Best Smallholding Podcasts (2026)

1
Smallholding & Entrepreneurship: Mark Rees’ Journey from the Army to Gotland Gin 37:05

Play Pause

7d ago37:05

37:05

This episode of the HighGround podcast explores life on a smallholding and the realities of farm diversification. Host Tom Constable welcomes Mark Rees, a 22‑year Army veteran who, with his family, bought a smallholding in Devon and began rearing Gotland sheep—a Swedish breed prized for its lustrous wool and tender meatlivingwithgotlands.com. Mark …

1
Thoughts from the Edge: Navigating the turbulent seas of the incoming year with grace and courage (Manda solo) 47:00

1d ago47:00

47:00

Well…2025 was the year the masks came off the old system: nobody is pretending it's there to help us, or that those who have stolen the reins of power have any intention of 'saving the planet', still less resolving the horrors of inequity or anything at all but feeding the ravenously hungry ghost of capitalism. So how do we bring power to those wit…

1
Change is Coming! Solstice Reflections with Della Duncan, Nathalie Nahai and Manda Scott 1:14:54

8d ago1:14:54

1:14:54

At the end of a turbulent year that has seen the masks come off the death cult in ways that were probably predictable, but still shocking, we reconvene our December Solstice Traditional conversation. Manda is joined by Della Duncan of the Upstream Podcast and Nathalie Nahai of 'Nathalie Nahai in Conversation' to explore the things that have stood o…

1
We're back! What's been happening and what can you look forward to in 2026! 5:13

4d ago5:13

5:13

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime! Merry Christmas and SURPRISE!! Yes the pod is returning after a (too long) break, and this time I'm not alone! I've got a co-host with me - yes Andrew, my brother, and I will now be co-hosting the pod! Want to get a double dose of sheep content this is your spot! Two flocks, two hemispher…

1
December Solstice meditation - suitable northern and southern hemispheres 22:31

5d ago22:31

22:31

Here's our December Solstice Meditation for 2025 - please find a place and time where you can relax, take space for yourself, and build the connections to the web of life that will carry us forward. Details of 3iATLAS https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/3i-atlas-facts-and-faqs/By Accidental Gods

1
Policy change, advocacy, and the future of regen ag in Europe: panel session 58:03

6d ago58:03

58:03

There’s no way around it, governance of the agricultural industry has a massive impact on how farms and the agrifood system are managed. Policy, regulations, and incentives are driven by many forces and stakeholders. Yet the political machine is slow and heavily influenced by financial interests. Where does this leave farmers themselves, and most n…

1
Deer Management: Adam Chant’s Journey from Signals Intelligence to the Devon Countryside 44:44

12d ago44:44

44:44

This episode of the HighGround podcast features Adam Chant, a former Royal Corps of Signals electronic‑warfare specialist who transitioned to a rural portfolio career centred on deer management. After 25 years in the Army, Adam was ready for a change and discovered HighGround via a segment on BBC’s Countryfile. He enrolled on one of the charity’s r…

1
Horticulture / Gardener 34:11

14d ago34:11

34:11

In this episode of the HighGround podcast, hosts Tom Constable and HighGround CEO Jamie Crisp visit the National Trust’s Killerton Estate in Devon to speak with Karl Emmeleus, head gardener and a long‑time supporter of HighGround’s Rural Weeks. Karl retrained from secondary‑school teaching into horticulture more than two decades ago and has worked …

1
Countryside Manager: Josie’s Non‑Linear Path to Nature Recovery 43:21

7d ago43:21

43:21

In this episode, Tom and Jamie talk with Josie, a National Trust countryside manager in North Devon. Josie’s career has been anything but straightforward: she left school after GCSEs, trained as a mechanic and served five years in the REME before embarking on higher education. With life experience but no A‑levels, she contacted universities directl…

1
Championing Veterans in the Rural Economy: Dr Charles Trotman of the CLA 28:48

7d ago28:48

28:48

In this HighGround episode, hosts Tom Constable and Jamie Crisp speak with Dr Charles Trotman, Senior Economics and Rural Business Advisor at the Country Land & Business Association (CLA). Charles sets the scene with statistics: predominantly rural areas contributed about £315 billion (16.2% of England’s economy) in 2022 lordslibrary.parliament.uk,…

