 John
Holman explains the changes here on Farm Radio.
Click on the bale to listen
|
Melplash Show Preview
Thursday August 21st, 2008.
7.30am to 6.00pm
Margery Hookings recorded this
preview of the ever popular Melplash Show, talking to the secretary of the
Melplash Agricultural Society, Anita Ford.
Tickets are available pre-show from
the Melplash Show
Office (also available on-line), 23, South Street, Bridport, 01308
423337 or from Frosts, Bridport; The Trawlerman, West Bay; Girling and
Bowditch Veterinary Surgery, Beaminster; Bridport, Lyme Regis or Dorchester
Tourist Information Centres.
Click on the bale to listen
(29/07/08)
|
Michael Jones
 We
first met Michael Jones back in October 2007 when he told us about a new
electronic method he was trying out for detecting cows in heat.
Admitting that he was a sceptic about the technology, Geoff Pagotto decided
to revisit the farm this summer and find out how Michael and the cows have
managed.
Please listen to the previous item with Michael
Click on the bale to listen
(28/07/08)
|
FWAG Announcement - "Green Wellies"
Dry Stone Walling workshop, Fleet, 29th July
Guided walk with Clare Buckerfield of FWAG, Lydlinch,
15th August
For information 01305 251742
www.fwag.org.uk
Click on the bale to listen
(25/07/08)
|
Blackmore Farm, Cannington
The literature rather says it all:
“Step back in time at this unique
Grade 1 Listed, 14th Century Manor House which retains many period features
including oak beams, stone archways and medieval garderobes. A friendly
welcome awaits you at this family run farm situated in a quiet rural
location with views to the Quantock Hills.”
And when James Harrison paid a visit
for Farm Radio to the Dyer family, that’s exactly what he found, a warm
welcome coupled with a fascinating history. But in addition to the Bed
and Breakfast and Farm Shop at Blackmore, it’s also business as usual for
the farm itself...
www.dyerfarm.co.uk
Click on the bale to listen
(23/07/08)
|
The Landsman Magazine
Over fifteen thousand copies of
‘The Landsman’ are circulated every two months throughout the south
west. The magazine’s obtainable from farm shops, agricultural suppliers,
garden centres and village shops and - its free! The hub of this
publishing enterprise was tracked down by Farm Radio’s John Burgess to a
farm deep in the Devon countryside.
Anthony and Deborah Edwards
moved to Devon in 1998 with their publishing business. They became
converts to real country living and farming when they moved to their 90
acre farm near Colyton about three years ago. So now farming and
publishing live side by side as John discovered.
The Landsman
Email:
landsman@globalnet.co.uk
Editorial:
Editor Deborah Edwards
Email:
editorial@thelandsman.co.uk
Advertising Sales:
Email:
advertising@thelandsman.co.uk
Click on the bale to listen
(22/07/08)
|
FRAMPO AT GLASTO!
West Dorset Farmer Andrew Frampton
was let loose with a microphone at this year's Glastonbury Festival.
Tune in to listen to his interviews with the rich and famous!
Part 1 in which he talks to Radio
2's Mark Radcliffe shortly after he finished his set as part of the Family
Mahone.
Click on the bale to listen
(22/07/08)
Part 2 in which he talks to Pete Budd of the Wurzels
and Will Young.
Click on the bale to listen
(22/07/08)
|
Forde Abbey Summer Fair Preview
THURSDAY JULY 31ST,
2008 11am – 4pm.
Margery Hookings talks to retired
farmer Philip Crawford from Beaminster who is involved in publicising the
event in aid of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI).
This is a charity that helps people in rural industries who have fallen on
hard times and has done much to help those who have been suffering during
the recent changes in farming and the countryside.
Forde Abbey is easy to find. It is situated 4 miles
South East of Chard. It is signed with brown tourist signs off the main roads
between Chard, Axminster and Crewkerne. (A30, A358 and the A3165). For the GPS
the post code is TA20 4LU
Royal
Agricultural Benevolent Institution
Click on the bale to listen
(18/07/08)
|
ANNOUNCEMENT!
TOLPUDDLE MARTYRS' RALLY
FRIDAY JULY 18TH -
SUNDAY 20TH JULY,
2008
For details
click here
For a Farm Radio feature on the Tolpuddle
Rally
click here
Click on the bale to listen
(18/07/08)
|
Bovine TB Emergency Meeting
If Hilary Benn's decision not to
cull badgers as part of Bovine TB control measures was intended to draw a
line under the subject, then he was very much mistaken as Geoff Pagotto
found out at a special meeting held by the NFU at Sedgemoor livestock
centre.
Click on the bale to listen
(17/07/08)
|
ANNOUNCEMENT!
FORDE ABBEY FAIR
THURSDAY JULY 31ST,
2008 11am – 4pm.
Click on the bale to listen
(14/07/08)
|
Dexters on the
Levels
Dexters are the
smallest breed of cattle. They originated from the black
cattle of southern Ireland and owe their name to a Mr.
