.  I may have been forced to wear the latter two items of clothing as a young adult but at least I wasn't studying soil science!!  BUT times have changed, a revolution has happened and soil science might be - quite possibly - one of the coolest things going.  Joel Williams is one of the people that have made it cool - a bit like Damon Albarn was to Britpop without the pretentiousness.  If you get depressed at all the chat that sneers at carbon sequestration from those with the loudest voices, listen to this to feel a lot better.  The power of rotational grazing and its benefits to soil health is very real - keep putting up those fences folks and keep getting pumped up by pasture!

LInk to info on Joel's Foliar Nitrogen course:  https://www.integratedsoils.com/foliar-nitrogen