1
Transitioning from the Military to the Land‑Based Sector 1:02:39

7d ago1:02:39

1:02:39

HighGround’s new podcast series explores careers in the land‑based sector for service leavers, veterans and reservists. Hosts Tom Constable and HighGround CEO Jamie Crisp open by explaining how the podcast complements the charity’s residential Rural Weeks programme, providing free, on‑demand advice to anyone considering outdoor careers. In this fir…

1
Farm Management: From Infantry Officer to Velcourt Farm Manager 40:05

7d ago40:05

40:05

This episode features Ollie Pemberton, a former infantry platoon commander who now works as a farm manager for Velcourt. After leaving the military, Ollie explored several careers—including teaching mathematics and running a furniture factory in Vietnam—before studying agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University. A chance encounter with Velcou…

1
Arborist: Jamie’s Journey into Self‑Employment in Trees 40:00

12d ago40:00

40:00

HighGround chats with Jamie, a former Royal Corps of Signals soldier who left the Army after 22 years and built a second career as an arborist. Unsure of his next steps, Jamie attended a HighGround Rural Week, which introduced him to the breadth of land‑based careers. He discovered arboriculture—an industry that encompasses tree planting, pruning, …

1
Entrepreneur: Rob Palmer and Biochar 42:17

7d ago42:17

42:17

In this episode, HighGround co‑hosts Tom Constable and Jamie Crisp explore entrepreneurial life in the land‑based sector through the story of Rob Palmer, a former RAF weapons‑systems engineer and Royal Engineer officer who now leads a biochar start‑up. Rob candidly recounts his meandering journey: after dropping out of university and joining the RA…

1
Mobile Agricultural Technician: From RAF Supply to Tractor Troubleshooter 30:21

12d ago30:21

30:21

In this episode of the HighGround podcast, hosts Tom and Jamie talk with Martin, a former RAF supplier who spent much of his 23‑year career in tactical logistics roles and as a fleet manager. Seeking an outdoor career after years behind a desk, Martin began helping on a local farm and rediscovered his love of engineering. A HighGround Rural Week at…

1
Estate Management: Rob Honan on Leadership, Community & Opportunity 35:57

7d ago35:57

35:57

HighGround speaks with Rob Honan, a former Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters officer who now runs the 4 000‑acre Ascott Estate in Buckinghamshire. Rob describes his journey from the Army into estate management, explaining that many estates encompass a mix of arable and livestock farming, residential and commercial properties, sporting ventures an…

1
Wild new stories: Weaving New Myths for a New Way of Being with Ally Kingston of Agency for Nature 1:25:10

15d ago1:25:10

1:25:10

How do we create the stories that will bring a whole new generation back to the web of life, that will help people find hope again, and lean into their heart's yearning for connection, relationship, being and belonging? This week's guest, Ally Kingston, is a creative facilitator and strategy lead at Purpose Disruptors, where she co-developed the br…

1
Word Magic 2025 - Accidental Gods' pick of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and podcasts through the year 32:34

18d ago32:34

32:34

Here's Manda's round up of (some of) the best books, poetry and podcasts she's come across this year. Most of the links are to Bookshop.org in the UK where you can link to an independent bookshop of your choice. In some cases, we've linked to the authors' website. Fiction Rachel Neumeier - Rihasi, Marag, Sekaran, Hedesa - all four are part of the T…

1
Climate Resilience on European Farms: Adaptation and New Potential 56:45

13d ago56:45

56:45

Welcome back to another episode in our panel discussion series. In this edition we’ll be focusing on the challenges and opportunities of climate adaptation with examples of farmers in different key and representative zones of Europe. There's no question that the climate is shifting in severe and unpredictable ways. The question is how can agricultu…

1
Barefoot Economics in a world of Hobnailed Boots with storyteller Inez Aponte 1:11:15

22d ago1:11:15

1:11:15

If we are to build systems that meet our real needs we have to first understand what those needs are and start growing the stuff that will allow us to thrive: good food from healthy soils, safe and supportive homes and communities, space to develop and express our creativity, opportunities to increase our capacity for co-operation and kindness. As …

