Conservation Grazing: Balancing Food Production and Biodiversity

Elise Sutton on the left, a smiling woman in outdoor attire with a colourful knit hat, standing next to a large, shaggy-coated Highland cow in a grassy field. Elise is resting her hand on the cow's back. The cow, with impressive curved horns, stands prominently in the centre. The backdrop shows bare trees and a clear sky, suggesting a crisp autumn or winter day on a farm or rural setting.

Conservation grazing is an increasingly popular approach to land management that's catching on across the UK. It's a method that uses livestock to meet conservation objectives, primarily by removing dominant vegetation to allow threatened species of plants, birds and insects to thrive. This technique is becoming more common on nature reserves throughout the country, with … Continue reading Conservation Grazing: Balancing Food Production and Biodiversity

187: Soil, Dung Beetles, and Longhorn Beef with Elise Sutton

English Longhorn cattle in a grassy field. On the left, a cow with large curved horns stands prominently, its brown and white patched coat visible. To the right, another cow with a lighter coat and yellow ear tag looks directly at the camera. Behind them, two more cattle can be seen grazing. The background shows a clear blue sky and autumn trees, creating a pastoral countryside scene.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2AcYu75pxYHjEFOFXXr0Of Can farming and conservation coexist harmoniously? How can farmers produce high-quality food while protecting biodiversity? Elise Sutton, a passionate conservationist and livestock manager at Cherry Lodge Farm, shares her experience in balancing food production with nature conservation. Elise talks about conservation grazing using English Longhorn cattle on a 650-acre farm that includes a Site … Continue reading 187: Soil, Dung Beetles, and Longhorn Beef with Elise Sutton

181: Farming and Soil Biodiversity with Stuart Meikle

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3u0iFOeVuZ4sY9XK3sDAwa What is sustainable agriculture? Does regenerative farming mean focusing primarily on the soil biome? Is farming a leading cause of biodiversity loss? …and do we really have only 60 harvests left? To get the answers to those and other questions about farming and biodiversity, join me for a conversation with an agricultural management and … Continue reading 181: Farming and Soil Biodiversity with Stuart Meikle

144: How to Cut All Chemical Nitrogen on a Farm with James Foley

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KEERp5msXQsmC8fLqACK0?si=67224b4eeec6436e I always enjoy speaking with farmers, whether on my podcast or when I’m out in the fields hunting and fishing. Therefore, I welcomed an opportunity to not only talk with James Foley, a dairy farmer from Co. Waterford, but to visit him and spend the day on his farm. Yes, that means it’s one … Continue reading 144: How to Cut All Chemical Nitrogen on a Farm with James Foley