Dexter of County Tipperary who bred them from the wild
mountain cattle of the area. Dexters were first introduced
into England in 1882 and the success and popularity of the
breed is now worldwide. Among the qualities sought after by
livestock farmers are their hardiness, gentle nature and
dual role for producing top quality beef and high butterfat
milk.But it’s their ability to adapt to varying climatic
conditions and different systems of management, that sets
them apart from many other breeds of cattle. Charlie
and Gill Ainge run their Peppercorn herd of Dexters on the
Somerset levels. They’re convinced it’s the perfect choice
for the wetlands of Somerset, as they explained to John
Burgess recently.
Email:
gill.ainge@virgin.net
Tel: 01934 713472
Somerset Food Links
Click on the bale to listen
(14/07/08)
|
Business
Information Point - Stewart Horne
Stewart Horne's
certainly no pen pushing bureaucrat but a farmer in charge
of the not for profit company, Business Information Point.
Founded in West Devon BIP now offers services to include
Somerset and Dorset. As Geoff Pagotto found out, as the
Rural Development Programme funds finally kicks in Stewart
is keen for farmers and all rural businesses to get their
fair slice.
Contacts:
Website - www.bipwestdevon.biz
Phone - 01837 659059
Click on the bale to listen
(11/07/08)
|
The Woolly
Shepherd, Part 1
Val Grainger got fed
up with making a loss on the fleeces from her flock of sheep
and decided that something had to be done. Farm
Radio's Colleen Jackson went to visit her on her farm in the
Blackdown Hills on the Devon/Somerset border to see what
amazing ideas she came up with!
www.woollyshepherd.co.uk
As if all the various enterprises
dealing with wool weren't enough, there is more to come on
"The Woolly Shepherd" story. Look out for Part 2 . . .
Click on the bale to listen
(10/07/08)
|
The Rural Housing Trust
 Property
prices are a political hot potato at the moment, but while
many are concerned about their house value, others have been
excluded from the housing market for years because of high
house prices in the countryside, Barry Lampard Head of
Housing Services for the Rural Housing Trust explains to
Geoff Pagotto how the trust helps in a modest but powerful
way.
http://www.ruralhousing.org.uk
Click on the bale to listen
(08/07/08)
|
National Beanpole Week
National Beanpole
Week was back in April and the Dorset Coppice Group held a
special weekend of events to raise awareness of the products
from our woodlands and, after an improbably long trip along
a track through Shillingstone Forest, Ali Grant emerged at
the Group's
"Living Classroom" to find out what it was all about.
Mandy Joyce,
Dorset Coppice Group
Click on the bale to listen
(07/07/08)
|
Bluetongue - Paul
Bennett
Farmers in West
Dorset are breathing a sigh of relief now that the vaccine
for bluetongue has arrived. Dorset is among the first
areas in the south west to receive the vaccine.
Margery Hookings talks to West Dorset NFU secretary Paul
Bennett.
Paul Bennett, NFU
Secretary West Dorset: 01308 862774
Please also listen to another item on Bluetongue
Click on the bale to listen
(04/07/08)
|
Dorset Tree,
Woodland and Forest Strategy
The Dorset Trees,
Woods and Forest Strategy is a mighty title for the first
ever such document produced, certainly in the South West if
not in England and with Dorset's Woodlink Officer, David
Rees, we unpick some of the crucial and ambitious aims of
the project that could impact on Dorset's citizens in some
way over the next decade.
Woodlink on the web
Please also listen to Geoff's piece introducing David Rees
Click on the bale to listen
(04/07/08)
|
Somerset Lavender
Farm Radio's correspondent, Colleen
Jackson took a trip down to Faulkland in Somerset to talk to Judith and Francis Green.
They have given up their dairy herd and are devoting their
energies to growing and processing lavender and developing
their farm as a fascinating visitor attraction.
Colleen is hoping to re-visit the
Greens shortly to report on the lavender harvest.
www.somersetlavender.com
Click on the bale to listen
(04/07/08)
|
Click
here or toggle down for June 08
The
first cut of grass silage should be safely tucked into the clamps now, but
what sort of start has the season seen, Geoff Pagotto braves the reversing
machinery and talks to Andrew May, South West regional manager for Biotal,
and discovers a link between their ensiled crop preserving products and
yeasts used in brewing!
Wheat
heading for the internal combustion engine rather than the mouths of people
and animals is likely to hit record levels this year. Geoff Pagotto
found out from the thinking man's farmer, Oliver Dowding, if biofuels really
stack up for a sustainable future.
One
of the more recent developments at the Long Crichel garden
is the creation of an enormous herb garden. Luzia Barclay is
a herbalist and couldn’t believe her luck when she was
offered space to grow her own herbs as part of the Long
Crichel community garden. She told Ali Grant about the stage
the garden’s at at the moment, and her plans for developing
it in the future.