1
From humble beginnings, to leading a permaculture revolution in Malawi, with Luwayo Biswick 57:36

20d ago57:36

57:36

Alex got a chance to follow up with Luwayo Biswick in Malawi. Luwayo had been on the Regenerative Skills podcast when it was still Abundant Edge for episode 71 in 2018. As the Founder of the Permaculture Paradise Institute, Luwayo and his family have built an enterprise that helps local farmers throughout the whole country learn how to integrate re…

1
Roots to Health - building Food Resilience at all Scales with Daphne du Cros of the Shropshire Good Food Partnership 1:03:04

29d ago1:03:04

1:03:04

We all know by now that plants grown in living, thriving, life-filled soil, give us living, thriving, life-filled food... but the steps to getting there in the face of a multinational industry devoted to toxic, nutritionally empty, addictive - and highly profitable - ultra-processed 'food-like substances' are harder to see. This week's guest, Daphn…

1
From extractive agrobusiness to permaculture abundance, with Ripura Hewicke 1:17:02

28d ago1:17:02

1:17:02

In our tour of Sub Saharran Africa, Alex followed a recommendation from Thiang’o to talk with Ripura Hewick. Ripura is based in Namibia, and manages a dryland farm for the non-profit Steps for Children. Ripura started as a traditional Agrobusiness management student University of Science and Technology (NUST) graduate with a Bachelors of Agricultur…

1
Dance of the Spiritual Warrior: Balancing Love and Power with Jamie Bristow 1:27:00

1M ago1:27:00

1:27:00

What does it mean to (re)orient our entire culture around the power of love? To answer this, we have to understand the nature of love and of power and how both of these have many meanings in our culture, some of them essential to moving forward - and some of them so toxic they turn the entire concept into a poisoned cue. This week's guest is friend…

1
Crossing milestones and charting a new path forward: 32:42

1M ago32:42

32:42

400 episodes down and some big changes coming. It's been almost 9 full years since I started this little show and I'm amazed at the journey that it's accompanied me on, from my apprenticeship in bamboo building in Guatemala, to starting a homestead, leaving it to move to Spain just ahead of the pandemic, and where I am now, putting down roots in ce…

1
The Magic of Darkness: learning to love life in the night with author Leigh Ann Henion 1:06:31

1M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

Do you love the dark? Do you yearn for sunset and the amber glow of a fire with the night growing deeper, more inspiring all around you? Most of us don't - though our ancestors through all of history have lived by firelight, moonlight, starlight... until the modern era of light at the flick of a switch. But there's a world out there of sheer, unadu…

1
BONUS – 2025 European Microfinance Award Winner Radiant Yacu on How Insurance Builds Resilience 36:52

1M ago36:52

36:52

Episode Sponsored by the Microinsurance Network In November 2025, we travelled to Luxembourg for the European Microfinance Award. The award is a prestigious prize that recognises outstanding initiatives advancing financial inclusion; in its 2025 edition, the theme focused on building resilience through inclusive insurance. The award is organised by…

1
Community Resilience: Farms as Anchors of Local Culture and Community 54:24

1M ago54:24

54:24

Welcome back everyone and welcome back to the monthly panel sessions. In this session that I hosted with Climate Farmers, we dive into the lives of three passionate farmers, Julia, Anne, and Mateo, who are not only dedicated to regenerative agriculture but also deeply invested in their communities. Each farmer shares their unique journey, challenge…

1
Starting in the Ruins: Of Lions and Games with Crypto-Advocate and Changemaker Andrea Leiter 1:29:28

2M ago1:29:28

1:29:28

This week's guest, Andrea Leiter, is one of those polymaths who brings not just breadth, but astonishing depth to the work of bridging the worlds of technology, biodiversity and international law; bringing them together in service of a new way of being built from the ruins of collapse. Andrea works at the intersection of law, digital transformation…

1
What does the process for putting land in a farmer’s trust look like? 1:02:19

2M ago1:02:19

1:02:19

You may remember a handful of weeks back when I interviewed Kristina Villa about the work of the Farmer’s Land Trust, and how they’re helping to make farmland affordable as well as giving new options to retiring farmers to preserve the legacy of their farms. Today will be a continuation of that discussion but with a practical example. I’m joined to…

1
Walking the wild, mythic Edge of Being with visionary elder and soul initiator Bill Plotkin 1:27:35

2M ago1:27:35

1:27:35

What is the true vow of your life, the one it would kill you to break? This phrase comes from the poem 'All The True Vows' by David Whyte, but there can be no better introduction to this week's guest, who knows how to help people - ordinary, every-day people from our culture - build true, heart-felt connections with the web of life such that we com…

1
Eco-Civilisation: the future we deserve and how we will get there with Jeremy Lent 1:13:23

2M ago1:13:23

1:13:23

What is an eco-civilisation? What are its values and what are the frames within which it works? Why do we need it in the first place and what will the Establishment do to maintain business as usual? Most importantly, what can each of us do to live an eco-civilisation into being? This week's guest, Jeremy Lent, explores these ideas in depth in his f…

1
ReWilding our Horses, Rewilding our Souls with Kelly Wendorf of the EQUUS 1:12:00

2M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

How do we heal ourselves from the 'lost-ness' that afflicts our culture? How do we move on from the strange—and wholly untrue— belief our culture holds that we are separate from the natural world, that our cycles of exploitation, extraction, destruction, pollution are the way the world is, that this is the natural order and there's nothing we can d…

1
Developing smallholder reslience, through permaculture education and community, with Thiong’o Gachie 1:15:18

2M ago1:15:18

1:15:18

Thiong'o Gachie is a permaculture trainer in Kenya, focused on inspiring smallholder farmers on how to apply permaculture principles, such as crop diversity, to strengthen their yields and build greater community. Alex sat down to talk to Thiong’o about his own process about setting up a small 1 acre farm, developing community, and understanding th…

1
Building the roots of a world that will work - with Victoria Hurth, co-author of Beyond Profit 1:30:09

3M ago1:30:09

1:30:09

'Each of us was put on this earth at this time to personally determine the fate of humankind. Do you think you were put here for something less?' Chief Arvol Looking Horse. We exist in a world where the ultra-rich are getting richer, powered by a system we call 'the economy' which is serving to funnel power and value up to an ever-shrinking core of…

1
Of Beetles' wings and Brittlestars: using Biomimicry to co-create a flourishing future with Michael Pawlyn 1:32:10

3M ago1:32:10

1:32:10

By Accidental Gods

1
Let the Wild Gods Rise! Bridging Between the Worlds with Jackie Morris and Tamsin Abbott 1:20:00

3M ago1:20:00

1:20:00

Let the Wild Gods Rise. Easy to say and harder to do - but if you were offered a portal, a way to step into the other-worlds, to reconnect with all that we have been and could be, would you take it? If you're listening to this, you are likely steeped in the mechanical world of our culture - but it doesn't have to be like this. The other worlds are …

1
The Magic in the Tales we Tell: Living new Stories in Service to Life with Paddy Loughman 1:10:47

3M ago1:10:47

1:10:47

How do the stories we tell ourselves and each other about ourselves, each other and our place in the web of life shape our world? How can we craft narratives that can shift the way we see and experience the world? Is this even the best leverage point to start off with or is there a deeper/wider/more effective acupuncture point we could explore as w…

1
Why we need to rebug the planet, with Vicki Hird: redux 53:08

3M ago53:08

53:08

Though there are only a handful of bugs and invertebrates that humans consider edible, productive, or beautiful, they are an essential element in any healthy ecosystem. All too often the ones that we don’t derive beauty from or direct use from are considered an annoyance at best or actively destroyed and eradicated in all too many cases. It’s long …

1
A Dawning Mind: Exploring the science of spirituality with Dr James Cooke 1:19:28

4M ago1:19:28

1:19:28

Why are we here? How do we think? What is the nature of life? What are the boundaries between ourselves and the rest of the living web—between ourselves and the rest of the universe across space and through time…and in the timeless, formless place from which everything arises? These are the big, foundational questions of our existence, and how we a…

1
#57 - Community Led Innovation in Hudson New York with Gigi Danziger, Investor and Philanthropist 24:50

3M ago24:50

24:50

In this episode, Jack speaks with Gigi Danziger, an impact investor and founder of initiatives in Hudson, New York that champion community-led innovation. Gigi shares the story of how the HudsonUP initiative began — the first small-city Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot in the U.S. — and reflects on the evidence and lessons learned so far. We dive…

1
Growing fresh produce through the coldest winters, with Catherine Sylvestre: redux 55:09

4M ago55:09

55:09

I’ve been so happy to see how popular the concept of growing one’s own food has become in recent years. Especially since the pandemic, a lot of us have connected deeply with the need to build food resilience by cultivating our own gardens, and quite a few have even gone further and started to grow at a market scale. It’s a beautiful thing to be abl…

1
Step by Radical Step: The Route to a Flourishing New Economy with Colleen Schneider 1:15:02

4M ago1:15:02

1:15:02

Our western (Trauma Culture) economies run on two falsehoods - we might go so far as to call them lies. The first is that economies have to grow to be 'successful'. The second is that government spending is limited by the tax take. That is, they need to take money in as taxes in order to spend it out into the economy. Both of these are untrue, and …

1
Regenerative Tourism; Farms as Educational and Experiential Spaces: Panel Session 54:48

4M ago54:48

54:48

This past month we took a look at the timely topic of agritourism and the potential for farms to serve as community and educational centers. This summer we saw a lot of protests against mass tourism and the effects that it's having on tourist centers like Barcelona near where I live. The antidote to this is something that we debate in past episodes…

1
The Crisis and the Call: Journeys through Species-Wide Soul Initiation with Sara McFarland 1:11:21

4M ago1:11:21

1:11:21

As the old system is splitting apart, a few brave souls are already working to hospice this old system, acting as Death Doulas to the Great Dying—as well as helping people to awaken the seeds of a new world within. One of these is our guest this week. Sara McFarland is a Soul Initiation and Wild Mind Mentor and Guide, Artist of Consciousness and a …

1
The edible ecosystem solution, with Zach Loeks: redux 25:40

4M ago25:40

25:40

have you ever wondered what the difference between a garden and an edible ecosystem is? Do you want to know how you can create one in you own yard? In this episode with author Zach Loeks from the Ecosystem Solutions Institute, you learn all that and more. We’ll walk you through how to choose your site, even if all you have is a 5ft by 5ft patch of …

1
138 | Addressing Rising Healthcare Costs in States 53:54

4M ago53:54

53:54

Rising healthcare costs in the U.S. threaten people’s access to treatment and services while reducing their ability to afford other necessities. Over the last decade, state policymakers across the political spectrum have responded to this urgent problem by passing legislation, setting up new government offices, and adding regulations to control hea…

1
Dreams as a Way of Life - Becoming a Good Relative with author Hilary Giovale 1:08:41

4M ago1:08:41

1:08:41

Our Trauma Culture has spread across the globe with terrifying speed and ghastly efficiency. But the tide is turning and people of good heart in many nations are beginning to understand that what we need now is a move towards a 21st Century Initiation Culture. The language is often different, but at heart, this is where we need to go. Our guest thi…

1
BONUS - Central Bank Governor on How the Solomon Islands Is Going Digital 20:58

4M ago20:58

20:58

Following a fantastic and successful Series 1 of show, we're excited to bring you a special bonus episode, before the launch of Series 2 in January 2026. In May 2025, Jack travelled to Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands—a stunning nation in the Pacific made up of nearly 1,000 islands. With a population of just over 800,000, the country fac…

1
Building regenerative community in Bulgaria, with Bobby Dimitrov 1:14:51

4M ago1:14:51

1:14:51

Building on the series with my friend Alex in Urugay on the challenges and opportunities of regeneration in areas of the world that are more economically and resource limited, Alex was able to connect with our mutual friend through the Regenerative Skills Discord server, Bobby Dimitrov. Bobby not only has a unique perspective because of living in B…